We have taken a closer look at the new game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and SEGA, and so far, the whole thing looks astonishing.
It is a fifty-year action-adventure saga about men with nowhere to go and their desperate struggle to find a home. Use brutal violence to survive and musical talent to thrive as a showman across five cities and different eras of modern Japan. San Francisco, 1915. The story begins with a young boy sneaking aboard a mysterious ship in the dead of night. His name is Makoto Daito. Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Makoto faces cruel persecution, a fate imposed on him simply because of his Asian heritage. After losing both parents and finding himself completely alone, Makoto decides in desperation to risk everything and travel to his mother’s birthplace. If the United States will not accept him as he is, perhaps Japan will.
With nothing but the clothes on his back, Makoto soon learns that his journey across the Pacific will be anything but easy, and that this one decision will change the course of his life forever. The story unfolds in a Japan that may have existed in another life, taking players to five vast cities, each modeled after real locations from its own era. 1915, Kokura, Fukuoka: home to one of the world’s largest foundries, a smoke-scorched city filled with the passion of hard-working, equally fiery laborers. 1929, Kure, Hiroshima: a port city dominated by Japan’s largest naval base and deeply influenced by the presence of yakuza organizations. 1943, Minami, Osaka: western Japan’s largest entertainment district, set against the growing tension of a world at war. 1951, Atami, Shizuoka: a bustling seaside resort that became synonymous with postwar tourism in Japan. 1965, Shinjuku, Tokyo: Japan’s most famous entertainment district, a city of swirling and unpredictable chaos.
In these turbulent times, the struggle for survival means only one thing: doing whatever is necessary. Experience that struggle through the raw brutality of an ever-changing combat system that feels alive. You will not merely control Makoto Daito, but become Daito, moving his left and right sides independently and instinctively as you attack, defend, and force your way toward victory. Follow a jab with a crushing blow, send enemies flying with a charged attack, strike them as they stagger, or pin them to the ground and unleash a relentless series of punches. Nothing is off the table in Makoto’s world. You can block enemy attacks with one hand and immediately counter with the other. The key to victory is reading your opponents’ movements and creating your own opening. On top of that, you can master and upgrade a wide range of weapons, including knives, hammers, and katanas, as you fight through one violent era after another.
In the earliest chapters of the story, Makoto’s guide and mentor discovers his hidden musical talent, and before long, Makoto is not only singing a tune or two, but stepping into the role of a showman and creating all kinds of incredible performances across Japan. To get these shows started, Makoto must gather rumors from the streets and use them to scout talented singers and performers. He can then head out into town to create new music, collecting any sound he can find: the swish of a broom, the snoring of a sleepy neighbor, the rumble of passing trains, distant animal cries, and even the grunts and roars of his enemies.
By combining these sounds, Makoto can craft original tracks, completely new music for the whole nation to hear. He then chooses the setlist, arranges the band, assigns the cast, and designs the production from lighting colors to staging, all to bring each performance to life. As players tour the country, stage performances, and captivate audiences, they will experience Makoto’s rise from rags to riches until he becomes a master showman. Will the unwavering determination of two men fighting through fifty years of chaos change the future as we know it?
The game’s cast includes Makoto Daito, portrayed by Yu Shirota; Orpheus, played by Snoop Dogg; Tae Matsumoto, played by Moeka Hoshi; Suzy Day, played by Tori Kelly; Heigo Yashima, played by Akio Otsuka; Kiyoshi Otsuru, played by Tokuma Nishioka; Takashi, played by Satoshi Fujihara; the Veiled Stranger, played by Cordell Broadus; Keiko Shirai, played by Ado; and Genzo Iwaki, inspired by Bunta Sugawara and voiced by Takashi Ukaji. The late legendary actor Bunta Sugawara appears in the game. SEGA received formal permission from his family and used materials provided by Toei Company, Ltd., which produced many of Sugawara’s films, including Battles Without Honor and Humanity. Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio created the character’s CG design based on archival footage and photographs from the period. The theme song, Stranger Than Heaven, is performed by Snoop Dogg, Satoshi Fujihara, Ado, and Tori Kelly.
Stranger Than Heaven will launch this winter for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. It will also be available through Xbox Game Pass.
Source: Gematsu
