Stranger than Heaven: Story, Combat, and Cities
A series of in-depth looks at Sega's new title
Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio have shared a series of short trailers to illustrate some of the main features of Stranger than Heaven, the new intellectual property from the Yakuza/Like a Dragon studio, which will be released in Winter 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam, Xbox PC), as well as day one on the Game Pass service. The videos introduce us to the game's story, combat system, and locations.
The Story of Stranger than Heaven
The story of Stranger than Heaven unfolds over a 50-year period and across different Japanese settings, however, the trailer only introduces us to its prologue, which begins outside Japan: in San Francisco, where young Makoto Daito has tragically lost his parents and is a victim of discrimination. In search of a better future, the protagonist will take a ship to Japan, where he will meet the smuggler Orpheus (played by Snoop Dogg).
The Five Cities of Stranger than Heaven
- Kokura, Fukuoka - 1915
- Kure, Hiroshima - 1929
- Minami, Osaka - 1943
- Atami, Shizuoka - 1951
- Kamurocho, Tokyo - 1965
The Combat of Stranger than Heaven
In Stranger than Heaven's combat, the player can control Daito's left and right body parts independently: with the two left shoulder buttons of the gamepad, you attack with the left side and vice versa. In this way, you can create a wide variety of combos or even parry with one hand and counterattack with the other. The combat system offers multiple moves: charged attacks, special abilities, finishers, etc... and allows access to a vast array of weapons.