In an open world tightly packed with exciting side content that is Judgment's Kamurocho district, it can take dozens of hours for players to explore all of the nooks and crannies of Tokyo's fictional red-light district.
Thankfully, the game's developers did not make it particularly difficult for fans to access most of the side activities and hidden parts of the game. Nevertheless, there are some places and even gameplay elements of Judgment that not everybody who's beaten the game has had the chance to uncover.
10 Shin Amon, The Secret Boss
This secret character can also be found in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. In Judgment, players can unlock the Shin Amon fight only after completing all of the side missions before. Then, a quest called "A Final Request" will be available on the bulletin board in the Yagami Detective Agency.
The fight against Shin Amon is definitely the most difficult brawl in the entire game. Not only does he have five health bars, but he also steals Yagami's phone prior to attacking him, so players can't use any items to boost their abilities or heal themselves mid-battle. There is also nothing in the vicinity that Yagami can pick up and strike Shin with. In this boss fight, the only things players can rely on are their own reflexes and the might of Yagami's fists.
9 Drunk EX Action
Since it's possible to get through the entire game without ever getting Yagami drunk, many players have ignored stocking up on booze altogether throughout their Judgment playthrough. Playing the game that way is a big mistake, as it can lead to missing out on some of the most destructive combos in the game.
Once Yagami reaches a certain threshold of intoxication (usually the 5th level, as seen on the small bottle that appears on the left side of the screen), he can trigger a brutal (and quite hilarious) EX action that can often obliterate smaller groups of enemies with one press of a button.
8 Valuable Items In Tight Back Alleys
Most of the places of interest in Kamurocho are relatively easy to access, thanks to the work that Judgment's developers put into making the game feel as intuitive as possible. There are, however, certain back alleys that are difficult to notice on the map. Players usually reach them by accident.
It may be a good idea to set aside some time for organic exploration of Kamurocho, as some of these alleyways contain valuable items that can be used in crafting powerful extracts, or even secret entrances to certain buildings.
7 Quick Way To Become A Millionaire
While the existence of Tatsuya Gamo is not really a secret -- the side case that tasks Yagami with finding him is unlocked about halfway through the main plot. The mission called "The Burger Fugitive" involves finding a dangerous escaped prisoner. The price on his head is 1,200,000 yen, which is the one of, if not the biggest quest reward in Judgment.
However, the game never points the player towards Gamo's whereabouts, which means that the majority of players were never able to locate him. The fugitive can be found in an extremely tight, hard-to-notice alleyway off Showa Street. Those who decide to chase after him should stock up on health items and boosters, though, as Tatsuya Gamo is one of Judgment's tougher opponents.
6 Selling Trash Items At The Pawnshop
While wandering around the streets of Kamurocho, it is impossible not to notice the various, seemingly useless items lying around in alleyways, sidewalks, and inside certain restaurants.
Some of them can be used to craft extracts that boost Yagami's combat abilities, but a lot of them seem to not have any purpose whatsoever, except for cluttering the players' inventories. Fortunately, there is a small pawnshop that will buy any and all items Yagami carries (for a fair price, too). Many players have never set foot in that establishment, though, since the Ebisu Pawn Shop is a tiny place located just north of the busy Showa Street. It's definitely worth visiting. If not for the cash, then for the Mysterious Stone that can be found inside.
5 Smoke Break Gossip
This is by no means an endorsement of smoking, but players may want to stock up on a few packs of cigarettes at one of the Poppo stores. There are quite a few smoking areas in the game, and sticking around for a smoke lets players eavesdrop on some interesting conversations that play out between NPCs.
For example, the construction workers at the smoke spot in Little Asia, chat about a beautiful woman in a white suit one of them saw walking into a law office. Obviously, they were referring to Mafuyu, one of the most prominent side characters in Judgment, and Yagami's ex-girlfriend. NPCs' smoke break conversations are fun to listen in on, as they show players how the game's world reacts to various story developments.
4 The Kitty Daycare
Most players recognize the building next to KJ Art as the one where Yagami and Kaito scout out the Kajihira Group's headquarters. Those who didn't bother to explore that area would have missed out on a cute easter egg.
When on the roof of the building, players should not go down the ladder in order to get to ground level. Instead, they should use the roof access doors to go down the staircase and enter an establishment that looks like a cafe at first glance. Inside, Yagami will come across a unique "hotel" for cats. None of the pets are interactive, but the sheer existence of a place like this shows the developer' dedication to faithfully portraying the oddities and quirkiness of contemporary Tokyo.
3 Quickstarter Bonuses
Players are introduced to Quickstarter (Judgment's riff on Kickstarter) in chapter 6 of the main story. However, as the PSN stats for the game claim, the vast majority of them have not invested enough money in the in-app projects to reap the benefits.
Stashing cash into the startups that list themselves on Quickstarter will result in Yagami receiving many items that can't be procured in any other way, such as upgraded darts. These things, while not necessary to get through the main plot and side cases, will make life much easier for those players who aim to achieve 100% completion of the game, since they can give Yagami an advantage in most mini-games.
2 Extra Dishes At Some Restaurants
Eating every single item on the menu of all of Kamurocho's restaurants is a necessity for all of the completionists who feel the need to leave no stone unturned in the open-world game. Many players complain about not being able to find one or two dishes that are the only ones missing on their KamuroGo checklists. What they may not know about is the fact that as Yagami's friendship level with certain restaurant owners increases, they will add extra items to the menu.
Fans should frequently revisit food joints so that they don't miss out on getting that coveted Platinum Trophy due to one or two silly dishes.
1 QR Codes With Drone Upgrades
The ability to fly a drone was a welcome addition to Judgment. The developers have provided players with a fresh and unique way to explore the game's world and interact with it. The drone racing mini-game is one of the best in the history of the Yakuza franchise.
Players who are at a loss when it comes to figuring out what to do to further improve their drone, should take to the streets and look out for QR codes hidden in various rooms, alleyways, and roofs of Kamurocho. Scanning them unlocks upgrades that are not achievable by any other means.