When thePersonaandShin Megami Tenseifranchises split into two separate franchises,Personahad finally reached a degree of individuality warranting that separation. Arguably, the franchises should’ve separate by the timePersona 3was released, butPersona 5became the first non-SMTPersonagame, and deservedly so at that point.Personahad proven its success and uniqueness from its parent franchise, something that would similarly prove just as interesting for another Sega game franchise. LikePersona, theYakuzaseries also has a spin-off game that may be splitting off into its own franchise as well:Judgment.
After Sega’s announcement of a significantJudgmentupdate coming in May, there’s the possibility that Sega and Ryo Ga Gotoku studio have more in store than just a PC port. The latestYakuzagame made a significant departure from the past six mainline entries in the franchise, moving from an action RPG to a traditional turn-based JRPG. However, asYakuzaexplores its highly successful JRPG diversion with Ichiban Kasuga, the familiar action RPG gameplay foundation could live on with Takayuki Yagami inJudgment. Perhaps this big upcoming announcement forJudgmentcould be the realization of a rumor that the spin-off will expand beyond itsYakuzaroots.
How Yakuza and Judgment Could Differ Moving Forward
At the moment forYakuza, it seems like the series intends to shift and experiment even further with its new traditional JRPG design. Alongside the highly praised Ichiban Kasuga replacing the iconic protagonist Kazuma Kiryu,Yakuzaseems to be content with leaning further into and exploring its newDragon Quest-adjacent JRPG framework.Among impressive sales numbers forLike a Dragon, there was also the suggestion from Ichiban’s voice actor would return as protagonist for the next decade. The timing couldn’t be better forJudgmentto expand beyond the initial spin-off, exploring the inverse of aYakuza-like story from the perspective of an investigator.
Judgment’s reception puts this potential spin-off series into a prime position to expand as well. Much of the gameplay mechanics of previousYakuzagames were remixed and iterated on withJudgment, in tandem with additional mechanics specific to Yagami’s tale in Kamurocho. Fighting was given much more dynamic movement with Yagami’s faster dual-attack styles, as well as his ability to bounce off walls and otherwise gain momentum from his surroundings. Paired with a bit more added stakes with mortal wound attacks and permanent health loss,Judgment’s combat played likea logical next step for the classicYakuzaaction RPG battle systemit always had.
Judgment and Yakuza Can Co-Exist Now More Than Ever
The best thing about an expansion into a separateJudgmentseries is that it wouldn’t be as divested from its foundational series, unlikewhatPersonahas become away fromShin Megami Tensei. These two franchises are thematically very different, withPersonataking on a lighter tone with darker subtext, compared toShin Megami Tensei’s inherently and totally cataclysmic atmosphere.JudgmentandYakuza, on the other hand, are basically two sides of the same coin: Both feature a melodramatic story that often flip-flops between moments of compelling and suspenseful storytelling, as well as moments of levity and absurdity that never takes itself too seriously.
However, it’s the narrative foundation and perspective that differentiatesJudgmentandYakuzaso distinctly. Playing as thestoic and endearing Kazuma Kiryu, or the charismatic and selfless Ichiban Kasuga, is vastly different from Takayuki Yagami’s personality inJudgment. Unlike the twoYakuzaprotagonists, who are often steadfast and unwavering with their respective senses of justice and honor, Yagami spends a lot of his time in self-reflection and doubting his actions in the past. Yagami keeps his head down and focused on his cases, rarely taking the time for himself outside of
In the wake of events from the originalJudgment, there’s certainly room to grow for Yagami and Kaito’s business as a private investigator in a sequel.Judgment’s ending, without diving into specific spoilers, was open-ended enough to allow for a completely new story just as much as an extension from the game’s story. Plus, withJudgmentstill retaining the action RPG gameplay style from previousYakuzagames, fans of the originalYakuzagames will have something to enjoy whileLike a Dragonpushes into a new genre. There’sample space for aJudgmentstandalone franchise, something fans may find out for sure following Sega’s reveal on May 7.
Judgmentis available now on PS4, PS5, Stadia, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Yakuza Ought to Double Down on What Like a Dragon Accomplished
