Category: Games

Stranger Than Heaven: We Grapple with RGG Studio’s New Combat System

Summary

At Summer Game Fest: Play Days, we experience Stranger Than Heaven’s combat system across Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Osaka.
There’s now a tremendous amount of variety and player expressiveness in combat, where each thug you encounter can be dispatched differently than the last.
Stranger Than Heaven arrives January 15, 2027, for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, and included day one with Game Pass. Play it on both console and PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere.

We’ve learned so much about RGG Studio’s newest project Stranger Than Heaven this year, from the cities and eras we’ll inhabit, to the characters we’ll meet and experience this new world through. At Summer Games Fest: Play Days this past weekend, we had our first opportunity to pick up the sticks and learn how the game feels – and it’s a world apart from anything RGG has ever created.

This first demo was all about combat, offering a series of encounters of escalating difficulty across Fukuoka, Hiroshima, and Osaka. It can’t be overstated how much of a sea change Stranger Than Heaven is from their previous titles, or other melee-dominated action games. Gone are mashing face buttons to attack, replaced by a more granular, bumper- and trigger-dominated approach, with LB and LT activating Makoto’s left-sided attacks (light and heavy respectively), and RB/RT doing the same on the right. This allows for a tremendous amount of variety and player expressiveness, where each thug you encounter can be dispatched differently than the last.

Squaring up against an enemy, Makoto can throw a few jabs with his left (LB), follow up with a right-handed roundhouse (RT), then charge (hold LT), to finish with a brutal left haymaker. And that’s barehanded. Even more variety is introduced with three of the 13 weapons featured in the game, which are more persistent than those seen in previous titles.

By pressing Y on the controller, Makoto can pull out a weapon and even cycle through them in his inventory by holding that button down (displayed as a transparent overlay at the bottom of the screen), with an arsenal that, for this demo, included a variety of knives and larger blunt objects such as a crowbar and sledgehammer.

Rounding out the moveset are a variety of grapples, blocks, parries, and dodges – this is where the face buttons come into use. By combining the shoulder buttons with face buttons – holding B with a tap of LB or RB is a directional parry, for example – it opens up opportunities for effective defensive counters to attacks if correctly timed. This also comes into play for when Makoto finds himself knocked to the ground – another new RGG combat element – to fend off attacks like we’re in a UFC-styled cage match until his stamina has recovered enough for him to get to his feet.

Enough explaining – here’s how we fared across three different decades and encounters during our hands-on time with Stranger Than Heaven.

1915 – Kokura, Fukuoka

While this was billed as a combat demo, I couldn’t help but soak in the setting. RGG Studio has proven its talent at making cities feel alive and that’s very much the case here in 1915 Kokura. Citizens went about their business, walking through the mostly unpaved streets interwoven with railway tracks, past ramen stalls, vegetable stands, and other stores. I can’t wait to fully explore Kokura in the final game.

But this was my opportunity to get acquainted with the controls. Facing a group of bedraggled grunts, it was immediately clear that combat is heavier and more intimate than previous RGG titles. Battles feel high stakes as you balance who you’re hitting and who might be lining up an attack on you.

I tried out combos, like mixing up left- and right-handed strikes; light and heavy; charged attacks, all while blocking and avoiding as many attacks as I could. Once I pulled out my dagger, the tide turned quickly, and knocking down an enemy revealed an opportunity for a brutal finisher: pulling both triggers over his prone form, Makoto plunged a knife into his gut so powerfully I instinctively cringed.

The effects of combat seem bloodier than previous RGG titles. The longer a battle goes on, and the more damage is inflicted on both Makoto and enemies; you see the effects of bloodied faces, on clothes and on bodies. Moreso than previous titles, there’s a clearer realism and brutality to combat.

But that was it for this group. No sweat.

1929 – Kure, Hiroshima

As the year increased, so did the challenge. A group of thugs led by a positively gargantuan gangster, armed with a long blade that almost seemed superfluous considering his size and obvious power, were my next opponents.

At the start of battle, Makoto pulled out a massive crowbar and I started swinging. The weapon is so weighty that missing contact with an enemy almost makes Makoto lose balance and opens him up to counters.

This is new: one enemy grabs the crowbar, preventing me from swinging. However, Makoto’s left hand is still free, so with a flurry of presses of LB, Makoto smacks him until he lets go. Once the regular-sized gangsters are dispatched, I switch to Makoto’s smaller knife to make more nimble quick stabs and slashes on the big guy.

