It isn’t hard to play six degrees of separation between Judgement, Yakuza and Shenmue. Given the links and inspirations carried between Sega‘s action-adventures, Judgement feels like an antiquity in certain respects. It sits on the intersection of retro and modern design, wrestling with both throughout the adventure. Now, the tension between these ideas is even more pronounced in Judgement Remastered on PlayStation 5.
This enhanced edition, like most PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X conversions, focuses mainly on technical enhancements. Loading times are incredibly snappy, the game runs at 60 frames per second, and the visuals are crisper overall. As this is the definitive edition of Judgement, all of the game’s DLC is bundled into the package as well. These revisions make Judgement a sleek next-gen experience, but they also underscore a lot of the game’s outdated elements.
Speaking to the upswing first, the speedy load-times are vital to the experience. Judgement is a brilliantly-written detective thriller starring Takayuki Yagami as he works to unravel a string of murders that have caught the yakuza, the police, and many civilians in its undertow. As such, the game is unsurprisingly heavy on narrative. However, moving between cinematics and gameplay is seamless due to the speed of PS5’s SSD. Judgement is all the more playable and immersive because of the load times’ ability to keep up with the story’s blistering pace and intrigue.
The redone visuals work in tandem with the load-times to augment Judgement as well. Everything from the open-world streets of Kamurocho to the character models draw the player in through retouched detail. It is very easy to get lost in the rich characters and terse court encounters. Of course, being a simple remaster, not all of the rough edges from the 2019 PlayStation 4 release have been sanded down. There is a distinct sense that a layer of newness has been applied to something decidedly old. Judgement‘s physics engine, for example, is divorced from the realism of its world and fresh coat of paint.
On the whole though, Judgement‘s remaster has all the telltale cues of a modern experience. However, this draws Judgement‘s shortcomings into clearer focus. On a mechanical level, the game feels decidedly inorganic. This stands in tall contrast to the presentation and technical fidelity. In Yagami’s line of work as a detective, he’ll often partake in various acts of surveillance. From tailing suspects to investigating crime scenes, Judgement attempts to put the player into the action.
In execution though, Judgement‘s gameplay feels stilted. Tailing and investigation feel archaic and outdated. There is a monotony to certain facets of the gameplay that the larger industry had shed by the end of the seventh generation. The implementation of Judgement‘s detective elements is perfunctory at best, offering the aesthetics of stealth and detection without engaging systems. Even a title like L.A. Noire feels more organic and involved than Judgement, and that game is barreling toward its ten year anniversary.
This disjunction between next-gen style and last-gen execution extends to the combat system as well. However, it’s not particularly an issue here. While the 3D beat ’em up has largely faded from the limelight, Sega has revitalized the genre through Yakuza and Judgement. This is very arcade-like, over-the-top action that can sometimes devolve into button-mashing. It almost doesn’t matter though, as executing ridiculous combos and finishers as Yagami has a retro charm. That charm does eventually wear thin, though. Again, these sequences don’t match the next-gen trappings of Judgement‘s veneer, but they double down on the game’s style.
Ultimately, Judgement‘s success is due in large part to that style. There is a sequence in the game where Yagami pulls off Tony Hawk-level skateboard tricks in a QTE-laden escape from armed yakuza. It’s easy to deride the limited interactivity here as yet another hallmark of Judgement‘s aged design. However, it’s equally easy to just get lost in the camp and enjoy Judgment for what it is. The game’s script is able to juggle self-serious and self-deprecating moments effortlessly, which keeps the story entertaining.
However, connecting with Judgement is predicated on accepting its moment-to-moment flaws. In 2021, they feel distinctly pronounced. From underbaked detective elements to an over reliance on outdated design tropes, it can be hard to truly engage with Judgement. For many players, the gameplay flaws may be insurmountable.
After all, the game is systemically shallow, trading in depth for breadth. Kamurocho is full of side content, from gambling to a Mario Party-like virtual reality board game. However, these activities are obviously secondary to the core detective gameplay and beat ’em up combat. Regardless, they provide a lot of texture and variety. As a justification to explore the city between story beats though, they’re certainly serviceable.
Still, Judgement‘s flaws are paradoxically part of its charm. The title feels like a game out of time, and it speaks most clearly to those which identify with its rich history and influences. Mechanics and visuals are at odds with each other, but sum of Judgement‘s parts is stronger than its contradictions. The narrative has weight and emotion, engrossing the player through clever writing and eclectic style. The plot threads are worth investigating and Kamurocho is worth exploring. The remaster is easily the best way to do that. It’s just a shame that the gameplay can’t punch at the same weight.
Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and published by Sega, Judgement Remastered is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Stadia. A review copy was provided by the publisher.
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