Yakuza series creators have confirmed that the main Yakuza series will be a turn-based RPG going forwards.
Speaking to IGN ahead of today’s Lost Judgment reveal, Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi and producer Kazuki Hosokawa confirmed that future entries into the mainline Yakuza series will feature turn-based combat after the success of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
“The Yakuza series has been transformed into a turn-based RPG. On the other hand, over the year, 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 Judgement.”
Up until Yakuza 6, all of the Yakuza games featured live-action combat, more akin to a brawler or fighting game. That all changed with Yakuza: Like A Dragon, which introduced a new protagonist and a new turn-based combat mechanic.
Amazingly, this huge shift in direction for the Yakuza series had its genesis in an April Fools joke back in 2019. The April Fools video showed off a turn-based combat system and was meant as a bit of fun, but fans had such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the video that the development team overhauled the entire game’s combat system over the next year to make Yakuza: Like A Dragon a turn-based RPG.
This really does seem like the best of both worlds for Yakuza fans, regardless of which combat style you prefer. The mainline series will cater to fans of traditional JRPGs, while the Judgement spin-off series has your brawling needs covered. We can’t wait to see what both series have to offer, and we don’t have long to wait. Lost Judgement will be releasing worldwide on PS5, Xbox Series X, and previous gen consoles on September 24, 2021.
Lost Judgment joins a packed roster of games to look forward to this year, so check out our upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games roundups to see what’s in store.
