Much like its predecessor, Lost Judgment's main plotline is excellent, and bar some expected Yakuza-esque schlock that doesn't exactly gel with the grittier scenes, is fairly difficult to fault. The core mystery is a compelling one, there are some hard-hitting themes of bullying, suicide and ill-conceived retribution that the writers aren't afraid to shy away from, and the cast comprises of many fleshed-out, impeccably-acted individuals. The two main antagonists in particular are pitch perfect; one of which is your typical heinous evildoer who sticks in the mind purely because of how despicable he is, while the other is a complex fellow of tangled intentions who can't help but elicit empathy from the player, even if his methods are dubious at best. It's a story on par with the very best that the Yakuza series has to offer.

What detracts from the overall experience are the lacklustre mini-games and an enormous glut of side content of varying quality. Chase sequences, of which there are many, aren't fun. Climbing sequences are not fun. Tailing sequences, which thankfully have been dialled down compared to the first game, still aren't fun! The school stories portion of the game, entirely optional it may be, represents almost half of the content LJ has to offer. Scope-wise, it could be a standalone game in its own right. But much of it just fails to grip on a fundamental level, and there are so many side activities that the game often gets bogged down in overwhelming bloat. You can't help but feel that a more focused and streamlined approach would've paid dividends in the end.

If there is ever a third game, I would like to see a focus on quality over quantity. Hone in more on the strengths, cast out the filler content, and rework the minigames so that they require more player agency. The third entry could be the undisputed masterpiece that this spin-off deserves.