Let’s face it: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio is one of the most consistent in our industry. Sure, I’ve not felt as strong with some of the studio’s more recent games, but there is a two-decade-long track record of quality releases. You’ve got Virtua Fighter, Super Monkey Ball, and, of course, Yakuza/Like a Dragon. The Like a Dragon series has drastically shifted in recent years, introducing a new protagonist in Ichiban Kasuga and a dynamic shift to turn-based combat. However, while this popular series has brought new ways to play, there’s nothing quite like the studio’s upcoming original game, Stranger Than Heaven. I had the opportunity to go hands-on with the upcoming game at Summer Game Fest 2026, and after just 40 minutes, I’m incredibly intrigued to see more.
Stranger Than Heaven follows Makoto Daito across Japan in five distinct locations and eras. These include Fukuoka in 1915, Hiroshima in 1929, Osaka in 1943, Shizuoka in 1951, and Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1965. As you progress through the game, Makoto will age, and the story will continue to deepen over the eventual founding of the Tojo Clan, a key organization very heavily involved in the Like a Dragon series.
While my preview didn’t focus on the story, I did get the chance to experience a small slice of three of these eras: 1915, 1929, and 1943. These all look wildly different and feel very authentic to the time period. Each segment threw me into a battle with a variety of enemies, with each round ramping up in difficulty. By far, the biggest change Like a Dragon veterans will encounter is the combat system. Instead of utilizing face buttons, Stranger Than Heaven gives you control of its protagonist by using both bumpers and triggers. Admittedly, this is going to take some getting used to (I constantly found myself wanting to press Square to attack), but I’m confident the system will feel natural after some more time with the game.
I was most surprised by Stranger Than Heaven‘s focus on defense. While the Yakuza games certainly have their fair share of mechanics like dodging or guarding, I found these to be much more intertwined with battles in Stranger Than Heaven. The final stage I was able to try involved a wandering samurai in Osaka, and that battle proved to be impossible without the use of proper blocking, parrying, and dodging. The combat feels more challenging than Like a Dragon in a good way, as you have to take into account many more inputs at once. I am curious how some players might feel about this approach, but as the combat system is brand new, I assume most will go in with an open mind.
Stagger is another key component of combat, with this meter slowly broken over time as you land more hits. Both Makoto and enemies have this gauge, and it’s one you need to watch closely. If your meter slowly starts to wind down into the Yellow or Red, your ability to react defensively to incoming attacks will be limited. Stranger Than Heaven is very focused on this idea of strategy between Stagger, defensive maneuvers, and what weapon to use where.
Speaking of, while you can fight with your bare fists, a total of 13 weapons are set to be included in the game at launch. I had the chance to spend time with both the knife and a larger two-handed weapon, and both dramatically shifted my approach to combat. I found the knife to be much easier to use when attempting to stagger an enemy and deal a heavy attack (done by simultaneously pressing both triggers), while the larger weapon had longer reach when I wanted to nail a solid blow with some distance. As you probably can tell, Stranger Than Heaven is quite a mechanic-filled game. A lot is going on in gameplay, but I think the challenge will be exciting for many veterans.
I didn’t have a chance to see any of Stranger Than Heaven‘s music-inspired mechanics, but the UI itself for the stagger meter looks like a vinyl record. It’s interwoven throughout even combat, and I’m really excited to see how deep this influence will be, especially with such strong musical talent and the already-showcased showman mechanics.
With just my small slice of the game, Stranger Than Heaven clearly has a lot going for it. The all-star cast will be a draw for some, and its music has already spread far and wide across social media. Its combat system is a fresh experience from the rest of the Like a Dragon series, and the story set across multiple eras is quite intriguing. RGG Studio has an ambitious game on its hands, and if I had to guess based on my time with it, I think this one is shaping up to be something special.
Stranger Than Heaven is set to launch on January 15, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
