“We actually have a surprise announcement for you all in this Grasshopper Direct…” he said. “It’s ALMOST 100 percent certain that we’ll be releasing one more game during 2026. What kind of game? When can we announce it? We’re not sure just yet… But if you wait a little longer, I feel like we’ll be able to make an announcement soon. Keep checking out various events, media, and videos like this, and sooner or later we’ll have that big announcement ready for you all. Please keep an eye out and look forward to it.”

In the same video, Suda also spoke about a physical release of Romeo is a Dead Man, as well as a port for the Nintendo Switch 2. Noting that Grasshopper Manufacture has seen several requests for it, he said that the studio is in talks with companies in its attempts to make it happen. Confirmation of a physical release of Romeo is a Dead Man will happen as soon as a deal is finalized, he said.

“The packaged version everyone is asking about… We call it a ‘physical version’ in the industry,” said Suda. “Anyway, lots of people have requested a physical version. We’re currently in talks with several companies trying to get a physical version out, and we’re doing whatever we can to make it happen, so please wait just a bit more for this, too. We’ll announce it as soon as it’s finalized, so we appreciate all your patience. Same goes with the Switch 2 version; we’re doing what we can to make it happen. So again, please give us a little more time.”

Romeo is a Dead Man was released just a few hours ago on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Hyping up its launch, Grasshopper Manufacture had released a trailer for the hack-and-slash action game yesterday showcasing the quirky sense of humor that the studio’s games are known for. The title was originally unveiled back in June 2025 with a trailer giving us a hint about its main story.

Protagonist Romeo was originally going to end up dead, but ultimately survives thanks to a life-saving device jammed into his head. Thanks to this device, he can now also pick up weapons and wage his own war against demons. More details about its story and gameplay were revealed through an extensive blog post last August, which confirmed that Romeo’s codename is DeadMan, and that he is part of a special FBI division known as the Space-Time Police.

For more details on Romeo is a Dead Man, check out our review where we gave it a score of 6 out of 10.

Nevertheless, I was utterly enthralled by Romeo is a Dead Man. Seeing how it would end is one thing, but also because of the utter sense of style and the killer music.

Let’s start at the beginning, though. Once upon a time, Romeo Stargazer, a member of the Deadford Police Department, encountered a woman on the road, simply named Juliet. The fateful encounter turns Shakespearean tragedy, however, as Romeo is beset by a monstrous creature that horribly mangles him. It’s only thanks to the intervention of his grandfather, Ben Stargazer, and a device known as DeadGear that he’s brought back to life, becoming DeadMan – still living but also dead.

"In the midst of all this is Romeo, who tries to make sense of it all, and more often than not, fails. Then again, the interactions feel so surreal and non-serious that I find myself circling back to digging deeper, searching for something, anything, more substantial."

That’s the least of his worries, however, as it seems Juliet’s presence caused the world to suddenly disappear from space-time. Working with the FBI Space-Time Police, he investigates anomalies and other notable events, helping to nab criminals while also seeking out Juliet. To what end – and the truth about her identity – is where the most interesting bits of the plot unfold.

And I do mean “bits” because in between, you’ll have to deal with a whole myriad of maniacs, not the least of which includes your crew aboard the spaceship, Last Night. Oh, and Romeo’s grandfather somehow died, but still lives on the back of his jacket, and don’t worry about it, please and thank you. The personalities of each crew member vary between one-note and endearing, whether it’s Deputy Director Kimberly constantly calling Romeo by his real name before correcting himself and saying DeadMan, BrownRed insisting she’s a cat despite looking very much like a person with a cat head, and GreenRiver whose aloofness and lack of care reflects her importance to the plot (which is to say, nil).

Look, it’s not like I hate these characters. It’s just that they feel more like props than anything else, though Luna, Romeo’s sister, has a bit of heart to her. Even the villains oscillate between charismatic and inconsequential. In the midst of all this is Romeo, who tries to make sense of it all, and more often than not, fails. Then again, the interactions feel so surreal and non-serious that I find myself circling back to digging deeper, searching for something, anything, more substantial.

Of course, many may find humor in much of what’s happening or simply marvel at the imagery. Romeo is very UltraMan-esque in his design; cutaways and transitions evoke rock album art, and comic book covers (even Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks painting in one particular instance). Some key exchanges are presented in comic book form across a surprising number of styles, befitting the mood of the mission. Even the menus, from the Rotter farm with its Day of the Dead aesthetics to the machine that turns space scrap into upgrade materials, are bustling with charm and heart.

