It’s refreshing to see Ijincho return so soon, and it overshadows Kamurocho despite the latter’s long appearances in the franchise. Unlike Judgment, which was set only in Kamurocho, Lost Judgment splits its time between the aforementioned distract and the city of Isezaki Ijincho, where Yakuza: Like a Dragonwas set. And though the middle is strong, the closing chapters similarly take some time to bring everything together to a satisfying conclusion. Though there are fewer side cases that are shoved into the main storyline, it takes a while before the narrative kicks into gear. Lost Judgment, much like its predecessor, unfortunately has a problem with its pacing. “At its heart, Lost Judgment asks a question: What happens when the justice system fails to protect the vulnerable?” Admittedly, this comes at the expense of much of the supporting cast from the original Judgment, who are pushed to the side for much of the game. The villainous gang leader Kazuki Soma and handyman Jin Kuwana in particular, stand out. That struggle is fascinating to watch unfold, and it’s made better by a cast of characters both old and new that handle the melodrama well. Though the events of the game follow Yagami as he investigates a simple case of bullying balloons into an attack on Japan’s legal system, at its heart, Lost Judgment asks a question: What happens when the justice system fails to protect the vulnerable? It’s something that Yagami, once again played by Takuya Kamura in Japanese and Greg Chun in the English dub, struggles with.

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