Stranger Than Heaven is finally shown by RGG Studio, detailing a multi-generational action game set across 50 years

SEGA and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have shared a more detailed look at Stranger Than Heaven, the studio’s upcoming action-adventure project. During the Xbox Presents: A Special Look at Stranger Than Heaven broadcast, executive producer Masayoshi Yokoyama outlined the game’s structure and themes, positioning it as one of the studio’s most ambitious projects to date outside the core Like a Dragon series.

The game follows a story that spans approximately 50 years across Japan, moving through five time periods: 1915, 1929, 1943, 1951, and 1965, following protagonist Makoto Daito, a half-Japanese, half-American who begins his adventure sneaking on a ship to escape from San Francisco after the passing of his parents, now heading to Japan. On the trip, he meets Orpheus, played by Snoop Dogg, who will teach him about ambition and power, but who will detect his natural talent. Each era takes place in a different city, with the narrative designed to reflect changes in society, culture, and the characters themselves over time.

Expanded combat and familiar systems

RGG Studio is also revising its combat systems for the project, as they want Stranger Than Heaven to differentiate from Like a Dragon games with a more grounded experience. According to the developers, encounters will place greater emphasis on environmental interaction, weapon variety, and close-quarters grappling mechanics. Gameplay shown during the presentation highlighted larger-scale fights involving multiple enemies at once, alongside more reactive movement and contextual actions.

Outside combat, the game retains several systems commonly associated with RGG Studio’s design approach. Players will be able to explore cities using public transportation, participate in side activities, and interact with various social systems, including optional romance elements. Makoto’s show business aspirations will be an important part of the gameplay, as the collect sounds from the different cities he visits, and even combines them into original compositions. The presentation also emphasized the game’s soundtrack, which draws heavily from jazz influences and includes contributions from Ado.

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This is Stranger than Heaven, the new game from the creators of Yakuza set in the 1940s

A release date has not yet been announced, but it will arrive “this winter”. Stranger Than Heaven is confirmed for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC through Steam, and will also support Xbox Play Anywhere functionality and is scheduled to launch on Xbox Game Pass on day one.

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