"This can result in some rather annoying fights in the beginning, and it doesn’t help that Romeo can’t dodge past enemy bodies. Get swarmed on all sides, and you may end up very dead, especially since he’s very easily staggered."

It’s almost enough to make you forget about the dreary environments that actually constitute the game’s levels. The texture work isn’t particularly impressive, and the anti-aliasing can look outright terrible in some places (do NOT shine a flashlight at all the chains hanging overhead in the dark). On the flip side is subspace – a blockier, trippier alternate location that feels almost as hypnotic as it does surreal. While it’s interesting to venture to and from subspace to traverse levels, it can feel downright annoying to backtrack in some places, especially when the man in the TV yaps on and on every time. A note on the final level: It’s easily one of the most tedious and frustrating in recent memory.

Things improve slightly with the combat, but only just. Romeo has access to four melee and four ranged weapons with the ability to swap mid-combat. You’ll more than likely stick to an option or two throughout, given that there’s only enough upgrade materials for a healthy chunk of the game. Each weapon has unique combos, but they’re all broken into light and heavy attacks, and depending on the recovery frames for the latter, good luck trying to dodge when you need to.

This can result in some rather annoying fights in the beginning, and it doesn’t help that Romeo can’t dodge past enemy bodies. Get swarmed on all sides, and you may end up very dead, especially since he’s very easily staggered. Bloody Summer, a super attack that also regenerates health, comes in handy. Just don’t use it against an early boss until you’re confident their combos have ended – there’s no invincibility window when it activates, meaning you’re still prone to damage.

Playing the PacMan-like Cannonball to spend materials and upgrade stats reduces this frustration, especially when every couple of hits feels less likely to endanger your well-being. Unlocking Rotters, who are essentially summons with unique abilities, also helps, and the mechanics for unlocking, upgrading, and improving them can be enjoyable (if not completely original). It would be nice if they weren’t so easily stunned, or took so long to unleash after certain actions, or blocked your attacks (and your movement in some places).

Further adding to the customization are Badges, allowing for improved damage depending on the weapon, shorter cooldowns for the Rotters, and more. Straightforward, but it works fine, and provides an incentive to dive into the optional dungeons dotting space-time. You could also cook some katsu curry with all the ingredients gathered, netting some time-limited buffs in combat.

"While some elements feel strictly “take it or leave it,” as expected with any Suda51 title, some much-needed polish and quality of life could make Romeo is a Dead Man into a far less annoying experience."

Aside from the iffy nature of combat itself, the bosses are pretty fun. Each one sports unique attack patterns and, more importantly, incredible themes that serve as more than blood-pumping excitement. It’s a testament to the excellent soundtrack that it throws in some fresh rock and roll beats alongside moodier and chill mixes, and ends up working great.

Performance is also, you guessed it, a mixed bag at times. While starting well enough, it starts to experience dips as more enemies and particles fill the screen. It’s downright horrendous in the optional dungeons, and coupled with the low lighting (even with brightness cranked up), can result in some headache-inducing action. As the environments become more intricate and larger in scale, you don’t need to enter combat to see the frame rate struggling to keep up.

Even with those caveats – and some others, like the overall repetitive nature of combat or the lackluster enemy variety – I can’t say that I entirely despised my time with Romeo. The plot compelled me to keep going, even in places where the sheer pretentiousness or seemingly unexplained twists threatened to lose me. And as one-note as the combat could sometimes feel, I can’t deny the joy of unleashing three stages of Bloody Summer to reduce my enemies into bloody puddles. While some elements feel strictly “take it or leave it,” as expected with any Suda51 title, some much-needed polish and quality of life could make Romeo is a Dead Man into a far less annoying experience.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

A catchy new title track accompanies the showcase, which highlights the game’s combat while also introducing us to some of the monstrosities that Romeo is going to be facing during his stint with the FBI Space-Time Police. With an arsenal of weapons in tow, his adventures look like they’re going to take him to some weird places.

The mysterious Dead Gear anchors him in place, but even as she seeks out the even more mysterious Juliet, the action plays out in Grasshopper’s signature over-the-top style. One thing’s for sure – wherever his journey ends, it’s not going to be your typical happy ending.

With a lot of dangerous fugitives to hunt down, and side missions to discover and engage with, Romeo is a Dead Man looks like it could very well be an excellent blend of compelling storytelling and some thrilling hack n’ slash gameplay. It’s out on February 11th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

It’s here that the intergalactic time-bending adventure begins. Armed with Deadgear, Romeo joins the Space-Time Police to scour the universe and apprehend its criminals (while also searching for Juliet). If you’ve played No More Heroes, then the hack and slash combat will look very familiar, but unlike Travis Touchdown, Romeo can wield several different weapons.

