Three eras feel irresistible! “STRANGER THAN HEAVEN” gave me a true “battle to the death” via action and blood splatter [TGS2026]

It’s that time of year again. The “Tokyo Game Show 2026” is being held at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21.

This event brings together a wide variety of games, from highly anticipated new releases to promising titles we’ve never seen before. Game*Spark is also touring the various booths to enjoy many of these titles!

First up in this article is *STRANGER THAN HEAVEN*, a brand-new title developed by Sega’s RGG Studio. We’ll give you a comprehensive look at the game’s battle system, which we experienced during a hands-on demo.

Taking on the Game’s Combat While Traveling Through Three Eras

The demo we played this time focused primarily on the game’s battle segments.

There are three difficulty levels available: EASY, NORMAL, and HARD. Of course, we were able to play through all of them in a single demo session.

If you select EASY, the setting shifts to Kokura in 1915. With streetcars running through the city and wooden buildings lining the tracks, you really get a strong sense of the “Taisho era.”

As you walk straight down the street, a battle with an enemy begins. The game’s core combat system emphasizes “direction and motion,” a staple of hardcore action games.

Attacks are executed using the controller’s L and R buttons and triggers, with each button corresponding to the left and right hands. Furthermore, since strong attacks (trigger attacks) can be charged, you can strike in the direction and with the intensity you want.

You can guard and dodge with a single button on the controller, but you can also specify the direction of your guard with the left and right sides—in short, the concept of left and right is woven into every aspect of the game.

Next up is the NORMAL difficulty setting. The setting is Kure in 1929 (the era changes depending on the difficulty level!).

As the story moves forward from Kokura, you’ll notice that the architecture has changed significantly. Brick buildings stand alongside NPCs wearing school uniforms that are quintessentially Showa-era. As if foreshadowing the major historical changes to come, snow continues to fall on the city, driven by strong winds.

The battles you’ll face in Kure consist of group fights against large numbers of enemies. This game does not feature a traditional “lock-on” function. As a result, when surrounded by multiple enemies, it becomes difficult to target a specific one—but this is where the “distinct use of the left and right buttons” I explained earlier comes into play.

The combat animations in this game are quite sophisticated; by pressing the corresponding buttons for enemies to the left, right, or behind you, you can quickly launch attacks in all directions—forward, backward, left, and right.

In other words, since you don’t have to lock on to each enemy and bring them directly in front of you, I actually felt that the absence of a lock-on system made combat flow more smoothly.

If you handle the controls well, you can dispatch enemies with the same flair as in a movie action sequence.

Last but not least is the HARD difficulty mode. The setting is Osaka in 1943.

Although Japan was in the thick of the war, the city’s appearance showed a surprising level of development compared to Kure. Neon signs could be seen here and there, and the city seemed to be brimming with energy. Contrary to the somewhat gloomy image we tend to associate with this era, the game depicts a bright, bustling metropolis.

In this Osaka setting, you’ll experience one-on-one battles against formidable foes.

Freely switch between weapons like kitchen knives, hammers, and swords as you wait for an opening and strike at your enemy’s unguarded spots—this mode is packed with the culmination of all the elements you’ve experienced in battles so far.

What I’d like to highlight here is the game’s ground combat system. In *STRANGER THAN HEAVEN*’s battles, if you’re knocked to the ground, you won’t automatically get back up; instead, you’ll enter a ground state.

In this state, you can’t perform any attacks other than kicks, and if you don’t roll skillfully to dodge, you’ll take the full brunt of the enemy’s attacks—making it a rather dangerous situation. You need to stay calm, focus on defense, and literally get back on your feet.

True to its “HARD” difficulty rating, the battle was extremely challenging, but I managed to scrape out a narrow victory.

After experiencing it firsthand, I felt that this game features a very robust and hardcore combat system. Also, with blood splattering everywhere during combat and a succession of quite brutal attack animations, every single attack looks like it would really hurt…

Because of these slightly gory depictions, even battles against minor enemies feel like true “fierce battles.” There’s no doubt that every battle in the main story will keep you on the edge of your seat!

That was a report from the Sega/Atlus booth showcasing *STRANGER THAN HEAVEN*—a truly fascinating experience!

*STRANGER THAN HEAVEN* is scheduled for release on January 15, 2027.