BothYakuzaandAce Attorneyare really doing well for themselves lately. 2020 sawthe release ofYakuza: Like a Dragon,which put a JRPG twist on theYakuzauniverse and got positive reviews from fans and critics alike. As forAce Attorney,Capcom recently revealed thatThe Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, a compilation of two classic entries in the series, will release in the West soon. It seems fitting, then, that 2021 will also see the release of a game that could appeal to fans of bothYakuzaandAce Attorney.Lost Judgment,the sequel to the well-likedYakuzaspinoffJudgment,releases worldwide in just a few months.
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega came together to show a new trailer for the game at Sony’s latest State of Play. Fans will once again take control of private detective Takayuki Yagami as he investigates a new series of crimes. A lot ofLost Judgment’s gameplay is clearly very reminiscent of theYakuzaseries, but the first game established the importance of finding evidence and building a case to solve the crime at the center of the narrative.Ace Attorneyhas reigned king for a long time as far as detective visual novels are concerned, butLost Judgmentlooks like a pretty engaging, action-packed take onAce Attorney’s crime solving.
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Ace Attorney With a Kick
An important part of theAce Attorneygames is the investigation phase before the trial begins, where Phoenix Wright or another protagonist has to gather evidence from crime scenes and witnesses to protect a defendant.The Great Ace Attorney Chroniclesrecently showcasedthe importance of collaborating with Herlock Sholmesto get to the bottom of mysteries ahead of the trial, for instance.Judgmentincludes the same style of gameplay, and it carries over intoLost Judgment.Throughout theJudgmentseries, the player controls Takayuki as he tails suspects and sneaks into locked locations in search of clues.Judgmentoffers a high stakes alternative to the more relaxed visual novel style ofAce Attorney’s investigations.
Aside from the investigation stage, though,JudgmentandLost Judgmentborrow a lot more from theYakuzagames. That naturally means that combat is an important part of the game. If Takayuki wants to get to the bottom of the mystery, players will have to master his various fighting styles as they take on lowlifes and yakuza that get in his way. On top of that,Lost Judgmentpromises plentyof the wacky, upbeat side quests and minigames that offer a lighthearted side to the wholeYakuzaseries. When players want to give Takayuki a break from sleuthing, there’s dancing, robot battles, and plenty of other activities to offer a little levity.
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Lost Judgment Solves Crime in Style
Judgmentwas more than worthy of a sequel. Critics were overallvery fond of itsYakuza-like combatand its central story, so it’ll be good to see Takayuki return for another mystery. It’s worth nothing that the investigation segments ofJudgmentwere sometimes criticized as overly simplistic, but that doesn’t doomLost Judgmentto the same fate. Ryu Ga Gotoku may have decided to step up the difficulty of crime solving inLost Judgmentnow that the spinoff has a fanbase. After all, the first game was supposedly intended to appeal to players new to detective games, so now Ryu Ga Gotoku can step up investigation’s complexity after warming fans up.
After all, ifJudgmentintends to be a long-running crime-solving spinoff, it ought to lean more heavily into those investigation elements.Ace Attorneyproves time and time again that compelling examination and deduction are the cornerstone of a good detective game. Seeing thatLost Judgmentstill features stealth and investigation as central themes inspires confidence that the developers have found ways to make these sides of the game grow. In the meantime, it’s also exciting to see thatLost Judgmenthas plenty ofYakuza-style actionand fun to offer. Fans ofAce Attorneywho want a little more brawn with their brains should keep an eye on theJudgmentseries.
Lost Judgmentreleases on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on July 26, 2025.
