Back in March, during the last Xbox Partner Preview, SEGA and RGG Studio shared new look at the highly anticipated STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, the next epic from the developers of the Like a Dragon franchise. At the end of their segment, they revealed a special deep dive that was set for today. During today’s special presentation, RGG Studio shared more details on the story, characters, and the game’s new combat system.
STRANGER THAN HEAVEN’S story spans 50 years and follows the life of Makoto Daito. He is of mixed race, born in America to an American father and a Japanese mother. Early in his life, Makoto loses both of his parents and faces many struggles growing up which leads up to leaving America. On his journey to America, Makoto meets Yu Shinjo, someone following a similar path. Shinjo is also of mixed heritage and is looking for a new start in Japan. After crossing paths with Orpheus (played by Snoop Dogg) they arrive in Kokura, Fukuoka, the first of five distinct cities that players will travel to throughout the years.
STRANGER THAN HEAVEN spans 50 years starting in 1915 Kokura, Fukouka. This is the destination for Orpheus’ ship, and is a major industrial area in Western Japan. Jobseekers from across the country come to look for work. It’s also a hotbed for various vices such as drinking, gambling, and prostitution as the area is faced with the absence of modern entertainment.
The game will make its way to Kure, Hiroshima in 1929. There is a strong focus on shipbuilding and heavy industry, and also functions as a social hub for various countries, that gives it a unique atmosphere alongside the modernization of Japanese entertainment. It is during this period Makoto begins to establish himself with various Yakuza organizations controlling the city. He eventually becomes part of the Iwaki family, Hiroshima’s strongest organization and earns the repuation as the Red Oni, a name to be respected and feared among the familes.
The third city is Minami, Osaka in 1943, where Makoto and Yu will reunite and work together. Unlike the other cities, Minami is a vibrant entertainment hub full of light and life. However, behind the scenes is a foreign influence. The Yakuza and Italian Mafia struggle against one another for dominance in the shadows, but on the surface, new forms of entertainment thrive.
The fourth location is Atami, Shizuoka, 1951. This area is much less urban, steeped in cherry blossoms and breathtaking vistas, showcasing the natural beauty of the less populated country. American influence has started to permeate through Japan, creating new trends in language, music, and fashion.
The game’s narrative ends in Shinjuku, Tokyo, 1965, where RGG Studio Head Masayoshi Yokoyama said a “tremendous secret will be revealed” at this part of the game. More details will be revealed soon.
One of STRANGER THAN HEAVEN’s big focuses revolves around Makoto and Yu’s tenure as partners in showbusiness. One of the more uniquie gameplay mechanics is Makoto’s “keen ability to find music in everyday life, memorizing the sounds as ideas for future compositions,” according to Game Director Mikonobu Abe. Makoto will be able to walk up to sounds happening in the world and can save them as ‘recordings’ whether it’s the noise of a sweeping broom, a passing train, or the thunk of an enemy hitting the curb during a combat sequence. These sounds can vary based on era, location, or time of day and are compiled in a library for later use.
With these sounds, Makoto will be able to produce original compositions that tie into his wider calling as a howman, producing and managing gigs and performances for other artists. Makoto will organize the structure of various shows, decide which musicians will take part in it, and choose a setlist.
Makoto will be able to scout individuals with a gift for music to take part in shows and develop relationships with several performers that all possess “unique and remarkable abilities” according to Abe. Among these will be Singers, a special class of characters that Makoto will encounter. Some of the Singers will be played by real-world artists you may even be familiar with already such as Satoshi Fujihara and Tori Kelly.
“This collision of East and West results in a unique era that exudes both optimism and melancholy,” Kelly says. “Stranger Than Heaven brings players inside Japan’s showbusiness world at a pivotal moment in the country’s history, and unsurprisingly, showbiz’s customs and culture turn out to be just as cutthroat as the underworld’s.”
Combat will be very different in STRANGER THAN HEAVEN compared to RGG’s previous titles. Unlike the Like a Dragon and Judgment series’, in STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, players will be able to control the left and right side of Makoto independently via the shoulder and trigger buttons. One example seen in the video shows Makoto’s right arm being held by an enemy, but he is able to attack with his left. Alongside combos, players can “charge up” their attacks by holding a button down and releasing it at the right moment for a more powerful hit. Players can block with one arm, and then counterattack with a swift attack from the other, or tackle an enemy using LT and RT together. Makoto will also be able to perform powerful finishing moves, and context sensitive attacks depending on the situation he’s in.
There is also a rich range of weapons such as basic knives, hammers, mallets, to masterworks of old like katanas, and “brand-new inventions of the era.” These weapons can also be upgraded, and have special attacks and passive abilities. Lastly, RGG highlighted that there will be some intense cinematic design in select combat sections – ncluding a close-quarters brawl inside a fast-moving car.
STRANGER THAN HEAVEN launches this Winter for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, as an Xbox Play Anywhere title, day one with Xbox Game Pass, PC via Steam, and on PlayStation 5.