Even though Judgment came out to great reviews in 2019, many missed it the first time around. Now is as good a time as ever to play in for the first time since it is now out on new hardware like the PS5. Thanks to the success of last year’s Yakuza: Like A Dragon, many have been anticipating more Yakuza content to play. 

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It should be mentioned that while this is a spinoff to Yakuza and thus has many gameplay similarities, it is its own thing in more ways than one. That is to say, there are some important details to note before jumping into this gritty detective story. 

10 What’s New?

For a two-year-old game that came out on the PS4, there really isn’t much new with this PS5 port. The two big gets are a solid 60 frames per second along with better graphics. This was always a looker on PS4 but that is more true now. Playing it on PS5 will also present better load times, but that’s thanks to the hardware and not the software. This is all to say that if one was hoping for new features in this game missing from the original, this is the reality of the situation.

9 SP Upgrade Tips

Instead of leaving up through experience points like in other Yakuza games, Yagami instead gains skill points or SP. One might be inclined to spend these points as fast as one gains them but there are situations where it might be handy to hold onto them until the right time presents itself.

A good rule of thumb is to increase attack power and HP with the Ability category. Gaining new moves in Battle should be low on the totem pole. Detectives Hunch will make investigations easier via the Special option. Those are some beginning things to unlock right away but otherwise, again, keep the rest under lock and key.

8 Obtaining Money Will Get Easier

Yagami is pretty broke in the first three hours of the game which is reflected in the story. Random thugs can leave money behind, but the drop rate is rare. Then after those beginning hours, players will unlock the ability to take on side jobs for his detective agency. These can dish out a lot of money. So much so all at once that it might be hard to know what to do with it all.

7 Easy Leveling

One thing to do with money is to visit the Yakuza series’ familiar Poppo convenience stores. Every single one has an event tied to it allowing players to gain prizes based on how much one spends. This is tied to the entire chain.

However, each employee is a different friend Yagami can entrust himself to. The more one spends, the higher the friendships will deepen which unlocks SP points as a reward. It’s very easy to power level in the early stages of the game.

6 Check Yagami's Inbox

Almost every version of the game will come with download bonuses. Where are these things located? There is an inbox right outside Yagami’s apartment/office that literally says inbox on it.

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Chances are there will be something inside of there such as healing items or decorations for the office. How real live cats can be jammed inside this inbox and stay alive is another question, but the point is don’t miss out on some great possible freebies.

5 Good Saving Practices

The game very rarely warns players about going into a heavy story-based encounter. Like in the other Yakuza games, players cannot save in these situations such as big battles inside an enemy’s headquarters, or in the middle of some special mission like the VR game.

This is the only time in the game that players cannot save whenever they want. So before rushing into the red pin on the map, make sure to save outside of it no matter how trivial the event might seem based on the description.

4 Mortal Wounds And Healing

Certain attacks from enemies can deal what is called Mortal Wounds in the game. A bullet or a sword can make Yagami weaker, taking away part of his health that cannot heal with normal items.

In order to bring back the full health bar, players need to buy medical kits. It’s a good idea to always have one on hand at any time no matter how big the kit is. There’s also an early mission wherein players can get into the sewers and find a doctor, Moroboshi, down there to heal these Mortal Wounds without items.

3 Objects And Disarming

In a fight, make sure to always go for the enemy that is holding some kind of weapon. One, they will do more damage to Yagami nine times out of ten if left unchecked as compared to an enemy just using their fists. Two, disarming them means that their weapon can then be picked up to do more damage to them. It’s a basic tactic that works across all Yakuza games, but for those new to the series, it is worth pointing out.

2 Don’t Worry About Choices

The choice system in the game is kind of weird. When presented with multiple options, most of the time they can all be addressed. However, picking the “right” options will gain players bonus SP. Asking the “wrong” questions will negate that bonus but that’s it.

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Similarly, when presented with the choice of evidence, don’t worry about getting something wrong. While it doesn’t make sense for the world to give Yagami multiple chances to produce the right evidence, there is no punishment for saying something silly.

1 Bring An Audio Companion

First of all, this game’s music and overall sound quality including the voice acting is high up there with some of the best PlayStation games of all time. However, when running around Kamurocho, there is silence except for background noises such as shuffling feet, or NPC murmurs.

There will be a lot of running around back and forth so it might be a good idea to have some sort of audio companion when playing to help lessen the monotony of it all. This is a basic rule of thumb to follow with any game with repetitive activity.

NEXT: 10 Nintendo Switch Games That Are Like The Yakuza Series