Yakuza Series To Remain Turn-Based, Lost Judgment Will Be Action Brawler

The Yakuza series will continue to be a turn-based RPG going forward, according to creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa. The pair confirmed that Yakuza will retain the format explored in Yakuza: Like a Dragon while the spin-off Judgment games, like the newly revealed Lost Judgment, will be more action-focused.

The two said "that's right" when asked by IGN if the two series will continue to diverge in this way. They said that the studio, Ryu ga Gotoku, has decided that it will let its "flashy and exhilarating action games" continue in Lost Judgment--and presumably any preceding spin-offs--while the main Yakuza series has been "transformed into a turn-based RPG."

Most of the Yakuza series has been action-focused, starring a character named Kazuma Kiryu. The latest game, Like a Dragon, introduced a new protagonist named Ichiban Kasuga along with the new turn-based combat. This was tied into the story. Ichiban was said to be a fan of Dragon Quest games and saw himself like a hero in classic RPGs, so he naturally imagined combat encounters that way.

The 2019 game Judgment was a spin-off from Yakuza, taking place in the same continuity and sporting some Easter eggs, but starring a new character, Takayuki Yagami. Its sequel, Lost Judgment, brings Takayuki back as he investigates a grisly murder case. The primary setting will be Yokohama, shared by Yakuza: Like a Dragon, so it wouldn't be surprising to find more crossover references in the game. The studio has not yet announced a new Yakuza game.