PAX West is underway, and there are already so many great games to discuss from Konami, SEGA, Atlus, Bandai Namco, and of course the indies.
One of the biggest games we hands-on previewed on the show floor was Stranger than Heaven, RGG Studio’s next Yakuza-style action title.
This is more than just another game in the Yakuza series. In fact, its anything but. The combat wears its inspiration on its sleeve, mixing Judgement with the likes of Batman: Arkham, Dark Souls, God of War, and Assassin’s Creed. Every movement, evade, attack, and block matter, with every animation feeling deliberate. Landing that punch on an enemy feels impactful, but if you miss, you’re going to feel it. The variety in combat feels great too, giving each of the three time periods in the demo a unique fighting experience.
The toughest fight was my second demo, which featured a tanky, large man with a hard punch and a giant sword as well as a group of minor enemies designed to swarm and overwhelm. Learning the dodging, blocking, and the enemy patterns was key to the fight, which is where the Soulslike influence found itself. I died multiple times, but once I beat him, it felt just as satisfying as any boss.
My biggest concern with this demo was the lack of a lock-on feature. There are indicators letting you know where enemies are coming from, but the lack of the lock on absolutely hindered my ability to stay focused on the enemies. This is a “me” issue, however, being used to the nature of Zelda and Elden Ring, and definitely feels more like Batman in that respect. In any case, I do think it would help to have that feature for players who are used to those mechanics, especially with its combat feeling so in tune with those franchises.
Stranger than heaven is definitely a title to look out for, even if you aren’t into the Yakuza/Like A Dragon Series. I think its brutal, deliberate combat will be the game’s highlight, and I look forward to seeing more of it when it releases in January.
Stranger than Heaven releases on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC on January 15, 2027.
Corey Dirrig is the Founder and President of Boss Rush Media. He is the host of The Boss Rush Podcast, Nintendo Pow Block, Tower Casuals: The Destiny Podcast, and cohosts a variety of other podcasts and content. You can follow Corey on Bluesky, on X/Twitter, and on Instagram or connect with him on LinkedIn for Business Inquiries.
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