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Away from the main story, STRANGER THAN HEAVEN offers side activities and diversions alongside its two main pursuits.
Minigames
Confirmed pastimes include arm-wrestling, dice games, card games, and target shooting. These sit alongside the main pursuits of Combat and performance, and more side content is expected to be detailed closer to release.
Each of the game's five eras carries its own selection of minigames. The director has said there are fewer of these diversions than in the studio's earlier games, keeping more of the spotlight on the main story.
Era-Specific Pastimes
The amusements on offer shift with the decade. The 1915 chapter, set in a foundry town before modern entertainment reached Japan, centres on drinking, gambling, and buying pleasure. By the 1929 chapter, foreign culture is arriving in the port and brings its own diversions with it. Each subsequent era is described as promising its own forms of entertainment, so the side content doubles as period detail. The eras themselves are covered under The Five Eras.
The Hideout
Makoto has a home base, referred to as a hideout, where bonus items can be installed. A record player that plays music from each era and an electronic camera that expands the game's photography options are both sold as extra content rather than being part of the base game. Full contents are listed under Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses.
Side Stories
Beyond the minigames, the game weaves in optional side stories. The developers have described these as taking a more serious, dramatic direction than the studio's earlier work.