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Stranger Than Heaven is a new action game from Yakuza developer, Ryu Ga Gotoku.
Set to take place in a fictionalized Osaka in Japan, Stranger Than Heaven (which was previously known by the codename Project Century) takes place across several time periods, including 1915, 1929, and 1943. Packing the kind of third-person action the studio is known for (check out our Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Dark Tides review for a taste of that), the period setting gives the new game a stylish edge.
Is there a Stranger Than Heaven release date?
There is no Stranger Than Heaven release date or window yet.
However, according to SEGA's 2025 financial report, the game won't be released until the end of their next financial year, so after March 2027. We also got a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes of making the game during the 2025 Tokyo Game Show and were told that progress is still very much ongoing, so expect a bit of a longer wait.
In fact, in the teaser of progress, we only saw a flapper singing a jazz song on stage. No combat or story details are in sight just yet. We'll keep you posted as more news breaks. Hopefully, 2026 will give us a release window at least (fingers crossed).
Have the Stranger Than Heaven platforms been confirmed?
SEGA and RGG have not confirmed which platforms this noir-soaked game will be available on.
If the Yakuza games are any indication of the plans for this new action-adventure, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC are expected. There are no expectations for a Nintendo Switch 2 release at this point, especially given the graphical heft seen in the teaser trailer. We'll keep you posted as more details head our way!
What do the Stranger Than Heaven trailers show us?
The first look at Project Century, as it was dubbed at the time, was part of The Game Awards 2024 and was comprised of pre-alpha footage; meaning the game was in very early stages of development.
Nonetheless, the rain-soaked visage of 1915 Japan in the premiere trailer had a great hook. And with this being the only trailer that takes place in the 1910s, it's fair to say 'Project Century' was a nod at the amount of time the game may cover.
The Summer Games Fest 2025 trailer was much more in-depth, though still holding cards to its chest. This title announcement footage showed more melee combat on bustling streets, a different decade for the setting, and hinted at the game's protagonist. The PEGI-18 warning at the beginning also lets us know that the graphic combat and grit of Yakuza are not missing from Stranger Than Heaven.
What is the Stranger Than Heaven story and setting?
There are two confirmed settings: 1915 Japan and a glittering metropolis in 1943. The latter is much more colourful and busy, while the former is bleak-looking and more streamlined. The initial trailer featured a detective wandering around a glib city, and the later footage has drawn comparisons to L.A. Noire — for good reason.
While story details remain unclear, the Summer Games Fest trailer introduces us (well, sort of) to Mako Daito, a moody detective solving a mystery. Meanwhile, the neon city's inhabitants' hedonism and rowdiness create hurdles. The Yakuza-style drama is ever present, with Mako meeting up with a mysterious American.
During the rendezvous, Mako speaks Japanese. This prompts his cohort to ask him, "What are you, then?" Mako responds, "I've been asking myself the same thing." This leads us to believe that this will be an introspective adventure from a character perspective, perhaps with the player figuring out and impacting what kind of man Mako is. While there are loads of questions still to be answered, it at least seems Mako is the protagonist.
RGG has chosen to withhold the ins and outs of the story for now, showing off the incredibly fun-looking combat instead. As of right now, we don't know what clues Mako is chasing or what his end-game motivation is. That's a good thing, according to studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama. During a December 26, 2024, livestream, he confirmed Project Century is within the action-adventure genre but added, "We didn't include any information that would enable people to guess" from the trailer.
The split decades in the trailers and the in-work title Project Century could mean a couple of things. The game may take place across multiple decades across a period of a century, or it could be flashback-heavy.
What do we know about Stranger Than Heaven's gameplay?
Stranger Than Heaven is a third-person action game where the player explores sketchy allies and crowded city streets, running into fists around every corner. The gameplay seen in the title reveal footage showed weighty, grounded combat with interactive environments.
It's not just fist fighting, either. Molotov cocktails, guns, and in-world advantages are all at the characters' disposal. Want to throw a guy off a ledge? You're in luck! However, there's a real emphasis on good old boxing here, so if you enjoy minimal weapons in combat, this will be a lot of fun.
Additionally, at the 1:21 timestamp, there's a moment where the player-character holds a threatening fist in the air as he stands above a masked opponent. Two options appear on the screen in this brief reprieve: "Show him mercy," or "Show him no mercy." Now, that's something Yakuza games never had. So, it looks like some morality-testing choices will be sprinkled in with the heavy volume of fighting. There are also some survival game and simulation elements, such as hunger and thirst meters.
Can I pre-order Stranger Than Heaven?
You can't pre-order Stranger Than Heaven. Given that the game is still in development and no platforms have been announced, there are no pre-order options available, and there likely won't be until more publishing details have been shared with the public.
On the upside, that means there is plenty of time to catch up on your backlog. Why not check out the best open-world games or the best Yakuza games to fill the time? Otherwise, patience is key while we wait to find out exactly what mystery we're going to be chasing in Stranger Than Heaven.
For more exciting releases, be sure to check in with our pages on all the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Switch 2 games still on the way.
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