Fans of 'Crime Scene', a domestic reality investigation show known for its memorable lines like “The madness for triangles only grew,” and “I make irregular life, regular,” will find echoes of its charm in 'Project Judgment'. The show's success stemmed from the harmonious interplay of its characters, their performances, the diverse settings, and the intense battles of truth between detectives and suspects. Its appeal was further bolstered by the pursuit of complete narratives, with all participants striving to uncover the truth and a satisfying conclusion that saw the culprit apprehended and jailed.

The investigative game we're introducing today, 'Project Judgment', certainly evokes a sense of nostalgia for the aforementioned 'Crime Scene'. The process of new detective 'Cain' and his assistant, alongside a cast of unique supporting characters, unraveling cases based on clues to approach the truth of the incident, along with the sudden bursts of variety-show-esque moments amidst the tense deductions, are prime examples. So, how did 'Project Judgment' come to be? We sat down with the two developers from 'Lawless Games' to hear their story.

'Project Judgment' is a new detective adventure game with a shonen manga aesthetic. The game unfolds as a detective, who has lost their memory, solves various cases in a European-style city to uncover the truth of their past. Throughout this journey, players follow chapter storylines, receiving case requests in the form of 'quests'. The core gameplay involves investigating crime scenes, interrogating suspects according to the quest's flow and instructions, and then identifying the culprit through a deduction show.

Here, the 'Deduction Show' refers to the investigative segments within the game where players must expose the culprit or refute opposing arguments. This is the game's central content: if an opponent makes a false claim, the player must counter it. Players can uncover the truth through various mini-game formats such as 'Keyword Refutation', where they piece together crucial words from the case by combining consonants and vowels, 'Either-Or Choice', which presents important decisions, and 'Misinformation Correction', where players must correct false news before it spreads. However, if the player makes a deduction error, their concentration gauge depletes, potentially leading to a game over, thus demanding careful decision-making. The concentration gauge functions similarly to an HP bar within the game.

The development team defined 'judgment', which is also the game's title, not merely as legal punishment, but as a process of guiding villains to receive the retribution they deserve. To this end, the protagonist 'Cain Aelia', who has lost his memory, is portrayed not as an authoritarian figure, but as a witty and energetic rookie detective. Coupled with the bickering chemistry with his taciturn assistant, the game actively presents a boisterous and lively narrative, reminiscent of series like Ace Attorney, while maintaining the antique atmosphere of classic detective fiction.

As the player character has lost their memory, the role of supporting him and explaining the game's world falls to the taciturn assistant character. The assistant, also without a clear direction in life due to circumstances similar to Cain's, works at Cain's detective agency. Their contrasting personalities create the familiar dynamic of banter between a detective and their assistant, often seen in classic detective stories.

Furthermore, a diverse cast of supporting characters contributes to the game's playful atmosphere. Within the game system, they react more intensely depending on whether the player's deductions are correct or not. Their role extends beyond this; players can learn about their backgrounds through dating and conversations during their daily lives, which in turn serves to expand the game's world.

Team Lawless stated, “We designed it with the thought that perhaps players would become more motivated to deduce if they were wrong and faced criticism.” They added, “We aimed for a lighthearted deduction story in the style of shonen manga, where you work hard when you need to and relax when you can. As befits a deduction game, there are secret organisations and a hidden mastermind,” they commented on the system and story.

Lawless Games is a unique two-person development studio that bills itself as a 'Story Content Creation Team'. It consists of Sunghwa Yoo, who handles art and story, and Yunjin Seo, responsible for programming and composing music. The studio's origin story is rather unique: they were inspired by repeatedly resetting and playing 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' and 'Tears of the Kingdom', thinking, “Ah, I wish I could live in the world of Hyrule.”

'Project Judgment', their first work in development since 2023, was born from this desire to 'create a world so immersive that we'd want to live in it.' The choice to tackle a deduction game, which demands various complex elements like diverse plots, mechanics, and twists, was influenced by the story developer Yoo Sunghwa's personal taste. Lawless Games explained the motivation behind 'Project Judgment': “We believe that high-quality work only comes from creators pouring their affection into it, so we've packed it with elements we love.”

Of course, they haven't been solely developing 'Project Judgment' for this entire period. They also participated in a '10-minute game contest' to create short games, developing a casual mini-game called 'Snow Bunny'. As it was set in a cafe within the 'Project Judgment' universe, it included several NPCs from 'Project Judgment', adding a layer of interconnectedness between the games.

Recognising the importance of immersion, Lawless Games also engaged in discussions about the necessity of downtime. As following the story requires significant concentration, they've allowed players to freely choose when to proceed from one chapter to the next. Having been inspired by the enjoyment of 'open-world' games, the two developers have incorporated several elements that emphasise player freedom within the game.

An example of this includes exploring the town and engaging in daily activities such as undertaking NPC requests or going on dates before proceeding to the next chapter. This content is similar to the Free Time events in the 'Danganronpa' series. Team Lawless explained, “You can think of the flow of 'Project Judgment' as largely structured as Chapter-Daily Life-Chapter.” Naturally, players who wish to solely enjoy the story can do so, as player choices are significant but not the only path. Based on the current development specifications, the estimated playtime for this path is approximately 4 to 5 hours.

Lawless Games' sights are now set on a broader stage. They plan to gather direct user feedback through various exhibitions this year and, based on this, release a demo version lasting 1-2 hours via Steam around this winter. Furthermore, they have confirmed their participation in the Busan Indie Connect Festival, actively seeking to connect with users and gather feedback.

Lawless Games has a clear objective: to create a game that, through deep immersion, leaves players contemplating the subsequent events of the story long after they've seen the ending. While it may appear as a visual novel, it wields the unique charm of blending authentic deduction with the vibrancy of shonen manga through its active content, making its debut in the market.

Lawless Games describes 'Project Judgment' as, “The culmination of all the things our team loved, created during our most fearless period.” They added, “We will strive until the day the phrase ‘Lawless Games sensibility’ becomes a proper noun among users.” We eagerly anticipate what kind of content this studio, focused on the player experience and aiming to present its unique colours, will deliver.