Stranger Than Heaven Director Says Protagonist’s Life Story Is ‘Not Just Entertainment’

Abe said the story follows Makoto Daito, a Japanese-American man, across five distinct eras and cities in Japan over five decades. He said experiencing one man’s life as a narrative and as a gameplay experience was something he had personally never played before in a video game. “I would say experiencing one man’s life as a narrative and as a gameplay experience is something that I have personally never played before as a video game medium,” Abe said. “I think that aspect of the game could be something that’s not just entertainment.”

The narrative begins with Daito facing racism after he arrives in Japan. Abe said people refuse to talk to him because of his race and language, and that music becomes the means by which he breaks those barriers and communicates with others. He said RGG Studios “felt it was really natural that music would be a big part of this character.”

Abe described music as the only thing that would break those barriers for Daito. “So, music was the only thing for him that would break those barriers and help him communicate with people. That was really natural for us to put into the narrative,” he said. “Of course, Captain Orpheus is the one who’s going to teach him how to make money off of music. And for Daito, because he has that experience, it was really natural for him to start making money, and you know, start showbiz as his life’s work.”

The director said the team always wanted the concept of music in the game to tell the story of Makoto’s life. He said that was the starting point for including music in the game.

Abe also said he and Yu Shirota, Daito’s actor, have both experienced discrimination. He said the team put a lot of focus on telling the narrative of a man’s life who starts by facing racism. “Because of the way Makoto Daito’s story is written, where he starts from a mixed-heritage background, comes to Japan, and gets discriminated against, I hope that Makoto’s life journey really speaks to people around the globe who have had similar experiences,” Abe said.

He added that he hopes the story encourages people and that players who come to the game only for entertainment can also become immersed in the narrative. “I myself have had one before, and our lead actor also had a similar experience before, so we put a lot of focus on telling this narrative about a man’s life who starts by facing a lot of racism. I hope it really encourages people, as well as the player who just wants to entertain themselves while playing the game can also get immersed in this narrative,” Abe said. “So the concept of a man’s life is, I think, one of the biggest things that I would love the player to experience, and I can’t wait for them to experience.”