Interview: An Inside Look Behind the Chaos of Romeo is A Useless Man

Romeo is A Useless Man is coming to Xbox Collection X|S on February 11, 2026!

On this third-person, motion journey, gamers will assume the position of Romeo Stargazer, a person trapped within the area between life and loss of life created by a mysterious time paradox. In his new position as FBI Area-Time Agent “Useless Man”, Romeo will uncover a wild, unpredictable story with intense battles, search out a few of the universe’s most harmful fugitives, and seek for his lacking girlfriend, Juliet.

There’s quite a lot of extraordinary themes at play inside Romeo is A Useless Man, and so, I sat down with Govt Director Goichi Suda (Suda 51) and Director Ren Yamazaki to search out the way it all got here collectively.

The sport is fairly chaotic proper off the bat. How’d it find yourself like that?

Suda Goichi (Suda 51): The opening particularly is full velocity forward, yeah. If we’re gonna trigger some ruckus proper off the bat, we’d as effectively equally get the participant within the thick of the motion as quick as doable in order that they don’t must assume too lengthy about it. I’m simply glad if they’ll benefit from the motion proper from the beginning.

Ren Yamazaki:　I’ve been on the firm for fairly a while now, so I’m actually used to Suda’s storytelling type. I assume from that perspective, it’s nothing too uncommon for me. It’s, like, yeah, enterprise as regular (laughs). After all, I perceive it’s most likely complicated to first-time gamers, however that confusion itself is enjoyable to see. I’m particularly excited for a way individuals will react to the story as an entire.

Let’s speak about the primary character – what selections had been made when bringing Romeo to life?

Suda: I all the time wished Romeo Stargazer to be a personality that left a powerful impression not simply by means of his in-game expertise and weapons, however as a personality too. Our previous titles characteristic all types of characters who’re beloved by players, so I actually thought arduous about find out how to make Romeo a personality who’d be simply as praised. When Romeo bought the “DeadMan” moniker alongside the way in which, he actually began to return to life in a approach that made me assured in him. I assumed to myself, like, “Romeo actually is DeadMan!” after which all of it sort of fell into place. That’s why we made it the title, too.

The fight in Romeo is A Useless Man is intense and fast-paced from the beginning. Was this all the time a principal purpose for the sport?

Yamazaki: I used to be fairly agency in regards to the core motion parts of the sport. So many various elements and techniques of the sport modified all through improvement, however in my discussions with our principal programmer, Hironaka, we made certain the battle system delivered a powerful sense of enjoyable, fascinating motion from the start to the tip of improvement.

Is there something in regards to the motion you paid specific consideration to, Suda-san?

Suda: The large finisher—Bloody Summer time—I paid quite a lot of consideration to how precisely it felt, and to that finish the overall motion of swords had been refined meticulously in order that it will really feel as genuine as doable. I’m fairly certain I additionally made quite a lot of changes to the precise second of influence, however that was years in the past development-wise now and I’ve completely forgotten what precisely I requested (laughs). Motion video games higher and higher with each minor tweak.

 We additionally paid particular consideration to what number of enemies seem and the place in every stage. Every time I performed by means of the sport to make changes, I imagined myself to be taking part in it for the primary time and actually thought of the feelings that comes with that. Even on a primary playthrough, I actually wished it to really feel as clean as it’s difficult, and I feel we bought steadiness there. The top result’s clearly depending on the gamers, so I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing the way it’s obtained by the general public.

It’s powerful to create a completely new IP, particularly with a rising staff – did you are feeling that stress throughout improvement?

Suda: I suppose it’s quite a lot of stress, however we’re a studio that has survived virtually solely on authentic IPs, and we now have quite a lot of long-running IP, so I don’t give it some thought an excessive amount of. There’s a level of stress concerned with team-building, particularly when employees come from all types of firm cultures and backgrounds, however that’s true of any improvement staff. It’s when these two cultures reconcile that I really feel the studio’s personal identification evolves and matures into one thing extra complete, and that is an ongoing course of between each venture we’ve taken on.

Within the earlier elements of improvement, we’d have these large month-to-month the place every staff would present what they’re engaged on. Total I feel it was fairly optimistic, because it helped everybody perceive the course of the venture, and foster a way that that is “our” recreation, so to talk.

Yamazaki: I feel that sense of “our recreation” amongst each particular person employees member is strictly what grew to become the venture’s total power, too. It fuels dedication in the direction of each element; everybody approached it with a lot sincerity that at instances I felt I needed to inform individuals to not go too far with what they had been engaged on.

How would you set Grasshopper’s improvement type into phrases?

Suda: Our improvement type is sort of ad-libbed, I’d say. We carry a bunch of concepts to the conferences and develop them simply by means of discuss, and choose aside what looks as if one thing price implementing, and for probably the most half we simply choose probably the most fascinating concepts and ad-lib methods to place them in. Particularly with regards to motion video games, they’re probably not one thing the place you resolve a brilliant inflexible spec sheet from the start and observe it during—it modifications all through improvement. You principally must hold sprucing actually small elements to make the general product higher. It’s these sorts of processes the place the general Grasshopper type is developed.

Yamazaki: I’m unsure if that strategy is a bonus or an obstacle, however that’s exactly the place that daring taste distinctive to our video games comes by means of; I feel that actually works for the individuals who take pleasure in it, and is extra of an acquired style for a first-timer. It’s sort of like a ramen store with a thick, robust broth.

There are undoubtedly instances I contemplate making issues a extra basic, salty taste for the general public at massive; although, I’m unsure it really works out that approach even after I attempt (laughs). Often what occurs is I begin out that approach, however someplace alongside the way in which I get tired of the blandness and find yourself placing a bunch of spice in with out even realizing.

Suda: There are already sufficient “orthodox” video games on the market to start with, and I don’t assume it’s our place to compete with them!

Romeo is A Useless Man arrives on Xbox Collection X|S on February 11, 2026.