Throughout all of this, I’m still learning to manage Makoto’s health; it’s a new system of items with both instant and recovery-over-time effects mapped to the D-pad. On my second attempt I’ve emerged from Kure successfully. I’m getting the hang of this!

1943 – Minami, Osaka

Our final challenge was just one wiry, heavily tattooed yakuza with a sword. How hard could it be? Well… this guy is fast, putting my blocking, parries, and dodging to the test, while resisting a lot of my previous strategies.

I eventually find the most success in a battle of attrition; getting in a few slashes, blocking most of his counters, and using my left hand to punch through his blocks when he starts deflecting my knife. I was also able to land a few stuns with a swift kick to his ribs using LT.

I keep my health as topped up as possible, but eventually he pulls a crazy takedown move and one shots Makoto with a vicious impalement with his sword – we’re told as the battle drags on, he becomes more desperate and will unleash these types of high-damage attacks. After a few tries I get tantalizingly close to victory. I know the challenge is real, as when a neighboring player wins, the whole dev team applauds!

I leave eager to learn more about this deep system, and hungry to have my revenge on my tatted-up nemesis.

Stranger Than Heaven arrives January 15, 2027, for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, and included day one with Game Pass. Play it on both console and PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere.

STRANGER THAN HEAVEN Deluxe Edition

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆ 33

★★★★★

$89.99

Pre-order

Pre-order STRANGER THAN HEAVEN to get the “Dosu: Kagekiri” weapon to use in-game. *To use this content, the base game STRANGER THAN HEAVEN (sold separately) is required. If a patch is required, please update the game to the latest version before use. This content can be procured and used in-game by progressing through the main story. The details, specifications, and release timing of the pre-purchase content are subject to change without notice. Add an original outfit for the protagonist Makoto Daito, this upgrade also includes new weapons to expand players' combat options, new skilled performers to enhance shows, new stage production elements, a special promotional poster, a record player that lets you enjoy music from each era at your home base, and an electronic camera that expands the photography functionality. Deluxe Edition Contents: – Base Game – Original Outfit (Makoto Daito) – Set of 4 New Weapons – Set of 4 New Skilled Performers – Set of 3 New Stage Production Items – Special Promotional Poster – Record Player (in-game soundtrack) – Electronic Camera *If a patch is required, please update the game to the latest version before use. This content can be procured and used in-game by progressing through the main story. ■ FACE DOWN FATE A fifty-year saga of those with nowhere to go and their desperate struggle to find a home. San Francisco, 1915. Our story begins as a young boy sneaks aboard a mysterious ship in the dead of night. His name? Makoto Daito. Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Makoto's world is one of harsh persecution, a fate cruely cast upon him simply because of his Asian heritage. After losing both of his parents and finding himself completely alone, Makoto, in an act of desperation, decides to risk it all and travel to his mother's birthplace. If the United States won't accept him for who he is, maybe Japan will… With nothing but the shirt on his back, Makoto soon learns, however, that his voyage across the Pacific is anything but a ""free ride,"" and that this one choice will forever change the course of his life. What awaits our young stowaway in Japan? And where will the years take him next? ■ 5 ERAS, 5 CITIES The story unfolds across a version of Japan that may have existed in another life altogether, immersing you in 5 sprawling cities, each modeled after real locations of their respective eras. 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. ■ THE MOST CREATIVE, INTUITIVE, AND EXTREME VIOLENCE In these turbulent times, fighting to survive means one thing: doing whatever it takes. Experience this struggle through the raw brutality of an ever-changing combat system that feels alive. You won't just control Makoto Daito, you'll become him—moving his left and right sides independently and instinctively as you attack, defend, and force your way to victory. Follow a jab with a crushing blow, send enemies flying with a charged attack, tackle them while they stagger or pin them to the ground and unleash a relentless flurry of punches. Nothing is off the table in Makoto's world. You can also block enemy strikes with one hand and instantly counter with the other. Reading their moves and creating your own openings is key to coming out on top. Additionally, you’ll master and enhance a wide array of weapons—knives, hammers, katanas, and more—as you fight your way through era after violent era. ■LIFE OF A SHOWMAN In the earliest chapters of our story, Makoto's guide and mentor discovers his hidden talent for music, and, before long, Makoto finds himself not only singing a tune or two but stepping into the role of a showman, producing a wide variety of incredible acts throughout all of Japan. In order to get these shows off the ground, Makoto must gather rumors from the streets and use them to scout skilled singers and performers. He can then head out into town to create new music—collecting any and every sound he can find: the swish of a broom, snoring of a sleepy neighbor, the rumble of passing trains, distant animal cries, even the grunts and growls of the enemies he fights. By combining these sounds, Makoto can craft original tracks, brand new music for the whole nation to hear. From there, he'll choose the setlist, arrange the band, assign a cast, and design the production—from lighting colors to staging—all in an effort to bring each show to life. As you tour the country staging performances and captivating audiences, you’ll experience Makoto's rags-to-riches rise to success as a master showman. Will the relentless determination of two men racing through fifty years of chaos change the future as we know it? From RGG Studio—the master storytellers behind some of gaming's most intense battles and heartfelt drama—comes their latest unforgettable adventure.

