Games from Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture are always idiosyncratic, and Romeo is a Dead Man is another bizarre, violent fever dream that embraces genre and stylistic shifts. Games like this are far too rare these days!
The story of Romeo Is A Dead Man begins with space and time being shattered by a certain incident. On the brink of life and death, Romeo finds himself revived by a new kind of super technology. He is then recruited by the FBI's Space-Time Police as a special agent and wanders the cosmos in search of criminals who have taken advantage of the situation in an attempt to restore justice to the universe. At the same time, he searches for clues about his missing girlfriend, Juliet, and quickly discovers that her disappearance and the destruction of space are more closely linked than he thought. What awaits Romeo at the edges of space-time when he donns the Deadgear mask?
Romeo Is A Dead Man © Grasshopper Manufacture
The game changes genres just as much as it changes graphic styles—from comic-like to modern to retro to abstract and artificial. However, the core element is a rather bloody hack-and-slash game from a third-person perspective with linear levels. It is reminiscent of titles such as Lollipop Chainsaw, Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, but it is not nearly as complex. This is partly because switching between swords and guns to fight is not as elegant as it is in other games.
Overall, close combat is superior to ranged combat. Close combat shines thanks to powerful hit feedback, different sensations depending on the weapon used, and impressive special attacks, not to mention very compelling boss fights. Alongside combat, the game features a variety of mini-games, such as a Pac-Man-like game used to upgrade Romeo's character stats. Then there's the 'bastard' system. Some enemies leave behind seeds that can be identified and planted on board the space-time ship. After a certain amount of time, Romeo can harvest the fully grown bastards, which support him in battle.
Romeo Is A Dead Man © Grasshopper Manufacture
Most of the gameplay involves fighting and navigating through levels, interspersed with some surprisingly philosophical, albeit confusing, conversations on the 16-bit space-time-ship and adventures in the parallel world. Not all of the game elements are equally enjoyable; sometimes they drag on too long and there are too few enemy types, not all of which are visually appealing. However, it is precisely this wild mix that makes the game so interesting. Not to mention that the PC version also suffers from performance issues.
Romeo Is A Dead Man © Grasshopper Manufacture
Romeo Is a Dead Man is the first self-published title by Grasshopper Manufacture and the first new intellectual property from the studio and Goichi Suda (aka Suda51; No More Heroes trilogy, The Silver Case, Shadows of the Damned) in over five years. Grasshopper Manufacture is an interactive entertainment software development company based in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. Since its establishment in 1998, CEO and game designer Goichi Suda has been responsible for writing and producing many games.
"Romeo Is A Dead Man is our first original title in quite some time, and I believe we've managed to craft an experience that further elevates the action game standard Grasshopper Manufacture has built up over the years. Our protagonist, Romeo, is someone I wanted to leave a strong impression with fans, and not just in his physical strength. While our past works have produced various well-loved iconic characters, this time I really wanted to create a character who could be loved by game fans the world over. When writing the scenario, I wrote the line 'From here on out, you're a dead man,' and that just rang completely true to me - everything changed after that. I felt something in that moniker, which is why it became the title of the game itself. I hope players enjoy their time with Romeo, and even after finishing the game they’ll want to return to this world, and continue the adventure aboard the lonely spaceship floating through space." - Goichi 'Suda51' Suda, Executive Director, Scenario Writer, Producer @ Grasshopper Manufacture
Romeo Is A Dead Man was released on 10 February 2026 for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S for around €50.
Games as wild and wacky as Romeo Is A Dead Man are a rare find these days. Even if not everything works, and it sometimes struggles with its pacing, it's brimming with original ideas.
