lost judgment is the type of game that reminds me of why i loved RGG games in the first place. this is the full package (minus karaoke), the definitive RGG experience.
let's start with the story. i'll admit, the story in the original judgment was darker and grittier. it was a more compelling, tight mystery. however, judgment's story does not undermine LJ's. LJ touches on a subject that needs to be taken more seriously, bullying. and it brings up such intricate moral dilemmas. [spoiler]some people think that the antagonist, kuwana, is correct in this story. others, may side with our protagonist, yagami. normally in games its very black and white. the protagonist is always the correct one. i just find it so intriguing that both sides make major points for their argument.[/spoiler] this also made me enjoy yagami much more as a character. it shows such an emotional side of him, and when the story becomes personal, his enthusiasm is such a sight to see. [spoiler]i know people think yagami constantly mentioning sawa-sensei is annoying, but look at it this way: everytime sawa is mentioned, it brings our villians back to reality. you can tell that the thought of sawa effects their psyche. furthermore, sawa's death impacted me much more i'd anticipate. maybe its because she was just an innocent, heroic woman caught in the flames of the conflict. or maybe i just thought her character had a lot of potential. either way, i found myself crying several times throughout the narrative.[/spoiler] as for the story of the kaito files (which i'll touch on in my review of said DLC), oh my god. the writing of the DLC is ON PAR with the writing of yakuza 0. i would NOT say that lightly.
regarding side quests, these are the best of the best. one thing that i always remember when i look back on the original judgment, is the lack of side activities. kamurocho is like a barren wasteland in that game. in comparison, LJ has so many side stories/mini games i didn't even do all of them. and they're not just taking up space, these are quality activities. i personally loved the dance, MRC, and boxing clubs. being a club advisor also gives yagami a lot of personality. the typical side cases are captivating, as well.
many people will tell you that LJ has the best combat in the entire franchise. i find that hard to argue with. yagami has a wide plethora of four distinct styles, making his battles addictive and refreshing. kaito's two fighting styles are like rehashed versions of kiryu's brawler and beast from yakuza 0. kaitos version of beast is actually faster, and more entertaining.
compared to the first game, the annoying tailing missions have been severely cut down. yippee!
overall, i like lost judgment more than judgment. now, that's not to say i didn't love judgment, but LJ is better in almost every way. even without its predecessor, LJ is a strong entry in RGG's gameography. a stellar OST, snappy combat, a gripping story, and a large improvement from the first game. i can only wish that RGG as a whole will wake up one day and start creating amazing games like this one. for now, we can wipe our asses with kiwami 3.
