Sega has detailed the contents of Lost Judgment's Digital Deluxe and Ultimate Editions, the latter of which includes access to the game's major story expansion. Lost Judgment is the follow-up to the 2018 Yakuza spinoff focusing on lawyer-turned-detective Takayuki Yagami. Officially announced with a September 2021 release date for PlayStation and Xbox consoles back in May, Lost Judgment will carry forward with the real-time action gameplay of its predecessor rather than the turn-based combat of Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The franchise is also retaining a more realistic tone for its storytelling when compared to Yakuza, giving the two series a stark contrast that complements each other as they alternate releases.
Sega has pushed Yakuza and its spinoff games more heavily in the West over the past few years, giving players plenty of opportunities to catch up with the franchise at their leisure. The games have been regular features of bundles like the monthly Humble Choice offerings, and the entire Yakuza series is available on Xbox Game Pass. In addition, Yakuza: Like a Dragon was one of the most critically well-received launch titles for the Xbox Series X/S, showcasing what current-gen hardware can do before many other games received optimizations for the new tech. Judgment has not joined the rest of the games on Game Pass as of yet, but Xbox has teased that it could happen at some point in the future. Of course, it would make sense to put Judgment on Game Pass ahead of Lost Judgment's release as a way to promote the sequel.
Those who have already played through Judgment and want to grab the sequel as soon as possible will be pleased to know that there are several editions to purchase, each with its own additional perks. Those paying for the $70 Digital Deluxe Edition get the game three days before its actual launch on September 24. In addition, they get three item pack DLCs that boost the initial stages of the game and give detective Yagami more options as he hunts for clues.
All of these bonuses also come packed along with the Ultimate Edition, which boosts the price up to $90. For that extra cash, players will also get the game's planned Story Expansion, which adds new missions set in Kamurocho and Ijincho. These are the two cities where the Yakuza series take place, and Lost Judgment's base game takes place in these well-trodden, ever-evolving cities. Players who pre-order any edition of the game at GameStop will receive a physical steelbook for their game, and players on PS4 and Xbox One get free upgrades to the current-gen version if or when they need them.
It's always exciting to see a game announced and released in short order, especially one as exciting as Lost Judgment. Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have earned their reputation as storytellers throughout the Yakuza franchise, and both Judgment and Yakuza: Like a Dragon stretched the type of worlds these characters can inhabit. All signs point to Lost Judgment being another successful part of the team's legacy.
Lost Judgment will be available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One on September 24, 2021.