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Preview: Forget the Soulslikes, This Bizarre New PS5 Game Is Channelling Shenmue Instead
At Gamescom, Push Square previewed Showa American Story, a bizarre new PS5 console exclusive from Chinese studio NEKCOM that draws heavy inspiration from Sega's cult classic Shenmue rather than the wave of gothic Soulslikes currently emerging from Chinese developers. The action RPG's premise stems from an urban myth from Japan's 1980s economic boom, imagining a world where Japan became wealthy enough to buy the United States, reimagining Hollywood as "Neo Yokohama" and populating it with Japanese immigrant gangs inspired by the film The Warriors.
Players take on the role of Chigusa Choko, an aspiring actress who is kidnapped, killed by gangsters, and resurrected in a zombie-infested world seeking revenge. NEKCOM founder Xiangyu Luo, who cites Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki as a major influence, revealed the game drew on an eclectic range of sources including No More Heroes, Yakuza, Dragon Ball Z and Kamen Rider, and admitted investors initially struggled to understand the game's unconventional concept. The preview build offered both exploration and combat demos, featuring Shenmue-style minigames reminiscent of Space Harrier and OutRun, a Japanese-style town setting, and a character design and script that was originally written in Chinese before being localised into English with Japanese dialogue.
In short
- NEKCOM's Showa American Story is a PS5 exclusive inspired by Shenmue
- Set in an alternate 1980s where Japan bought America
- Investors initially struggled to grasp the game's unusual concept
Explained simply
Shenmue is a Sega action-adventure series known for its detailed settings, everyday activities and mini-games alongside a revenge story. Its creator, Yu Suzuki, is a major influence on Showa American Story, an action role-playing game made by Chinese studio NEKCOM for PlayStation 5.
The game imagines an alternate history inspired by a rumour from Japan’s 1980s boom years: that Japan became rich enough to buy the United States. In this version, Hollywood is renamed Neo Yokohama, and Japanese immigrant gangs draw on the film The Warriors.
Players follow Chigusa Choko, an aspiring actress who is killed by gangsters and brought back to life in a world full of zombies. The unusual mix of influences and settings helps explain why the project was difficult for investors to understand, and why it stands apart from the familiar fantasy settings of many recent action games.
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