Grasshopper Manufacture’s Goichi Suda, better known by his nickname Suda51, has a pretty storied career. Aside from theNo More Heroesfranchise, Suda51 has led Grasshopper Manufacture through development through the likes ofKiller 7and the more recentLet It Die.It seems likeLet It Diein particular is on the verge of a major comeback, however, thanks to the recent announcement ofDeathverse: Let It Die.Although it’s set in the universe ofLet It Die,Deathverseis a very different take on the world. Developer Supertrick Games - formerly part of Grasshopper Manufacture - and publisherGungHo’sDeathverseis a multiplayer battle royale where players fight to the death on live TV.
There’s clearly a lot that’s changed between the events ofLet It DieandDeathverse: Let It Die.Official descriptions ofDeathversestate that hundreds of years have passed since the events of the first game, giving the game plenty of room to establish its own identity within theLet It DieIP. However, the influence of the first game is still clear.The upcoming PlayStation titleDeathverseis already full of subtle references to its source material that should drawLet It Diefans into the world ofDeathverse.This game may be a battle royale, but it’s clearly powered by some very rich lore.
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Deathverse’s Connections to Let It Die
Perhaps the most obvious reference toLet It Diehas to do withDeathverse’s arena.Much likePUBG Battlegrounds' maps,Deathverseplayers compete on an abandoned island. However, the island is remarkable thanks to its high concentration of SPLithium, a cherished but dangerous energy source that created monsters called UMA that lurk in every corner of the island. SPLithium has an important presence inLet It Die.Not only does it serve as a crafting ingredient, but it powers the batteries of Fighters, which are corpses that the player controls as they ascend the Tower of Barbs. Since SPLithium is still around,Deathverse’s competitors might be similar to Fighters.
Another reference to Suda51’sLet It Diestems from the company behind the competition at the heart ofDeathverse.Players compete in a televised gladiatorial show called Death Jamboree, which is produced by the mysterious Yotsuyama Broadcasting Company. Anybody who playedLet It Dieprobably recognizes the name Yotsuyama; a company bearing the same name had a looming presence throughoutLet It Die,as it was responsible for creating many of the game’s enemies. It seems that the Yotsuyama Group is as powerful and mysterious as ever hundreds of years later.
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The Yotsuyama Group isn’t the onlyLet It Dieentity that looks like it’ll return inDeathverse.There’s also evidence thatLet It Die’s Uncle Death, the wisecracking, skateboarding skeletal guide to the player, will impactDeathverse.Players inDeathverseinteract with modular robots called Wilsons that can transform into weapons and perform all kinds of special functions in battle. Notably,the reveal trailer forDeathversesuggests that Wilsons have a skeletal default appearance and have a habit of calling people “senpai”, much like Uncle Death. Between that and a sneaky Uncle Death cameo in the first few seconds of theDeathversetrailer, it’s clear that Uncle Death has something to do withDeathverse’s events.
A Surprising Future for Let It Die
When the originalLet It Diewas in development, it seems unlikely thatSuda51 and his teamimagined a battle royale game as a sequel. Even so, that’s where the franchise is at. A multiplayer competitive game isn’t what manyLet It Diefans expected as a sequel, but frankly, it’s exciting thatLet It Dieis getting a sequel at all. It suggests that GungHo Entertainment has big plans forLet It Die,rather than literally letting the IP die. HopefullyDeathversegoes a long way to expand the lore of the originalLet It Die,even in its multiplayer form.
Deathverse: Let It Diereleases in spring 2022 for PS4 and PS5.
