Tom is an expert in all things Fortnite or the latest RPG release, but is probably spending too much time on the latest EA FC game.
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My hands-on demo of Stranger Than Heaven was a strange one. Instead of a vertical slice of the game, which showed off the story, setting, characters, and visuals, it focused on one single aspect. My 45 minutes was spent with the game combat only, taking me through three encounters, each of which was increasingly difficult. For most action games, I’d have thought that was the wrong thing to do, but it completely sold me on Stranger Than Heaven.
While RGG Studio’s games have had different combat styles over the years, I’ve not found any of them to be particularly intricate or thoughtful. Aside from the turn-based entries, combat has often been more about swinging wildly with brute strength than taking your time over every attack.
However, Stranger Than Heaven’s combat is particularly unique. That’s mostly due to how you actually control Makoto Daito, the game’s protagonist. Using a controller, the left-sided shoulder button and trigger control his left arm and leg, while the right ones control his right side. Want to block an enemy’s right hook? Press L1 to hold up your left hand to block it. Just punched them in the face and exposed their right? Press R2 for a powerful left uppercut or kick.
It’s a really smart way of adding depth to hand-to-hand combat. It’s not something completely unprecedented, but it’s not been implemented quite so smartly as in Stranger Than Heaven. That’s down to how on the ball the AI is. Enemies won’t just let you stand there unloading left, left, right combos on them ten times in a row. They will block certain attacks or combos if you use them too regularly, and they’ll fake attacks to try and catch you off guard. To take them out quickly, you need to pay attention to what they’re doing and react accordingly, precisely choosing what body part to attack with instead of spamming attacks and hoping for the best. This element of control is only the case in combat – thankfully, you’re not playing Stranger Than Heaven QUOP style as you wander around the streets of Japan.
In my demo specifically, I fought two rounds of standard enemies. There was a brute and a few guys with bats, but nothing too scary. I did really struggle with the dodge and counter mechanic initially, but I got the hang of it after three or four attempts. I only looked useless in front of the developers for ten minutes or so.
The third of my three combat encounters was where Stranger Than Heaven showcased what it was really about. It was a boss fight against a single enemy. She was slight, agile, and packed a real punch. I couldn’t use brute force to beat her, as her counters could knock me out in just two hits. I really had to focus on defending, using minute opportunities to return attacks. Sometimes, after attacking, her left side would be unguarded, so I had to quickly swing with my right arm. It was a game of patience, as well as a little bit of praying I wouldn’t miss the tell that comes before her devastating main attack in stage three.
The encounter showed how smart and mysterious bosses can be. My foe would sometimes gather her composure on one knee after being hit, pretending to be in pain, only to swipe at my legs if I tried to take advantage of her seemingly vulnerable state. You have to learn attack patterns, react quickly, and only attack when the opportunity is there. This isn’t a game you’re going to breeze through without dying.
The final encounter was a genuinely thrilling preview of the game. It’s engaging, unlike the combat in any other RGG game, adding depth beyond what I imagine is already present in the story and world. What I’m interested in seeing more of is how bosses are woven into the game’s progression. I simply wandered up to the boss I faced. To me, it seemed as if she was just waiting for me out in the open world, but I’m not sure if that’s the case in reality. Add a unique setting and RGG’s signature blend of depth and personality, and I’m sure the full game will set a new standard for the studio.
Stranger Than Heaven was a game I was somewhat curious about going into my SGF demo, but I came out incredibly excited to jump into the full thing. I still don’t know much about the world or setting, beyond the fact that Tupac makes an appearance for some reason, but the combat has a depth to it that I never expected.