Romeo is a Dead Man

Romeo Is A Dead Man
DeveloperGrasshopper Manufacture
PublisherGrasshopper Manufacture
DirectorRen Yamazaki
ProducerGoichi Suda
ProgrammerToru Hironaka
ArtistKunihiko Taniwaki
Writers
  • Goichi Suda
  • Ren Yamazaki
Composers
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platforms
ReleaseFebruary 11, 2026
GenreAction-adventure
ModeSingle-player

Romeo is a Dead Man is an action-adventure game developed and published by Grasshopper Manufacture for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S.[1][2]

Overview

Goichi Suda described the game as an "ultra-violent science fiction" action game in which you play as Romeo Stargazer, an FBI investigator who tracks down wanted criminals across spacetime using his modified half-dead body.[3]

Development

The game was announced in June 2025. Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture are best known for the No More Heroes and 2012's Lollipop Chainsaw.[4] In an interview, Suda listed main inspirations for the game as 28 Days Later, Night of the Living Dead, and Back to the Future. He also stated that the main character's design came from a cancelled project titled Zombie Rider.[5]

In an interview with Eurogamer, Suda ensured the game featured no AI development tools.[6] In December 2025, Grasshopper Manufacture announced the release date and disclosed publishing details. Despite being owned by NetEase (who published the 2024 remaster of Shadows of the Damned), Grasshopper entered negotiations with multiple publishers before settling on doing it themselves[7], taking on more responsibility than they previously had for Travis Strikes Again which saw support from Nintendo.[8]

Suda51 commented on the game's design and the studio's philosophy in a February 2026 interview with the official PlayStation blog. He compared game development to cooking ingredients and stated the studio uses "all sorts of ingredients that you normally wouldn’t find in a regular kitchen", but they use said ingredients to their fullest ability.[9]

Reception

Romeo is a Dead Man received "generally favorable" reviews for the Windows and Xbox Series X/S versions while the PlayStation 5 version received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[10][11][12] OpenCritic determined that 64% of critics recommended the game.[13]

References

  1. ^ Evans-Thirlwell, Edwin (9 February 2026). "High On Life 2, Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Romeo Is A Dead Man go head to head in another crowded week for PC games". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  2. ^ Madsen, Hayes (6 January 2026). "Romeo Is a Dead Man Is a Raucous Fever Dream, and Now My Most Anticipated Game of 2026". Inverse. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  3. ^ LeBlanc, Wesley (4 June 2025). "Grasshopper Manufacture Announces Romeo Is A Dead Man, An Ultra-Violent Sci-Fi Action Game". Game Informer. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  4. ^ Richardson, James (4 June 2025). "Suda 51's 'Romeo is a Dead Man' is coming to PS5 in 2026". Essential Japan. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  5. ^ Makar, Connor (3 February 2026). "How do you make a game like Romeo is a Dead Man? Treat your studio like a jazz band, embody Tom Cruise in Maverick, and find real faces to melt, says Suda 51". Eurogamer. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  6. ^ Makar, Connor (3 February 2026). "'We don't use it, we have no interest in it' Romeo is a Dead Man's Suda 51 dismisses AI development tools, says AI images and videos 'feel kinda off'". Eurogamer. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  7. ^ Scullion, Chris (5 December 2025). "Grasshopper announces Romeo is a Dead Man release date, says it will be self-publishing it". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  8. ^ Romano, Sal (14 November 2018). "Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes physical edition to be released in North America and Europe, includes Season Pass". Gematsu. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
  9. ^ Stanford-Reisinger, Gabriel (9 February 2026). "Suda51 Compares Romeo Is A Deadman's Combat Balancing To A Full Course Dinner". PSX Extreme. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  10. ^ a b "Romeo is a Dead Man for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  11. ^ a b "Romeo is a Dead Man for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Romeo is a Dead Man for Xbox Series X/S Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  13. ^ a b "Romeo is a Dead Man Reviews". OpenCritic. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  14. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man Review - Worthwhile Weird". Game Informer. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  15. ^ O'Connor, James (10 February 2026). "Romeo Is a Dead Man Review - Keep Sleeping, Dead Man". GameSpot. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  16. ^ Chivers, Joe (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man review: "When this time-traveling hack and slash hits its groove, this is Suda51's bloodiest, sharpest spectacle since No More Heroes"". GamesRadar. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  17. ^ Borger, Will (10 February 2026). "Romeo Is a Dead Man Review". IGN. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  18. ^ Croft, Liam (10 February 2026). "Romeo Is a Dead Man Review (PS5)". Push Square. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  19. ^ Chandler, Sam (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man review: Find the pulse". Shacknews. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  20. ^ Wood, Rhys (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man is a hyper-violent sci-fi trip that's as gripping as it is mystifying". TechRadar. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  21. ^ Regan, Tom (10 February 2026). "Romeo Is a Dead Man review – a misfire from a storied gaming provocateur". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  22. ^ Billcliffe, James (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man Review: More Lynchian lunacy from one of gaming's most uncompromising studios". VG247. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  23. ^ Bardwell, Tom (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man review – An abstract, idiosyncratic fever dream". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  24. ^ Scullion, Chris (10 February 2026). "Romeo is a Dead Man Review: Suda51's sci-fi spectacle is pure Grasshopper action". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
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