Sega and Xbox gave viewers around the world a deeper look into the world of RGG Studio’s upcoming new game, Stranger Than Heaven, during a dedicated, Xbox-hosted broadcast event.
An action-adventure game, RGG Studio’s Stranger Than Heaven is available for wishlisting now and is scheduled for release this winter with Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam, and PlayStation 5.
Sega and Xbox’s broadcast unveiled a wealth of new information about Stranger Than Heaven, including its epic 50-year story, the five eras and five cities that serve as its setting, the game’s main cast and characters, its innovative combat system, and showbiz elements tied to the protagonist’s rags-to-riches rise to success as a master showman. The broadcast also served as the debut for the game’s original theme song featuring Snoop Dogg, Satoshi Fujihara, Ado, and Tori Kelly.
You can watch the broadcast in full below:
Stranger Than Heaven tells a 50-year story about those with nowhere to go and their desperate struggle to find a home. In 1915 San Francisco, a young boy named Makoto Daito sneaks aboard a suspicious ship in the harbor under the cover of night. Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Makoto faces harsh persecution due to his heritage.
After losing both of his parents, Makoto decides to travel to his mother’s homeland, Japan, where a fateful encounter awaits. 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.
Early in the 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 Japan.
In order to get these shows off the ground, Makoto must explore the streets and scout for skilled singers and performers. He can then head out into town, collecting any and every sound he can find, to create new music: 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.
Players will get to experience a diverse international lineup of performers in Stranger Than Heaven, featuring Yu Shirota, Dean Fujioka, Snoop Dogg, Moeka Hoshi, Tori Kelly, Akio Otsuka, Tokuma Nishioka, Satoshi Fujihara, Cordell Broadus, Ado, and Bunta Sugawara.
To secure the appearance of the late actor Bunta Sugawara, 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.