Review of Romeo is DEADMAN – Suda 51 returns to the pinnacle of gore and irreverence

The classic love story between Romeo and Juliet is not what you'll see here; we're faced with the unmistakable seal of Suda 51, with blood, action and breathtaking moments.

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It’s always great to see creatives having the freedom to bring their ideas and vision to life. I mention this because sometimes publishers or companies can impose certain rules that can lead to a game being different from the creator’s original vision.

This is where Suda 51 comes in, fitting perfectly with the start of this analysis. As this genius usually unleashes his imagination to bring us a mix of story, gameplay, and artistic style that’s quite extravagant, allowing us to enjoy irreverent and wild experiences.

With all that said, you’ll understand that we’re dealing with a new IP, one that feels familiar yet different, which is the sum of Suda 51’s experience over the years in this industry; the result is Romeo is a DEADMAN.

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Technical Aspect

One of the things that has Suda 51’s signature is that experimental style that characterizes him, and I’m not referring to graphics, in this sense, the Japanese developer doesn’t usually focus on showcasing his work merely in this aspect.

We’ve seen it before with Killer 7, No More Heroes, and other works, what really stands out is the artistic and audiovisual aspect. This is where we find the game’s true charm and where it overflows with charisma, and those who know the Japanese developer know how his work is.

The game engine is Unreal Engine 5, and it’s very evident, with details in the scenarios and enemies that are more palpable. One thing I love about the title is the colors and the way it presents each action that involves the story and our character.

A detail I won’t overlook is that, compared to the last No More Heroes, the FPS and performance of this new game are smooth, and its world is linear, not open, which allows for great detail in each scenario, my sincere respect for what’s been achieved.

We’ll see shopping centers, stores, ships, and open sections, what I can tell you is that they’re well-worked and feel pleasant to the eye. The evolution of the creative team makes it clear that they’ve grown over time and with each release.

Something fascinating and always a trademark is the art we see, whether on a loading screen or a poster, without fear, they manage to create something bizarre and beautiful at the same time. In this aspect, the game has a distinctive factor.

And it’s no surprise, at least for this writer, who’s been playing several of Suda 51’s titles for many years, but we’ll see the return of brief sections of pixel art and 2D that capture us instantly. A job well done.

In terms of the soundtrack, it’s phenomenal, with changes and tones that vary depending on the situation. I think it’s another strong point and gives personality to the experience. Additionally, the Spanish localization is well done, and the voices, despite not being in our language, always manage to stand out, whether you choose Japanese or English.

I’ve said many positive things about the game, and it’s a fact that it’s solid all around, I know, it’s not a graphical powerhouse (I mentioned it already), but its strong point is its visual style. And the extra that we love to share is that it features Xbox Play Anywhere.

Do you want to play on PC or Xbox console?, the game with a copy allows you to do so and continue your progress, unfortunately, the option was not available for the analysis, and we played it on Xbox Series X. I’m a fan of this type of experience, and I’m pleased with what’s been achieved, Suda 51 gives us an excellent aspect.

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Gameplay

Once we start our adventure, we’re introduced to a series of interesting questions that give us a somewhat philosophical approach, necessary to understand that Suda 51 has taken his time to develop a new story.

This time, we’ll be Romeo Stargazer, who’s met an interesting girl named Juliet, with whom we establish a strange relationship. Unfortunately, we soon realize that we’ll be victims of an attack by a white demon, which puts our life on a thread between life and death.

Luckily, our grandfather Benjamin Stargazer manages to save us, although in the process, we’ll become a kind of undead, adapting a helmet and a set of skills to survive. This will lead us to belong to a kind of space-time police, seeking to exterminate threats that are strangely related to Juliet.

The game, when it allows us to control Romeo, and if you’ve played No More Heroes, you’ll notice it feels very similar. This makes it clear that it’s a spiritual successor to the Japanese developer’s most commercial work. Although we can be very honest, this new IP feels very great.

From the start, we’ll be in a tutorial that lets us try the hero’s basic movements and feel comfortable with him (although at times it feels a bit rough). We’ll take down some enemies and see our reach; it feels like a hack and slash, although not the Bayonetta or Devil May Cry type.

