Alright, so I was watching the Summer Game Fest 2025 — yeah, I know, still can’t believe it’s 2025 already — and Sega, ya know, that company that’s older than my vintage record collection, has rolled out something weird and kinda awesome. They teamed up with the folks from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the brains behind Like A Dragon or whatever, and dropped this new thing called Stranger Than Heaven. At first, I thought it was like a sequel or something to that early-2000s detective game, Judgment. But nah, it’s got this L.A. Noire vibe instead. Anyone else remember those old-school detective flicks? Loved ’em.
So get this, there’s this detective, right? Mako Daito’s the name. Cool, moody guy — typical detective stuff. He’s out there hunting clues or something, in this city that’s all shiny and full of crazies. Sort of like when you accidentally end up at a party and realize it’s all glitz but no substance, you know? Nightclubs, rowdy brawls in the alley (I’ve totally been there, minus the neon lights). And oh, there are sketchy apartments — if you’ve ever rented a place that had “character,” you know what I mean.
The studio’s flipping things on its head with this one. They’ve thrown in these survival game elements, which… why though? I mean, Mako’s got a cigarette — love that little detail — and a tooltip flashes. “Draws immense hostility when smoking.” So now that vice might get him into trouble, right? Plus, he’s gotta eat and drink and all that jazz. He’s also making big decisions, like whether to cut his enemy some slack. Anyone else feel a moral dilemma coming on?
And then, wham, the trailer wraps up with Mako meeting this American dude, who’s all like, “Whoa, you’re Japanese?” I guess we all have those moments when life’s like, “Surprise!” The dude’s lost himself or whatever — typical melodrama, right? Just like those old Yakuza games.
Oh, and here’s the kicker. It’s got this mysterious vibe going. There’s a Project Century codename, and something about timelines jumping forward. Are they messing with a century-long epic? It’s all hush-hush though — they’re mum about what it’s about. Classic RGG move. Just keep us guessing, or maybe they’re guessing too!
Anyway, Stranger Than Heaven’s coming out in 2026. Keep your eyes peeled. Or don’t. Whatever works.
