What you need to know
- Lost Judgment will release worldwide on September 24 for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5.
- The new game will continue the adventure of Takayashi Yagami and will feature improvements to the combat and investigation sections of the game.
- Yakuza creator also confirmed that the Judgment series will be the studio's action pillar, while the mainline series evolves into a turn-based RPG, thanks to the success of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotaku Studio have announced a sequel to Yakuza-spinoff Judgment, titled Lost Judgment, for the Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5 and will launch worldwide on September 24.
The new title made its debut during a "Judgment Day" livestream. The latest installment of the series stars Takayuki Yagami, the disgraced lawyer turned detective, as he once again attempts to solve the mystery surrounding a grizzly murder.
Yakuza series executive director and creator Toshihiro Nagoshi also shed some light on what to expect on the upcoming action-thriller. In Lost Judgment, Yagami's story will expand as he deals with the fallout from a guilty verdict handed down in Japanese court. Yagami will also be sent deep undercover at a local high school. Like other Yakuza titles, we can expect healthy amounts of drama and absurdity.
Lost Judgment will take place in two main locations: Series mainstay Kamurocho, and Yokohama, the primary location for Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Combat will also see an upgrade, with new fighting styles introduced, as well as improvements to the investigation sections of the game.
In an interview with IGN ahead of Lost Judgment's reveal, Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa also confirmed that Judgment will be Ryu Ga Gotoku's action series pillar, while Yakuza evolves into a turn-based RPG after the success of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
Judgment originally launched on the PS4, but recently saw a remaster on next-gen consoles. In our review of Judgment on the Xbox Series X, we wrote that the game was a "great spin-off of Yakuza and is an excellent starting point for those interested in the series. However, the new detective elements don't go as far as they need to and end up feeling like scene dressing."
The Yakuza series has seen a recent increase in popularity thanks to the main game's availability on Xbox Game Pass. Currently, you can experience seven of the main series entries on PC and console, and the series make up some of the best titles available on the Xbox Game Pass.
