SummaryRomeo is A Lifeless Man launches on Xbox Collection X|S February 11, 2026.Comply with protagonist Romeo Stargazer in a single participant journey, via a narrative that transcends house and time.In an unique interview, Government Director Suda51 and Director Ren Yamazaki talk about how the sport got here collectively, and Grasshopper Manufacture’s distinctive growth fashion.
Romeo is A Lifeless 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 within the house between life and dying created by a mysterious time paradox. In his new function as FBI Area-Time Agent “Lifeless Man”, Romeo will uncover a wild, unpredictable story with intense battles, search out a number of the universe’s most harmful fugitives, and seek for his lacking girlfriend, Juliet.
There’s a variety of bizarre themes at play inside Romeo is A Lifeless 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 particularly is full pace forward, yeah. If we’re gonna trigger some ruckus proper off the bat, we would as properly equally get the participant within the thick of the motion as quick as potential in order that they don’t need to suppose too lengthy about it. I’m simply glad if they’ll benefit from the motion proper from the beginning.
Ren Yamazaki: I’ve been on the firm for fairly a while now, so I’m actually used to Suda’s storytelling fashion. 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 the way individuals will react to the story as an entire.
Let’s speak about the primary character – what selections have been made when bringing Romeo to life?
Suda: I at all times needed Romeo Stargazer to be a personality that left a powerful impression not simply via his in-game expertise and weapons, however as a personality too. Our previous titles function all types of characters who’re liked by avid gamers, so I actually thought arduous about how you can make Romeo a personality who’d be simply as praised. When Romeo acquired the “DeadMan” moniker alongside the way in which, he actually began to return to life in a method that made me assured in him. I assumed to myself, like, “Romeo actually is DeadMan!” after which all of it type of fell into place. That’s why we made it the title, too.
The fight in Romeo is A Lifeless Man is intense and fast-paced from the beginning. Was this at all times a primary objective for the sport?
Yamazaki: I used to be fairly agency concerning the core motion parts of the sport. So many various facets and programs of the sport modified all through growth, however in my discussions with our primary programmer, Hironaka, we made positive the battle system delivered a powerful sense of enjoyable, fascinating motion from the start to the tip of growth.
Is there something concerning the motion you paid explicit consideration to, Suda-san?
Suda: The large finisher—Bloody Summer time—I paid a variety of consideration to how precisely it felt, and to that finish the overall motion of swords have been refined meticulously in order that it could really feel as genuine as potential. I’m fairly positive I additionally made a variety of changes to the precise second of affect, 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 every minor tweak.
We additionally paid particular consideration to what number of enemies seem and the place in every degree. Every time I performed via the sport to make changes, I imagined myself to be taking part in it for the primary time and actually thought-about the feelings that comes with that. Even on a primary playthrough, I actually needed it to really feel as easy as it’s difficult, and I feel we acquired steadiness there. The tip result’s clearly depending on the gamers, so I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the way it’s obtained by the general public.
It’s powerful to create a wholly new IP, particularly with a rising staff – did you’re feeling that stress throughout growth?
Suda: I suppose it’s a variety of stress, however we’re a studio that has survived nearly solely on unique IPs, and now we have a variety 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 every kind of firm cultures and backgrounds, however that’s true of any growth staff. It’s when these two cultures reconcile that I really feel the studio’s personal identification evolves and matures into one thing extra entire, and that is an ongoing course of between each challenge we’ve taken on.
Within the earlier elements of growth, we’d have these huge month-to-month the place every staff would present what they’re engaged on. General I feel it was fairly optimistic, because it helped everybody perceive the course of the challenge, and foster a way that that is “our” recreation, so to talk.
Yamazaki: I feel that sense of “our recreation” amongst each particular person workers member is precisely what turned the challenge’s general energy, too. It fuels dedication in 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 have been engaged on.
How would you set Grasshopper’s growth fashion into phrases?
Suda: Our growth fashion is type of ad-libbed, I’d say. We carry a bunch of concepts to the conferences and develop them simply via discuss, and decide aside what looks as if one thing price implementing, and for essentially the most half we simply decide essentially the most fascinating concepts and ad-lib methods to place them in. Particularly in the case of motion video games, they’re not likely one thing the place you resolve a brilliant inflexible spec sheet from the start and observe it during—it modifications all through growth. You principally need to maintain sprucing actually small elements to make the general product higher. It’s these sorts of processes the place the general Grasshopper fashion is developed.
Yamazaki: I’m undecided if that strategy is a bonus or an obstacle, however that’s exactly the place that daring taste distinctive to our video games comes via; I feel that basically works for the individuals who take pleasure in it, and is extra of an acquired style for a first-timer. It’s type of like a ramen store with a thick, robust broth.
There are positively instances I think about making issues a extra basic, salty taste for the general public at giant; although, I’m undecided it really works out that method even once I strive (laughs). Normally what occurs is I begin out that method, however someplace alongside the way in which 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 Lifeless 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 particular person singleplayer motion journey, cut up into numerous chapters. His story is each unpredictable and suffering from intense battles, interspersed with aspect missions to go well with the participant’s tempo.
“Combat blood with blood”
Romeo switches between swords and weapons to combat. Wipe out the waves of enemies that stand in your path to offer beginning to a brand new type 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, able to turning any state of affairs round. Romeo’s numerous weapons will be strengthened and altered because the story strikes ahead as he takes on even stronger enemies.
“A narrative that transcends space-time”
This recreation’s story begins with space-time itself being shattered by a sure incident. Romeo, too, getting ready to life and dying finds himself revived by a brand new type of tremendous know-how. Thus he’s recruited for the FBI’s Area-Time Police as a particular agent, and wanders the cosmos seeking criminals who’ve taken benefit of the state of affairs at hand in an try to carry justice again to the universe. On the identical time, he seems to be for clues regarding his lacking girlfriend Juliet, and shortly 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 on the edges of space-time?
