Lost Judgment, an apparent sequel to 2018 action-adventure game Judgment, has apparently been leaked on PlayStation Network. A spin-off of the popular Yakuza franchise, Judgment puts players in the role of a private detective investigating a serial murder case through the streets of Tokyo. The game was developed by Ryu Ga Ga Gotoku Studio, the creators of several Yakuza installments such as Yakuza 5 and Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
A current-gen edition of Judgment, titled Judgment Remastered, released on April 23 for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The enhanced version of Judgment makes effective use of modern gaming hardware by implementing improvements such as 60 frames per second performance and enhanced lighting effects. Loading screens have also essentially vanished from the remastered title, creating an exceptionally smooth experience for players. The April 23 launch of Judgment Remastered also marked the beginning of a countdown, with Sega teasing a big reveal for May 7 and many fans speculating that a sequel to the game will be announced.
Twitter user Wario64 recently discovered a listing for Lost Judgment, an apparent sequel to Judgment, on Japan's PlayStation Network. Numerous details about the game, such as cover art and release dates, are revealed through this early listing. Lost Judgment's Deluxe Digital Edition is said to release on September 21, 2021, three days earlier than the standard edition which would therefore release on September 24. This deluxe edition is also listed as including a season pass for post-release content.
Along with the detective installment Judgment, the long-running Yakuza series has also had two historical samurai-inspired spin-offs titled Ryū ga Gotoku in 2008 and 2014. While these games were released exclusively in Japan and other Asian territories, series producer Daisuke Sato recently suggested that a future samurai title could come to western audiences. The wild success of Sucker Punch Productions' Ghost of Tsushima, a samurai game taking place during the thirteenth-century invasion of Japan by the Mongols, has apparently convinced Sato that the samurai genre can be successful in western countries.
The Yakuza series has been very successful with both Japanese and western audiences, and Judgment is an interesting spin-off of the franchise which keeps gameplay largely the same but flips the perspective from violent criminals to a private detective. Fans have been anticipating the announcement of a Judgment sequel ever since the release of Judgment Remastered, and it appears that the reveal of Lost Judgment is finally imminent.
Judgment is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Source: Wario64/Twitter