It’s not everyday that the universe opens up and presents you with a gift from the heavens that you never knew you wanted, let alone needed. Well, today, January 7, 2022, is one of those days for me.
Seemingly out of nowhere, with little to no fanfare, comes a trailer for something so bizarre and surreal that I just need to know more about it. In fact, I think I stumbled upon what might have just become my most anticipated upcoming video game (you can read about more of my anticipated games here and here). I am, of course, referring to Showa American Story from developer NEKCOM Entertainment.
Here’s the trailer so you can see it for yourself:
I mean, what?!
You play as Choko, a teenage girl mysteriously given a second chance at life after she suddenly resurrects from having been very much dead. The game is set during the 1980s in a version of America that has effectively been bought out by Japan and retrofitted to fit that particular cultural aesthetic.
And right off the bat, the art style, blending these two diverging societies, is very much a selling point for Showa in my book. The paper lanterns adorning the Golden Gate bridge, the Neo Yokohama sign in place of the old Hollywood sign, and just the overall Japanese pop art style infused with Americana iconography, like police posters or neon signs above shopping districts — this is something I don’t think I’ve seen integrated into a video-game world so evocatively (although I’m sure there are examples I’m simply just not aware of).
And although Choko has a new lease on life, she is also faced with finding her sister during what appears to be a full-blown zombie apocalypse. This means she must load up her trusty RV and venture across these great United States in order to find her sibling and, in the process, seemingly kill every frickin’ zombie from sea to shining sea.
Now, there is a lot to take in during this reveal trailer, and the microscopic subtitles don’t do anyone any favors, so you’re going to want to watch this a number of times. I certainly did, and I will probably replay it a few more times for posterity’s sake.
As detailed in the game’s description (but also apparent from some of the activities we see Choko performing in the trailer), this is an action RPG at its core. From the hack-and-slash-like nature of the melee combat to the third-person shooting, everything is stylized to a T and looks like it could strike a great balance between over-the-top mayhem and precision-based attacks.
Of course, you can also deck Choko out with new weapons and outfits, and also upgrade the RV itself to add more quality-of-life features and benefits while you venture down these dusty trails. The impression I get from watching Choko fill her apparent downtime is that there will be a number of side activities to engage in and collectibles to collect and decorate with. I want to say we could possibly see some light survival mechanics, like eating or even crafting new clothes, but this is mostly wishful speculation on my part.
From what little I’ve seen — which is arguably quite a lot compared to other titles that have looming release dates — Showa American Story looks like one to keep an eye on. The release date section on the game’s Steam page is listed TBD, so we’ll have to sit tight and wait for more info to come at some later date. In the meantime, this is slated for Steam, PS4, and PS5, so at least this is going to get some console love.
I absolutely cannot wait for Showa American Story to arrive, but since I don’t have much choice right now, I might as well watch that insane trailer one more time.
