#15. JUDGMENT
Kazuma Kiryu had been the face of Yakuza since its inception, and his departure brought about nervousness and excitement for the future in equal measure. And while we waited for Yakuza 7 give the series a fresh start, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio gave us Judgment, and took us by surprise with how excellent the game was. Yagami proved to be a magnetic protagonist surrounded by an ensemble of equally memorable supporting characters, Kamurocho was as much of a joy to explore as always, new investigation-focused mechanics melded with the classic brawler combat of Yakuza with surprising grace, and the story Judgment told was riveting every step of the way. It might just be a spinoff to Yakuza on paper, but we really hope we haven’t seen the last of Yagami just yet.