STRANGER THAN HEAVEN

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆ 33

★★★★★

$69.99

Pre-order

Pre-order STRANGER THAN HEAVEN to get the “Dosu: Kagekiri” weapon to use in-game. *To use this content, the base game STRANGER THAN HEAVEN (sold separately) is required. If a patch is required, please update the game to the latest version before use. This content can be procured and used in-game by progressing through the main story. The details, specifications, and release timing of the pre-purchase content are subject to change without notice. ■FACE DOWN FATE A fifty-year saga of those with nowhere to go and their desperate struggle to find a home. San Francisco, 1915. Our story begins as a young boy sneaks aboard a mysterious ship in the dead of night. His name? Makoto Daito. Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Makoto's world is one of harsh persecution, a fate cruely cast upon him simply because of his Asian heritage. After losing both of his parents and finding himself completely alone, Makoto, in an act of desperation, decides to risk it all and travel to his mother's birthplace. If the United States won't accept him for who he is, maybe Japan will… With nothing but the shirt on his back, Makoto soon learns, however, that his voyage across the Pacific is anything but a "free ride," and that this one choice will forever change the course of his life. What awaits our young stowaway in Japan? And where will the years take him next? ■5 ERAS, 5 CITIES The story unfolds across a version of Japan that may have existed in another life altogether, immersing you in 5 sprawling cities, each modeled after real locations of their respective eras. 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. ■THE MOST CREATIVE, INTUITIVE, AND EXTREME VIOLENCE In these turbulent times, fighting to survive means one thing: doing whatever it takes. Experience this struggle through the raw brutality of an ever-changing combat system that feels alive. You won't just control Makoto Daito, you'll become him—moving his left and right sides independently and instinctively as you attack, defend, and force your way to victory. Follow a jab with a crushing blow, send enemies flying with a charged attack, tackle them while they stagger or pin them to the ground and unleash a relentless flurry of punches. Nothing is off the table in Makoto's world. You can also block enemy strikes with one hand and instantly counter with the other. Reading their moves and creating your own openings is key to coming out on top. Additionally, you’ll master and enhance a wide array of weapons—knives, hammers, katanas, and more—as you fight your way through era after violent era. ■LIFE OF A SHOWMAN In the earliest chapters of our story, Makoto's guide and mentor discovers his hidden talent for music, and, before long, Makoto finds himself not only singing a tune or two but stepping into the role of a showman, producing a wide variety of incredible acts throughout all of Japan. In order to get these shows off the ground, Makoto must gather rumors from the streets and use them to scout skilled singers and performers. He can then head out into town to create new music—collecting any and every sound he can find: the swish of a broom, snoring of a sleepy neighbor, the rumble of passing trains, distant animal cries, even the grunts and growls of the enemies he fights. By combining these sounds, Makoto can craft original tracks, brand new music for the whole nation to hear. From there, he'll choose the setlist, arrange the band, assign a cast, and design the production—from lighting colors to staging—all in an effort to bring each show to life. As you tour the country staging performances and captivating audiences, you’ll experience Makoto's rags-to-riches rise to success as a master showman. Will the relentless determination of two men racing through fifty years of chaos change the future as we know it? From RGG Studio—the master storytellers behind some of gaming's most intense battles and heartfelt drama—comes their latest unforgettable adventure.