Abstract
- Romeo is A Dead Man launches on Xbox Collection X|S February 11, 2026.
- Observe protagonist Romeo Stargazer in a single participant journey, by means of a narrative that transcends house and time.
- In an unique interview, Government Director Suda51 and Director Ren Yamazaki focus on how the sport got here collectively, and Grasshopper Manufacture’s distinctive improvement model.
Romeo is A Dead Man is coming to Xbox Collection X|S on February 11, 2026!
On this third-person, motion journey, gamers will assume the function of Romeo Stargazer, a person trapped in the house between life and dying created by a mysterious time paradox. In his new function as FBI House-Time Agent “Dead Man”, Romeo will uncover a wild, unpredictable story with intense battles, seek out some of the universe’s most harmful fugitives, and seek for his lacking girlfriend, Juliet.
There’s rather a lot of strange themes at play inside Romeo is A Dead Man, and so, I sat down with Government Director Goichi Suda (Suda 51) and Director Ren Yamazaki to seek out the way it all got here collectively.
The sport is fairly chaotic proper off the bat. How’d it find yourself like that?
Suda Goichi (Suda 51): The opening specifically is full pace forward, yeah. If we’re gonna trigger some ruckus proper off the bat, we would as properly equally get the participant in the thick of the motion as quick as potential so that they don’t must suppose too lengthy about it. I’m simply glad if they will take pleasure in the motion proper from the begin.
Ren Yamazaki: I’ve been at the firm for fairly a while now, so I’m actually used to Suda’s storytelling model. I assume from that perspective, it’s nothing too uncommon for me. It’s, like, yeah, enterprise as regular (laughs). After all, I perceive it’s in all probability complicated to first-time gamers, however that confusion itself is enjoyable to see. I’m particularly excited for a way individuals will react to the story as an entire.
Let’s discuss the essential character – what choices had been made when bringing Romeo to life?
Suda: I all the time wished Romeo Stargazer to be a personality that left a powerful impression not simply by means of his in-game abilities and weapons, however as a personality too. Our previous titles characteristic all types of characters who’re cherished by players, so I actually thought laborious about methods to make Romeo a personality who’d be simply as praised. When Romeo obtained the “DeadMan” moniker alongside the manner, he actually began to come back to life in a manner that made me assured in him. I assumed to myself, like, “Romeo actually is DeadMan!” after which all of it form of fell into place. That’s why we made it the title, too.
The fight in Romeo is A Dead Man is intense and fast-paced from the begin. Was this all the time a essential purpose for the sport?
Yamazaki: I used to be fairly agency about the core motion parts of the sport. So many alternative points and programs of the sport modified all through improvement, however in my discussions with our essential programmer, Hironaka, we made certain the battle system delivered a powerful sense of enjoyable, fascinating motion from the starting to the finish of improvement.
Is there something about the motion you paid explicit consideration to, Suda-san?
Suda: The large finisher—Bloody Summer time—I paid rather a lot of consideration to how precisely it felt, and to that finish the common motion of swords had been refined meticulously in order that it will really feel as genuine as potential. I’m fairly certain I additionally made rather a lot of changes to the precise second of impression, however that was years in the past development-wise now and I’ve completely forgotten what precisely I requested (laughs). Motion video games higher and higher with each minor tweak.
We additionally paid particular consideration to what number of enemies seem and the place in every degree. Every time I performed by means of the sport to make changes, I imagined myself to be taking part in it for the first time and actually thought of the feelings that comes with that. Even on a primary playthrough, I actually wished it to really feel as easy because it is difficult, and I believe we obtained a superb steadiness there. The tip outcome is clearly depending on the gamers, so I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the way it’s obtained by the public.
It’s robust to create a completely new IP, particularly with a rising workforce – did you are feeling that stress throughout improvement?
Suda: I suppose it is rather a lot of stress, however we’re a studio that has survived nearly solely on unique IPs, and we’ve got rather a lot of long-running IP, so I don’t give it some thought an excessive amount of. There’s a level of stress concerned with team-building, particularly when workers come from all types of firm cultures and backgrounds, however that’s true of any improvement workforce. It’s when these two cultures reconcile that I really feel the studio’s personal id evolves and matures into one thing extra entire, and this is an ongoing course of between each undertaking we’ve taken on.
In the earlier components of improvement, we’d have these massive month-to-month the place every workforce would present what they’re engaged on. Total I believe it was fairly optimistic, because it helped everybody perceive the course of the undertaking, and foster a way that this is “our” sport, so to talk.
Yamazaki: I believe that sense of “our sport” amongst each particular person workers member is precisely what grew to become the undertaking’s general power, too. It fuels dedication in the direction of each element; everybody approached it with a lot sincerity that at instances I felt I needed to inform individuals to not go too far with what they had been engaged on.
How would you set Grasshopper’s improvement model into phrases?
Suda: Our improvement model is form of ad-libbed, I’d say. We deliver a bunch of concepts to the conferences and develop them simply by means of discuss, and choose aside what looks as if one thing price implementing, and for the most half we simply choose the most fascinating concepts and ad-lib methods to place them in. Particularly with regards to motion video games, they’re not likely one thing the place you resolve a brilliant inflexible spec sheet from the starting and comply with all of it the manner by means of—it modifications all through improvement. You principally must preserve sharpening actually small components to make the general product higher. It’s these varieties of processes the place the general Grasshopper model is developed.
Yamazaki: I’m unsure if that strategy is a bonus or an obstacle, however that’s exactly the place that daring taste distinctive to our video games comes by means of; I believe that basically works for the individuals who take pleasure in it, and is extra of an acquired style for a first-timer. It’s form of like a ramen store with a thick, sturdy broth.
There are positively instances I think about making issues a extra common, salty taste for the public at giant; although, I’m unsure it really works out that manner even once I attempt (laughs). Often what occurs is I begin out that manner, however someplace alongside the manner I get tired of the blandness and find yourself placing a bunch of spice in with out even realizing.
Suda: There are already sufficient “orthodox” video games on the market to start with, and I don’t suppose it’s our place to compete with them!
Romeo is A Dead Man arrives on Xbox Collection X|S on February 11, 2026.
ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN
GRASSHOPPER MANUFACTURE INC.
“About ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN”
Take management of the protagonist Romeo Stargazer on this third individual singleplayer motion journey, break up into varied chapters. His story is each unpredictable and plagued by intense battles, interspersed with aspect missions to go well with the participant’s tempo.
“Battle blood with blood”
Romeo switches between swords and weapons to combat. Wipe out the waves of enemies that stand in your path to offer start to a brand new form of bloody motion, and take down the fearsome space-time criminals that await. Soak up the blood of your enemies to unleash Romeo’s particular assault: Bloody Summer time, succesful of turning any scenario round. Romeo’s varied weapons may be strengthened and altered as the story strikes ahead as he takes on even stronger enemies.
“A story that transcends space-time”
This sport’s story begins with space-time itself being shattered by a sure incident. Romeo, too, on the brink of life and dying finds himself revived by a brand new form of tremendous know-how. Thus he is recruited for the FBI’s House-Time Police as a particular agent, and wanders the cosmos in search of criminals who’ve taken benefit of the scenario at hand in an try to deliver justice again to the universe. At the identical time, he appears for clues regarding his lacking girlfriend Juliet, and rapidly comes to seek out each her disappearance and the destruction of house could also be extra linked than he thought. Donning the masks referred to as Deadgear, what awaits Romeo at the edges of space-time?