Curious as to what all the hubbub is about with Sega’s recently released Judgment? You’re in luck. A free Prologue Demo recently launched on the PlayStation Store. Most Yakuza fans have probably already explored the spin-off to their heart’s content. However, this seems the perfect opportunity for newcomers.
The Judgment Prologue Demo, which clocks in at around 14.5GB on the PS4, offers players a chance to venture into the early portions of the game’s story. Players also get a feel for the main pillars of gameplay, including street fighting and Judgment’s investigation mechanics with Takayuki Yagami, the quick-witted protagonist.
Like Yakuza titles before it, Judgment takes place in the fictional Japanese city of Kamurocho. The city’s criminal underbelly remains prosperous. Yagami finds himself roped into its affairs, being that he’s a lawyer turned private detective. After a number of grisly murders puts everyone on high alert, Yagami must confront his very checkered past.
The title hit Japan late last year as Project Judge, then launched in other regions this summer as Judgment. Across the board, the game received positive reviews, with many praising the new spin on the illustrious world of Yakuza. Our review of the crime-driven experience awarded it an 8.5 out of 10, lauding Yagami as a great lead character. Kudos were also given to the game’s intriguing narrative and investigative aspects. Meanwhile, many of Judgment’s faults seem to center on some of the gameplay mechanics, particularly those that appear to rely too heavily on the structure of a Yakuza game.
As far as Yakuza itself is concerned, developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is set to reveal substantial details on a brand-new entry later this month. For now, the only concrete bits of information concern the new main character Ichiban Kasuga and his co-star, Eri Kamataki.
