Mista
Banned
It’s going to build up greatly. Have fun
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nowhat
Gold Member
(disclaimer: thus far I've played Zero, Kiwami, Kiwami 2 and 6 of the Yakuza series, so those games I'm comparing this to)
It sure did. Just finished the main story, with 44/50 side cases and 37/50 friends (and 4/4 waifus, duh) completed - not 100%, but I still think I have a pretty good idea what the game is. And... it's good, very good even, but it falls short of being great for me. Which is frustrating, as the flaws are almost entirely mechanical. I'm willing to ignore shortcomings in some areas if I like the game otherwise, but this time around they just ended up being detrimental to the overall experience.
The main story sure does take its sweet time to get going, and that would be my only major criticism. Chapter 1 could use some trimming. But once the events really start to unfold, it's great. Yagami is a good new protagonist, doesn't seem like a Kiruy knockoff but a distinct person of his own (and not as awkward with women). The other characters are believable and likable and/or interesting (although some of the minor characters, especially baddies, end up being somewhat one-dimensional, but I think that's given). And the main story has a lot of a quality missing from other Yakuza games - coherence. No plot twist feels cheap or unjustified. The tone is more serious, but I'm fine with that. Zero manages to deliver a couple of emotional gut punches that still makes it the best story for me, but this is a very close second.
The side cases/friend missions are good as well, but if the main story is more serious, the side stuff should be more crazy. Sure, there are eccentric people to discover and some "why Japan, why?"-moments, but it still feels a bit tame. If an ex-Yakuza like Kiryu can attract such bizarre people, surely being a detective willing to do odd tasks for peanuts would bring out the lunatics in droves.
But then there are the added detective mechanics, and this is where the game starts to show some wrinkles. I get having them in the game, but the problem is the implementation quality ranges from "passable" (the investigations) to "tedious" (the tailing missions) to "I don't know who smoked and what" (that keyring - who thought that'd be a good idea?). And apart from those keys, which gladly need to be used only so often, the other mechanics are very frequent. Again, I get having them in the game, but the way they're implemented doesn't really add to the experience, rather subtract from it.
Most of my complaints are related to those mechanics, but then there's one other thing that really started to irk me: Keihin Gang and their continued appearance. I think they "spawn" way too frequently, but beside that, there's really no reason to go after the leaders. If you do, you'll get a couple of marbles (ok, not marbles, just can't remember what the name of the crafting material is). If you don't, you'll get a couple of passive-aggressive messages from Kim. And really, Kim is the most major issue here. I wish I could set my phone to ignore that guy, he becomes annoying really fast.
Still, it's a good game and especially a solid foundation for a new series. The mechanical issues can (and hopefully will) be sorted - if/when there's a sequel, I'll sure get it.
The Cockatrice
Gold Member
Great news but they really REALLY need to fucking change the location already.
nowhat
Gold Member
Kamurocho? Hell no, keep that.
They need to add another location as well, as with many Yakuza games. And I don't mean something like that-one-building-complex in the game, but another town.
Mista
Banned
I’m in for this. Had a lot of fun playing Judgment
Verdanth
Member
Really happy with this, since at the moment I'm rooting more for a Judgment 2 rather than a Yakuza 7 to be honest.
Judgment detective mechanics while new, were also a bit clunky, there's a lot of room for improvement.
Let's see what they will show us on August 29th regarding Yakuza 7, thought.
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nowhat
Gold Member
That's like saying shooting myself in the foot felt a bit inconvenient.
Let's face it, they were terrible. Tolerable at best, but downright mindbogglingly bad at worst. There's so much room for improvement there. I still ended up really enjoying my time with Judgment. Not because of those detective mechanics, but despite them.
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xrnzaaas
Member
Detective mechanics weren't terrible, but they definitely need some improvements. The whole super detailed casebook is pointless since the game is extremely linear, you can't fail the case if you pick the wrong evidence and you can't make any choices even when presented with two different dialogue options (Yagami will simply dismiss one of them). Also the suspect tailing mini-game is not that great, the targets are blind and I didn't fail it even once. With longer tailing sections it can get really boring.
