The now-confirmed sequel to Yakuza spinoff Lost Judgment will carry forward with the real-time action gameplay the franchise was known for before Yakuza: Like a Dragon introduced turn-based combat. In an IGN interview, Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa confirmed the swap.
“The Yakuza series has been transformed into a turn-based RPG,” said Nagoshi. “On the other hand, over the years, Ryu ga Gotoku Studio has accumulated resources and know-how of making flashy and exhilarating action games that are effortless to enjoy. We decided that we should let our signature action gameplay live on through Lost Judgment.”
More details were revealed in an official reveal trailer, as seen above. The sequel, which picks up the story from Judgment, transports the series protagonist Takayuki Yagami from Kamurocho to Yokohama, which is the setting of Like a Dragon. Despite the change in scenery, Lost Judgment iterates on everything the previous game had to offer and adds new features like complicated side quests and a third “Snake” fighting style.
RELATED: Japanese PlayStation Store Leaks Sega’s Judgment Sequel
Following a week of teases by SEGA’s social media, gamers got a sneak peek at Lost Judgment yesterday when graphics and information about the game leaked early on the PlayStation Network. Today’s news confirms those leaks, including a September 24th release date for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. However, the game will also release on the same day on Xbox One and Xbox Series X, forgoing the PlayStation exclusivity of the first game and the lengthy delay between Japanese and worldwide launches.
