Sometimes, nothing feels better than judging others and determining the consequences of their actions — or making choices that will affect the community at large. Whether playing as an actual judge,ruling over a kingdom, or just being in a position where every choice has consequences, game developers have done a great job creating games that put players in the power seat.
Some of these games are puzzlers, others arevisual novels, and some are wildly different with more nebulous genres! Players who wish to judge others and make hard choices based on the evidence in front of them have some great games available (and detailed below).
Papers, Pleaseputs players in a position where they must look at the evidence given and judge whether someone is telling the truth, or secretly lying in order to do some real harm to the community the player is in charge of protecting. InPapers, Pleasethere are very real consequences for missing subtle details and making the wrong judgement.
If it weren’t for the dire consequences of incorrect decisions,Papers, Pleasewould be a very relaxing strategy gamefor players that want to play as a judge because it requires looking at evidence and making a final decision based on what is found. While all the evidence is in the form of a passport that could be real or fake,Papers, Pleasestill requires a lot of deductive reasoning, and in the end the player has the final say, just as a courtroom judge would.
Almost every gamer in existence has heard ofPhoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, since the seriesfeatures the best lawyer games ever made. In thePhoenix Wright: Ace Attorneyseries, players need to use all the reasoning and puzzle-solving deductive skills that they have under their belt as they play asone of the most iconic lawyers in all of gaming.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogygives players plenty of chances to judge the motives and personalities of witnesses as they cross-examine and catch suspects in lies. While they won’t take on the role of courtroom judge,Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogyis also a great way for players to scratch the itch of wanting to play a courtroom sim.
Reigns: Her Majestyputs players in a seat of power above that of even a judge; a monarch!Reignsputs players on a throne, where they ultimately play as judge, jury, and executioner in thiscasual life sim. They will be presented with decision after decision and be forced to make their choice, with every decision affecting the kingdom they are to rule over.
WhileReignsis nota slice of life gameby any means, it can still be quite immersive, despite its 2D art style and the simplicity of its mechanics. Players will really feal like a monarch ruling over their kingdom, ensuring it is safe and sound under their watch and that justice and peace are secure (unless they don’t want it to be).
Players familiar with thePhoenix Wright: Ace Attorneygames will feel right at home withAviary Attorney. Despite being criminally underrated,Aviary Attorneyisone of the best visual novels on Steam. It has a fantastic story, excellent puzzle-based game play, and an incredibly unique and captivating look.
Similar to its inspirations,Aviary Attorneyis a story-based puzzle gamewhere the player takes on the role of a lawyer.Aviary Attorneyplaces the player in the courtroom and does a great job of immersing them into the world (even if the world is full of sentient animals instead of people). There are plenty of opportunities to judge suspects, witnesses, and others while moving through the story and trying to determine who’s guilty — and who’s being framed.
We. The Revolutionisone of the best political sims on Steam, and it takes itself as gritty and seriously as the subject matter demands.We. The Revolutionhas the player play as a judge for the Revolutionary Tribunal, which means the player must listen to interrogations, the jury, and their own gut instincts to determine the guilt of those being prosecuted.
The stakes couldn’t be any higher inWe. The Revolution,and having good judgment is absolutely crucial to delivering justice; a wrong judgment could mean an innocent person dies. Players will need to hear out the facts of the cases they preside over and determine the guilt of the party, then decide whether to send them to prison — or even the guillotine.We. The Revolutionis one of the best judge games available because of the depth of its mechanics and its somber setting, both of which it takes very seriously.
1You Are The Judge!
Courtroom Judge Simulator RPG
While there are many games that allow the player to play as a lawyer in a courtroom, or a judge in another setting, there are very few games likeYou are the Judge, where players can play as an actual courtroom judge in animmersive RPG sim.
You are the Judgehas everything that players fascinated with the courtroom could want. Players will need to see evidence, hear witnesses, and even investigate crime scenes to determine the guilt of the parties involved.You are the Judgealso incorporates some RPG elements and almost plays like a life sim, since players will also browse social media and manage their personal life in other ways beyond the courtroom.
