Yesterday, Sega and Xbox held an Xbox Presents for Stranger Than Heaven, giving a brief look at the upcoming game from RGG Studio. The game's story covers 50 years across five eras and five cities, with each cast of characters having nowhere to go and struggle to find a place to call home. The story begins in 1915, Makoto Daito sneaks aboard a suspicious ship in the harbor under the cover of night after facing persecution due to his mixed Asian and American heritage. He travels to Japan, his mother's homeland, with nothing but the shirt on his back.
Early on in the game, Makoto finds himself in the role of a showman, producing a variety of acts throughout Japan. Makoto needs to explore the streets to scout for skilled performers, collect sounds, and craft his own custom act in a rags to riches story.
The game will explore the following settings and times:
- 1915, Kokura, Fukuoka: home of what was said to be one of the world’s largest foundries, a smoke-scorched town bursting with the passion of hard-driven, equally fiery workers.
- 1929, Kure, Hiroshima: a port town dominated by Japan’s largest naval arsenal and heavily influenced by the presence of yakuza organizations.
- 1943, Minami, Osaka: the biggest entertainment district in western Japan, set against the ever-rising tension of a world at war.
- 1951, Atami, Shizuoka: a bustling seaside getaway synonymous with tourism in postwar Japan.
- 1965, Shinjuku, Tokyo: Japan’s most iconic pleasure district—a city of swirling and unpredictable chaos.
in addition to being a showman, Makoto is also a brawler. Players control his left and right sides independently to attack, defend, tackle, counter, and wield weapons. Reading opponents before they move is key to victory.
In addition, some members of the cast were announced including Yu Shirota, Dean Fujioka, Snoop Dogg, Moeka Hoshi, Tori Kelly, Akio Otsuka, Tokuma Nishioka, Satoshi Fujihara, Cordell Broadus, Ado, and Bunta Sugawara. The portrayl of the late Bunta Sugawara was clarified with this statement:
Regarding the Appearance of the Late, Legendary Actor Bunta Sugawara
In STRANGER THAN HEAVEN, the late and legendary actor Bunta Sugawara appears. SEGA received formal consent from his family, and, with materials provided by Toei Company, Ltd.—which produced many of Mr. Sugawara’s films, including the Battles Without Honor and Humanity— RGG Studio crafted his CG character design based on archival footage and photographs from the time.
The character’s voice is performed by actor Takashi Ukaji, who shared a close connection with Mr. Sugawara.
Finally, you can check out the game's theme song, also titled Stranger than Heaven, below.
The game launches this Winter, and is now available to wishlist on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 5. For more on all things that are Stranger Than Heaven, stay tuned to GamingTrend.