Want to split enemies apart with a massive hunk of metal? How about splitting a blade staff into two separate swords? You can also use a gun, a beam rifle or some gauntlets to pummel enemies to death. By absorbing their very plentiful blood, he can unleash Bloody Summer for some screen-clearing goodness.

If that wasn’t enough, Grasshopper Manufacture teased a Gundam-esque robot. There’s already a spaceship for traversing the universe, so what’s a little mech combat on top?

Launching on February 11th, Romeo is a Dead Man will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Allegedly in the works since 2020 and codenamed “Marathon” at one point, the project is now seemingly in development at Eidos Montreal (which recently saw several layoffs). It’s reportedly described as “Shadow of the Tomb Raider with Xenomorphs,” with three core characters – Aubrey, an engineer who uses grappling hooks and magnetic boots; Ryuzo, a potential antagonist; and Ripley 8 (with some hope that Sigourney Weaver reprises the character).

Its budget is reportedly less than $75 million, up from $30 million, with a release targeting 2028 on “all major platforms.” It could very well slip past that since it’s still in “early development,” though sources told Straw that “the state of the game is in a good place at this point.”

The alleged plot involves exploring a “decaying space station” where players deal with Spec Ops soldiers and the aforementioned Xenomorphs. It’s a single-player survival horror with puzzles, managing resources, sneaking around, and carefully dispatching enemies (who will apparently “adapt and react to whatever tactics you use.”

While we know about the story and how Romeo is recruited by the Space-Time Police after suddenly dying, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Like, “space-time as a whole is shattered,” complicated. As he brings criminals to justice using Deadgear, Romeo also learns that the missing Juliet could be linked to this whole disaster.

Much like No More Heroes, Romeo is a Dead Man offers third-person hack-and-slash combat, albeit with multiple different weapon types (check them out here). Alongside the main story, you can embark on side missions, and we can’t wait to see what signature weirdness director Goichi Suda has cooked up.

Since it was rated by South Korea’s GRAC and now has a release date, maybe there’s hope that Pragmata will receive the same, perhaps at The Game Awards. Stay tuned for more details.

Alongside the usual behind-the-scenes development shenanigans, you can look forward to “never-before-seen gameplay” for the title. The last Grasshopper Direct saw more details for Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered, which launched last October.

What could Romeo is a Dead Man reveal beyond its release date (which could be early next year)? Perhaps some more combat. After all, we’ve already seen Romeo Stargazer, Space-Time Police’s newest recruit and expert killer, decimating foes with beam rifles, gauntlets, and a blade staff. Why deviate from what works?

Romeo is a Dead Man will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC at launch. Check out even more details on its puzzles and gameplay here.

Usually, such ratings indicate they’re that much closer to launch, but they’re much better at denoting release date announcements. With the lack of other major events remaining for the year, they could be dated at The Game Awards.

While Romeo is a Dead Man could easily launch anywhere in the first half of 2026, Pragmata is a bit trickier due to Resident Evil Requiem, which launches on February 27th. Capcom would ideally like to avoid releasing them too close together, especially given their importance. However, it may also opt to launch them both before the end of the fiscal year.

Both Pragmata and Romeo is a Dead Man are coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC next year. Check out the Shelter from the former and various new weapons from the latter until then.

Despite some semblance to No More Heroes, there’s a greater variety of weapons, from a massive two-hander to a blade staff that splits in two. Romeo can also use gauntlets, a gun (which unleashes charged shots), a beam rifle, and much more. A lot is going on, so beware of sensory overload.

Romeo is a Dead Man launches in 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It follows Romeo, recruited by the Space-Time Police to apprehend criminals with the help of the Deadgear. Along with upgrading and modifying weapons, he absorbs the blood of his enemies to channel the powerful Bloody Summer attack. Check out more extensive gameplay, which includes boss fights and puzzles, here.

As the trailer explains, Romeo was going to end up dead, were it not for a life saving device that was jammed into his head. Since this has happened, Romeo can now take up weapons and begin his own fight against demons. The trailer doesn’t really reveal much about the story aside from what appears to be its initial setup.

We do, however, get to see quite a few flashes of gameplay. Romeo is a Dead Man will feature a mix of melee and gun-based combat, with protagonist Romeo seemingly being able to switch between the two styles of combat on the fly. As you would expect from a game like this, there will also be plenty of combos for players to discover.

Romeo is a Dead Man is coming to PS5 in 2026.