After the first approach, we’re given the option to choose between three difficulties disguised as chocolate names: easy, normal, and hard, leaving a line for a tougher option. Although it’s not available from the start, this usually happens with his titles, and we’ll have to do our first run to unlock it.

Something we discover is that, like No More Heroes 3, we’ll have objects that we’ll obtain during our journey and that will serve us in the future. Additionally, the title differs from the Travis Touchdown saga in that its world is linear and not open, which is appreciated so that the focus is direct.

Having a linear adventure isn’t bad; on the contrary, it favors the game, as it doesn’t waste resources on an open world that doesn’t deliver. I mention this because it happened with No More Heroes 1 and 3, which makes us know that the developers learned from their mistakes.

I know, I often compare Romeo is a DEADMAN to No More Heroes; it’s inevitable, as it has a similar structure, but I can say that it’s much better, and this is very positive and a clear evolution that feels supported by its technical and graphical aspect.

Additionally, we won’t be alone and will have the guidance of the space-time FBI, where we’ll be a pupil in charge of investigating what’s happening and capturing (literally tearing apart) the threats that arise. Luckily, we’ll have a series of interesting elements that will complement our protagonist.

• Bastard seeds, which will serve as a passive weapon to repel enemies and that we’ll obtain in a peculiar way, that is, by cultivating them.
• Amulets that we’ll obtain from our exploration in each scenario and that will serve to enhance or improve ROMEO in some way.
• Food that, depending on how we prepare it and the ingredients and recipes we make, will give us the time and effect that extra will give us.
• Main weapon, will be a sword that will have variants or other physical tools that will give us the power to get rid of enemy hordes.
• Secondary weapon, here’s something interesting, and they’re pistols, which will come in different forms, each for a specific situation, and yes, we have a bazooka available (this reminds us of Shadows of the Damned and its pistol mechanics).
• Leveling up, this will help us increase our health, attack, and other stats that will be necessary to improve to progress and not fall against enemies.

The above is just a brief description of what you can achieve in the title, and this will be necessary to advance successfully, as enemies will become tougher as we progress. And speaking of enemies, the first ones will be simple, but more complicated ones will appear, requiring our attention.

There will be weak points that will help us exterminate the threats, and the quantities will increase in an absurd way; the challenge is out there. Additionally, what would this game be without the final bosses? True giants that, with their size and design, intimidate us; it will be our duty to finish them off.

Something I couldn’t leave out is that there will be secret sections that serve as a connection between one reality and another (to advance in the level), these sections feel out of place and cut the game’s rhythm (frenetic action), some may see it as negative or positive, but they’re there to alleviate or pause our progress.

I’ve released a lot of information, but I don’t want to extend it, not before you understand that the game is the sum of the best that Suda 51 has: it’s fun, it’s wild, and it has an outstanding aesthetic. Additionally, the combination of attacks and weapons makes it special. I know, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and it doesn’t have to, as what it does, it does very well.

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Duration

After a very promising balance, it’s time to comment on what Romeo is a DEADMAN has to offer. Time can be relative when playing, and in this case, it applies the same criterion, as one of the title’s virtues is the ability to entertain us without realizing how much time we’ve spent.

The immersion is direct, and it makes you want to follow and discover more, explore, and progress in your story. One that, without being excessively long, incentivizes you to follow it, so finishing the game isn’t an exhausting task, the dozen hours or so will be enough.

Obviously, the time will extend as we want to obtain everything there is to achieve, and there won’t be few things, which will increase our stay in the game. In the end, it’s a journey that leaves us with good sensations.

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Conclusion

Romeo is a DEADMAN is far from being No More Heroes, and it doesn’t need to be. We’re dealing with Suda 51’s new IP, and it looks great, but it’s not just that. It plays very well, and it has the touch that makes each of his games special. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and it doesn’t have to, as what it achieves, it does very well.

Romeo is a protagonist, one who’s involved in a space-time dilemma that involves Juliet and puts him in an existential conflict. Doses of romance, action, and a style that only Suda 51 can deliver, and he’s back to surprise us.

It’s a title that won’t be to everyone’s taste, and that’s because it doesn’t want to be; it’s aimed at a specific audience, although if it manages to capture new fans, it would be greatly appreciated. A unique seal and a way to enjoy a title that’s out of the ordinary, which isn’t perfect, but it’s well-rounded, enough to recommend it on your Xbox.