The Yakuza franchise is known for its wacky humor throughout the side missions. Last year’s Yakuza: Like A Dragon might go down as the pinnacle of the series. This is saying something as, it has been over a decade. As a spinoff, Judgment still has some zany stuff in it, but many of the cases are also more low key mysteries instead of wild rides.
Still, not all quests need to be funny in order to be worthwhile. Rewards are often key to the experience. Of the dozens in the game, there are definitely some memorable ones that should stand the test of time and thus should not be missed. In order to discuss them in detail, some spoilers will be be brought up below.
10 VR Games
During the course of the main game, Yagami will be forced to interact with a VR board game. It’s one of the more fun mini games in Judgment and perhaps all of the Yakuza franchise.
The game is a bit like a more brutal Mario Party. One can collect items that will turn into Yen at the end, as well as fight virtual thugs for training. This is a great way to earn cash fast.
9 Friend Events
One of the unique quests in this game pertains to building up a reputation in the city. Friend Events offer a variety of quests, ranging from from looking out for ninjas, to trying to hide in plain sight, to investing in a fake Kickstarter.
Make friends. Build Yagami’s reputation. It’s as simple as that. Players should make sure to do these quests because they unlock other, bigger side quests in the game.
8 Entrapment
This quest starts around the bar district when a barker, Tatsuo, convinces Yagami to go into a bar and have a drink for just two thousand Yen.
He soon finds out it’s a scam involving corking fees and all of that nonsense, turning the bill into something well out of his price range. The bartender, Maki, puts up a pretty good front. How it ends is a great mystery conclusion too.
7 Amidst A Dream
This quest involves Sana Mihama, an aspiring musician. Yagami first sees her performing in the streets. Throughout the course of her story, players can help give Sana advice. Eventually it ends with some shady manager and Yakuza practices.
These quests are not that rewarding or fun on their own. However, going through all of this unlocks Sana as a girlfriend for Yagami, which is cute.
6 The Black Calamity
This one begins with Amani, a fortune teller, giving Yagami a prediction. He doesn’t buy it, but it then leads her into asking a favor. Amani is worried about her client, Meguro, who may be going a little crazy. He takes everything she predicts a million ways in his mind; for example, to be aware of something involving the colors black and white.
Hilarity ensues as Yagami tries his best to keep Meguro out of harm’s way involving a few Yakuza scrapes along the way.
5 The Mad Bomber Strikes
While strolling down an alley, Yagami finds a good old-fashioned bomb. He randomly plucks a wire through initiation and luckily stops it. This causes the bomber to send him on a wild series of side quests to both find the bombs and stop them.
These quests are heart pounding scavenger hunts with a time limit, although it’s a decent time given. The end is pretty satisfying too, as it involves a good twist with one of Yagami’s friends.
4 Gone With The Breeze
Players will have to chase all kinds of characters throughout the game. The strangest one involves not a person, but a wig. Tokunaga is a big idol in the region, but he wears a wig that keeps blowing away.
Every time Tokunaga tries to give chase, he sprains his ankle, forcing Yagami to pick up the task. He also doesn’t want to be seen without his hair as it would damage his brand. It’s as wacky as it sounds, but fits right in with the Yakuza universe.
3 Interview With A Detective
Another side story involving an actor/idol is with Shijima. He plays a vampire on TV by the silly name of Bram Sylvania III. After getting involved with a scandal, the press begin hounding him. Shijima wants to give a musical performance in character, but both he and his manager worry the press will ruin it.
That’s where Yagami comes in. Shijima hires him to also dress up as “Bram-sama” in order to lure the press away from the concert. Not only is it fun, it unlocks a new disguise for players to use.
2 The Twisted Professor
What would a Yakuza game, or Japanese game in general, be without a side quest about underwear? Yosuke hires Yagami in order to lure out and find a thief that has been stealing his sister Tsukino's underwear.
This leads Yagami to baiting the so-called Panty Professor, which ends with a good old fashioned brawl. And yes, players better believe that sniffing this pair of stolen underwear gives the Panty Professor Hulk-like strength.
1 The Ghost Tenant
This is a short quest, but it will go down in Yakuza history as one of the greats. Shimazu hires Yagami to investigate an apartment he’s about to rent, because he suspects it is haunted. Instead of wishing it wasn’t, Shimazu actually wants it to be haunted.
Yagami needs to find proof, which will help bring down Shimazu’s rent. Is it filled with ghosts? That's up to players to find out. Let’s just say the final scene is spooky, but not in the way one may think.