There's some good/great stuff as well thankfully. I enjoyed the photo taking, drone, evidence searching (the more complex ones) and lockpicking minigames.
There's some good/great stuff as well thankfully. I enjoyed the photo taking, drone, evidence searching (the more complex ones) and lockpicking minigames.
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nowhat
Gold Member
I dare you to defend that "select a key from a keyring"-mechanic in any way. Yes, it's infrequent. Also, being infrequent, you forget what that damned key was. Yes, you can get a skill so you can see what key is correct (once you've selected it one time) - which turns a simple act of opening a door (a single button press) into a "press a key - wait for animation - select correct button - wait for animation". It's completely unnecessary and annoying as fuck.
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xrnzaaas
Member
I must've got that skill early, because I didn't have any problems picking the right key. Not a problem for me, especially since it's not happening every single time you return to the detective agency.
nowhat
Gold Member
You do need those keys elsewhere too... but I digress. Let me rephrase that. In what way did that mechanic add to the game? Was it "detective-y"? Why was it there?
Mista
Banned
Won’t say terrible but could’ve been better yes. Agreed on the keys part though. I have the key? Open the door straight, no need to choose shit. I’m not here solving puzzle doors
Mista
Banned
That’s most thing that annoyed me is the tailing. Other than that I was fine with everything else
Mista
Banned
Kazza
Member
Yup, recognised it on the spot
In Judgment 2 they should have a character named Loigi bitter at his older brother getting all the limelight. Good to see Sega still poking fun at Nintendo all these years later. I wonder how many times they've secretly put Mario in their games? Here's another time from Alex Kidd in Shinobi World:
Allnamestakenlol
Member
I'm a pretty big fan of the Yakuza series, but haven't gotten around to this. Sounds like there are a couple of areas that can stand to be improved a fair amount, but what are some of the good things that outweigh the bad; reasons you all love/like the game?
The Shepard
Member
Brought this recently and completed it last night and thought the story was excellent towards the end with all the twists. The game has a few nitpicks but overall I loved it as much as the main series. Definitely buy it if you enjoy the yakuza series and play it in Japanese. If I was going to score it I'd give it an 8.5/10. Definitely want a judgment 2 in the future.
Starlight Lotice
Member
In Judgment 2 they should have a character named Loigi bitter at his older brother getting all the limelight. Good to see Sega still poking fun at Nintendo all these years later. I wonder how many times they've secretly put Mario in their games? Here's another time from Alex Kidd in Shinobi World:
LTTP but Yakuza 0 has the option to talk about the Mega Drive but "another" console is more popular.
There is another side quest in 1 or 2 where one of the characters is named after the Antagonist of Jet Set Radio.
Yakuza games tend to reference a LOT of games both SEGA and non-SEGA related.
Kazza
Member
LTTP but Yakuza 0 has the option to talk about the Mega Drive but "another" console is more popular.
There is another side quest in 1 or 2 where one of the characters is named after the Antagonist of Jet Set Radio.
Yakuza games tend to reference a LOT of games both SEGA and non-SEGA related.
Given its late 80s setting, I guess the Yakuza reference is to the PC Engine rather than the Super Famicom.
Laconian Sword
Member
I haven't finished 5 or 6 yet, but this game is almost Yakuza 0 tier for me. As mentioned earlier, I love how much it makes you hate the villains, much like Kuze (who's my PSN avatar). The story was fantastic and always left room for doubt around who the mystery villain was.
All the characters in this game are so well developed and memorable. Never mind the main ones, what about Hattori, for example? Starts as an antagonist but you eventually develop a very satisfying mutual respect that underlines how far Yagami has come by the end.
Judgment is an incredible achievement, especially when it would've been so easy for RGG to dial it in.
All the characters in this game are so well developed and memorable. Never mind the main ones, what about Hattori, for example? Starts as an antagonist but you eventually develop a very satisfying mutual respect that underlines how far Yagami has come by the end.
Judgment is an incredible achievement, especially when it would've been so easy for RGG to dial it in.
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Starlight Lotice
Member
I think it was the NES from what the description was. (Something to do with a Grey Console? And from a Big publisher?)
Could be PC Engine but I recall the Hostess was saying her Younger Brother had it a number of years.