Romeo is a Dead Man

ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN combines so many of the things that make Suda 51’s games so beloved and makes something fresh and insanely fun with them.

Romeo is a Dead Man is a violent, loud, and deeply human reminder on why I love video games to begin with.

Romeo is a Dead Man is the latest from Grasshopper Manufacture and SUDA51, the latter recently part of the somewhat lacklustre Hotel Barcelona. Whereas that title had some interesting ideas that ultimately fall through, Romeo is a Dead Man tries to get by on style and attitude alone, and will divide players accordingly.

ROMEO IS A DEAD MAN is the culmination of everything Suda51 has done, as it delivers another quirky adventure with a memorable story, and a superb combat system with a side of cozy activities.

Suda51 and Grasshopper Manufacture have always approached game design with an "art-first" philosophy. While their titles aren't always the most modern in terms of raw mechanics, they are always more than the simple sum of their parts. Powered by a singular, punk-rock vision, each title possesses a distinct flair that is becoming increasingly rare in the risk-averse AAA space.

Go along with its absurd story, and chances are you'll have lots of fun with Romeo is a Dead Man, even if its combat can be scrappy in places. This is Grasshopper Manufacture's most polished game yet, and as ever it's full of amusing quirks and gameplay features.

An oddly emotional game, Romeo is a Dead Man is Suda51's best in years, marrying entertaining combat with pop culture references and constant creativity. Get through the game's somewhat flat start and you'll find auteur game design at its best – idiosyncratic, strange, and thoroughly enjoyable.

The narrative is told through a haphazard set of meta-narrative/self-aware sections and dramatic elements that involve Romeo's grasp on reality and what it means to be human. Grasshopper is known for threading the needle nicely in their past work, and they pull it off again here. Because of how violent this world is, a lot of the finer details make sense, and you'll find yourself accepting insane choices much more easily. By the time you get sucked into a TV set to visit "subspace," and find yourself summoning former enemies known as "Bastards" to your side, you'll be fully accepting of this o...

When a new game from Suda51 drops, you know that it’s going to both ultraviolent and uniquely weird. Even so, Romeo is a Dead Man might still surprise you with just how strange it is. This is a game where the ‘Game Over’ screen is a melting head, where Romeo’s late grandpa is an animated picture on the back of his jacket, and Romeo himself wears the silliest helmet I think I’ve ever seen. It’s a game so surprising that being set in a multiverse with alternate versions of characters doesn’t even break the top ten of oddest things.

Suda51 games have a proud reputation of going against the grain, yet Romeo Is a Dead Man still manages to beggar belief.

I live with very few regrets, but if such a multiverse existed, surely there’s a me who graduated from college. Maybe there’s a version of Taylor Rioux who didn't pick up Final Fantasy XIV and thus never met his wife, or one who spent more time on his art. Where would those versions of me be now? For Romeo and Juliet, there’s really only one pressing question: is there a version of this where they stay together, living happily and healthily for the rest of their natural lives (or beyond...

Romeo is a Dead Man is an absolutely wild ride, and although it has some duller moments I'm seriously glad I saw it through to the end.