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The extent to which Stranger Than Heaven is or isn't a Yakuza or Like a Dragon game is unclear. Both share a setting and a Japanese crime family theming, but what is certain is that it's the shot in the arm RGG Studio's crime dramas desperately need. The action feels zoomed-in, grittier, following two equally desperate young men trying to make names for themselves after being smuggled into early 20th century Japan.
It's the intimacy that's impressing me so far, seeping into every aspect of Stranger Than Heaven. This is, after all, a game where protagonist Makoto Daito can pummel enemies with his fists then moments later become inspired musically by their rhythmic hammer attacks for a tune he can take back to the jazz bar. And, set across fifty years (and five time periods), we get to see Makoto and fellow stowaway Yu as they grow from boys to men and then, well, older men.
Partners in crime
Yakuza has told sweeping stories, sure – but often across multiple games (like the '80s set Yakuza 0 and '00s set first Yakuza). It's never quite been the point like it is in Stranger Than Heaven, even if Makoto and Yu's shifting relationship definitely owes a debt to Kiryu and Nishiki's, which also evolved across the decades, though mostly off-screen. Stranger Than Heaven almost feels like a response: what if it was the whole point?
What we've seen so far has them as close friends bound by circumstance, going their separate ways, then coming together again to utilize the ways in which their diverging lives have given them unique skills. Music becomes a constant factor in that, with Makoto becoming a music producer, not only using these club performances as a front for the criminal element he eventually becomes involved with (does the Tojo Clan ring any bells?), but as a source of genuine joy for Makoto and company. This is no disposable mini-game like it might appear in a Yakuza, but a huge part of their lives.
Intimacy also comes in the form of locked fists, bruises forming from heavy, brutal blows. Action is chaotic, but a noticeable departure from the over-the-top brawling in recent Yakuza. Stranger Than Heaven's combat system had been built from the ground-up, left and right arms and legs controlled independently, promising full beatdown control in which tumbling in the mud to bring down just one enemy has real weight – a far cry from Kiryu spinning bicycles to send several dudes flying at once.
It's almost a bit surprising to find the violence in a game from RGG Studio a bit shocking, so used have I become to the exaggerated, ridiculous action from its recent games. Stranger Than Heaven is really selling every punch, and it helps to bridge the gap between the studio's penchant for well-told crime stories with big stakes and the action we actually get to play out – there's a real commitment to updating the fidelity of interaction.
I'll admit to being a bit anxious about combat having not played it yet myself – I can imagine becoming a tangle of limbs – but assurances from producer Hiroyuki Sakomoto that it'll flow naturally seems to fit with the footage I've seen. "Makoto will respond to these inputs with a wide array of vivid, visceral actions, allowing an unprecedented sense of control," he says. Conceptually the limb-based inputs are only a stone's throw away from some fighting games. Weapons promise to pack even more of a punch.
Given Yakuza's original combat has its roots in Virtua Fighter, it's great to see those sensibilities pivot from arcade-like to something more up close and personal. Do I dare invoke the tangibility and intimacy of Shenmue? I do. Where Yakuza felt like Shenmue's more arcadey, RPG-like cousin, Stranger Than Heaven feels like it's targeting somewhere in-between. A refresh of the broth.
Surprisingly, Snoop Dogg's turn as Orpheus is really pulling it all together for me. The smuggler ends up assisting with Makoto and Yu's journey to Japan, and becomes an early quest-giver of sorts to help Yu get his bearings in the new country (Makoto is only half-Japanese, having an American father – which means he faces a degree of prejudice in both countries).
More than a GTA-like mission giver, even this early character is packing plenty of nuance in the gameplay footage from early on in Stranger Than Heaven. All these faces have their own story to tell, and they're ones that'll evolve over the course of Makoto and Yu's decades long friendship (long may it prosper, and definitely not make me cry).
Exploring different Japanese cities and districts across different time periods looks visually stunning, but, again, I'm loving how close to it all we get. Little feels abstracted as Makoto explores these areas with a tight over-the-shoulder camera. We're really in the muck, and there's a sense of both danger and opportunity around every street I've glimpsed. From alleys, to twisting types of elevation, these hint at being more than simple overworlds but exciting places to get lost in. And, yes, there might be some silly mini-games along the way.
But, for once, it doesn't feel like these side diversions are there simply because this is a game and that's what you do. No, whether it's Makoto getting excitedly hooked on a card game, or hearing the tell-tale jingle of musical inspiration from a street, we're right there with him, along for the ride. Don't get me wrong, I'll always adore how strange and over-the-top Yakuza can get – they're some of the best RPG games you can play as far as I'm concerned – but by breaking away from the format and getting more grounded, Stranger Than Heaven is finally getting me excited about what RGG Studio can do all over again.
Stranger Than Heaven will be releasing in Winter 2026 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, and will be on Xbox Game Pass.
Looking for more Japanese crime thrillers? Check out our best Yakuza games ranking!
