Suda51’s latest time-traveling hack and slash delivers its most intense and stylish action since No More Heroes.
In the later stages of Romeo Is a Dead Man, the latest creation from the visionary Suda51, I found myself pondering post-structural critical theory—a thought that rarely crosses my mind while gaming. Yet, the echoes of Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author lingered as I played. In this game, such a death would be a chaotic spectacle, piecing together meaning from a jumble of disarray. Beneath its punk exterior, however, lies a deeply personal narrative, with the game wearing its emotional core boldly. The climactic moments of Romeo Is a Dead Man are steeped in a melancholy reminiscent of Neon Genesis Evangelion, where sadness subtly colors the experience without overshadowing it.
The journey begins with Romeo Stargazer, a young cop brimming with conspiracy theories, who meets his end at the hands of a monster while trying to assist someone in distress. His resurrection comes in a rather gruesome fashion, courtesy of his eccentric scientist grandfather, who injects him in the eye. (Honestly, if that’s the treatment I need, just let me go.)
From there, the action kicks into high gear as you join the FBI Space-Time Police, embarking on a quest aboard a spaceship to confront monsters threatening the universe. The levels whisk you through various time periods, though sadly, they don’t venture beyond the mid-20th century. One of the key monsters is Juliet—Romeo’s missing girlfriend and love interest—who turns out to be far more otherworldly than he remembers.
Between his violent escapades, Romeo has downtime on his ship, The Last Night, which transforms into a top-down 16-bit RPG. Here, you can whip up katsu curry, boost your stats by navigating an arcade maze, and interact with the quirky members of the FBI Space-Time Police, each sporting their own eccentricities. This shift in gameplay style showcases the game’s variety and flair, making it feel fresh rather than gimmicky.
At its core, Romeo Is a Dead Man features familiar hack-and-slash gameplay that fans of character action titles like No More Heroes or Shadows of the Damned will recognize. You’ll slice through hordes of zombies using a selection of eight weapons—four melee and four ranged. My personal favorite is the Star Destroyer, a hefty sword that evokes memories of the Soul Edge, paired with the powerful Diaspora shotgun. As you progress, your grandfather—now a living patch on your jacket—offers guidance and banter.
The enemy roster includes special foes like scorpion-like zombies that shoot projectiles and grotesque ballerinas with flesh tutus, each with weak points for quick takedowns. While the variety isn’t groundbreaking, it’s sufficient to keep the combat engaging.
However, the initial levels can feel tedious. The second level, set in a 1980s mall, is particularly challenging. Your weapons are underpowered at this stage, requiring a resource called Sentrey to upgrade, making it feel like you’re throwing spitballs instead of wielding a high-tech shotgun. Each level culminates in a boss fight, and some players might find the mall’s boss too punishing, leading to frustration. The game’s tight field of view can also be a hindrance, as I often found myself ambushed by enemies I couldn’t see coming. While I appreciate Romeo’s character design, I certainly don’t need to be carried around by him.
The difficulty curve shifts dramatically as you progress, with your weapons becoming absurdly powerful, allowing you to wreak havoc on the undead. As you dispatch enemies, you can collect their blood to unleash a special move called Bloody Summer, which deals massive damage and heals you—making health management a breeze in the later stages, especially after tackling a few side dungeons. Healing items are scattered throughout the levels, reminiscent of Dark Souls’ bonfires, and you can even return to The Last Night for a breather.
While the game excels in delivering over-the-top action, there are moments when Romeo must engage his brain, too. Certain barriers require you to enter subspace by interacting with a suited figure in a retro TV to progress. These orb-based challenges could serve as fun diversions if they were clearer in their objectives. The Sentrey Forge back on The Last Night, where you can supposedly create more resources from space debris, remains a bit of a mystery to me. Once I grasped the orb puzzles, subspace became a welcome change of pace, but it was frustrating to feel lost at first—something that No More Heroes handled more effectively.
Despite its few shortcomings, Romeo Is a Dead Man stands out as a potential Game of the Year contender. The combat quickly evolves into a thrilling experience as you carve through waves of enemies, with the action rarely letting up. The game is peppered with clever media references that enhance its charm without overshadowing its unique identity.
Each level kicks off with a quote from Oscar Wilde, and there are nods to The Clash and Morrissey (from before his recent controversies) scattered throughout. The soundtrack is consistently engaging, blending goofiness with an eerie vibe at times. One level, set in an asylum, cleverly uses cockroaches as symbols of horror, evoking memories of John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness. Romeo Is a Dead Man is Suda51’s most impressive work in years, and while it may not appeal to everyone, it promises an exhilarating journey through time and space for many players, just as it did for me.
