We finally learned what Snoop Dogg was doing in 20th century Japan in A Special Look at Stranger than Heaven

Fans waiting to learn more regarding RGG Studio’s next major title finally got plenty of answers when a live stream presented by Xbox showcased plenty regarding this title set throughout the 20th century in Japan.

One of the biggest questions when the game’s Five Eras Reveal Trailer debuted was…What was Snoop Dogg doing here. Well in the presentation we learned that the Doggfather will be portraying an international smuggler named Orpheus and it is through his assistance that the game’s protagonist Makoto Daito will find his way to the Land of Rising Sun after facing nothing but discrimination in America due to his mixed heritage.

Besides Snoop Dogg, it seems the title will be packed with well known faces in Japan such as Ado, Yu Shirota, Dean Fujioka, Akio Otsuka (The Japanese voice of Solid Snake, by the way) and the most interesting one is Bunta Sugawara. Sugawara was the star of films such as Battles Without Honor and Humanity, however he passed away in 2018. His appearance in this title came due to an agreement between SEGA and his family. The in-game character utilizing his likeness will be voiced by Takashi Ukaji who was a friend to the late Bunta Sugawara.

The showcase wasn’t just about rolling out its fantastic cast, it also showcased what you’ll be doing in game and frankly one of the biggest surprises was that would end up in the entertainment industry. It seems that Makoto has a knack for music and will find inspiration from the strangest of places. At the same time this shouldn’t be something that is shocking to fans of RGG’s titles as their protagonists have been real estate tycoons and operators of tropical resorts in the past.

Gameplay wise the biggest revelation is that combat will be more similar to something you would find in Tekken where you control each limb with buttons, in Stranger than Heaven’s case, the shoulder buttons. I want to say I’m worried about this implementation, but at the same time the studio has rarely led their fanbase astray so it will be interesting to see if this spices up the game play.

RGG Studio head Masayoshi Yoyoyama closed out the presentation that the title will launch in the winter and it will be available day one on Xbox Game Pass. I certainly am looking forward to tracking Makoto throughout the early to mid 1900s to see what life has in store for him.

Stranger than Heaven is coming to PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S this Winter.

Xbox Presents: A Special Look at STRANGER THAN HEAVEN

Stranger than Heaven screens: