Publisher 2P Games and developer NEKCOM Games have just released a new trailer for their upcoming action RPG, Showa American Story, giving fans a fresh look at the gameplay and world since its original reveal in January 2022.
The trailer confirms that Showa American Story is set to launch in 2025 for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. Notably, the previously announced PlayStation 4 version has been quietly removed from the lineup as its development has been ported from Unreal Engine 4 to the Unreal Engine 5.
The latest trailer for Showa American Story reveals a rich blend of Japanese cultural influences, featuring classic pixel-style video games, iconic JK (schoolgirl) characters, ritual seppuku beneath cherry blossoms, a president watching anime, and tokusatsu hero motorcycles, among other unique details.
Developed by Chinese studio Nekcom Entertainment, whose previous release was DYING: Reborn a 2018 first-person escape puzzle game that received a positive reception with a 73% rating from 171 reviews on Steam, Showa American Story is their ambitious next project feels as if someone snuck opium across the border.
This title serves as a vibrant tribute to 1980s pop culture, reimagining an alternate history in which Japan, riding an economic bubble that never burst, successfully acquires and culturally colonizes the United States.
In this reality, Japan’s economic dominance has led to widespread Japanese cultural influence across America. However, the vision of an idealized “American utopia” is shattered by a mysterious, cataclysmic event that collapses society.
After an unspecified period, Choko, a teenage girl unexpectedly awakens from the dead to a wild, post-apocalyptic landscape now populated by zombies, bizarre creatures, and human survivors, some of whom seem to dress in Japanese style cosplay like this lovely Astro Boy reference.
The new trailer provides a sneak peek at Showa American Story’s storyline and more revised gameplay, showcasing the in-game US President who, true to the alternate setting, watches anime daily.
Players can explore a range of iconic locations, including San Francisco and “Neo Yokohama” a reimagined Hollywood. In this road movie-inspired action RPG, players will journey across America by camper van and motorcycle, with the trailer revealing a wealth of diverse stops and unique locales to visit along the way.
The trailer spotlights vividly reimagined American landmarks, like San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge adorned with much nicer Japanese lanterns, a neon-lit Las Vegas featuring kanji signage, and Austin, Texas now dubbed “Neo Tokyo-4” in full bloom with cherry blossoms.
In one striking scene, a man performs seppuku before Mount Rushmore. The alternate America in Showa American Story is undeniably saturated in the nostalgic colors and cultural motifs of Japan’s Showa era.
Showa American Story is a high-energy action game that revels in its B-movie flair. Set in a wild, apocalyptic America now steeped in Japanese Showa-era culture, players take on swarms of zombies, incomprehensible creatures, and crazed human bosses in a hack-and-slash, gung-ho frenzy.
The game draws inspiration and plays similarly to titles like Dead Rising and more recent Yakuza games with its outrageous humor and a dash of Lollipop Chainsaw’s action charm.
Showa American Story brings back the quirky, unpredictable fun that’s sorely missing in today’s gaming industry, where major studios in both Japan and the West increasingly prioritize identity politics over crafting the kind of wild, joy-filled experiences players crave.
Ironically, Japan is synonymous with these mid-budget, over-the-top titles packed with cheesy, offbeat humor. But as BlackRock’s ESG mandates and demands for sanitized, American-aligned content have crept in, Japan’s gaming industry has shifted toward a censored more restrained approach. As a result, countries like Korea and China are rising to the occasion, delivering the kind of unapologetically unique games that this audience yearns for.
Though Showa American Story currently has no specific release date beyond “2025” and much of the game’s mechanics remains under wraps, the combat showcased so far including both gunplay and frenzied melee fights enhanced with special effects, customizable weapons, and ample blood splatter makes it a title worth watching.
Fans can stay updated by adding it to their Steam wishlist or following Nekcom’s Twitter page for the latest news.
