Stranger Than Heaven Debuts 2 New Combat Systems as 40-Minute Preview Questions RGG’s Direction
Updated
Updated · Kotaku · Jun 11
Stranger Than Heaven Debuts 2 New Combat Systems as 40-Minute Preview Questions RGG’s Direction
2 articles · Updated · Kotaku · Jun 11
Summary
Three combat scenarios in a 40-minute hands-on preview showed Stranger Than Heaven shifting sharply from Yakuza-style brawling to slower, weightier fights built around side-specific attacks and directional parries.
Two core mechanics drive that change: bumper-and-trigger strikes mapped to each side of protagonist Makoto Daito’s body, and timed left-right blocks that turn enemy attacks into essential counters.
Five-enemy encounters and a miniboss felt tougher and more methodical than typical RGG battles, with the reviewer needing at least six attempts to beat the boss and relying on bait-and-parry rhythms rather than overpowering offense.
The preview left bigger questions unanswered because it focused almost entirely on combat, offering little sense of Daito’s character or how the decades-spanning prequel connects thematically to the founding of the Tojo Clan.
RGG’s broader trajectory remains the main concern, with the reviewer tying the game to backlash over a 2025 remake and SGF 2026’s Tupac Shakur likeness reveal, which critics say clashes with the studio’s once-progressive image.