Overview
Showa American Story is an action RPG from NEKCOM Entertainment, published by 4Divinity. Its cross-country adventure follows Choko, a teenager whose return from the dead leaves her searching for the truth about herself and a ruined United States.
Her resurrection also brings a frightening, unexplained power. Choko wakes after an unknown interval, connecting the mystery of her second life with the catastrophe that destroys the country's social order.
1980s pop culture and B-movie excess shape the tone. The premise makes room for eccentric characters and exaggerated violence, approaching the apocalypse with a sense of absurdity alongside its central mysteries.
How does combat work?
Showa American Story uses fast-paced action combat against enemy hordes. Players control Choko's movement and attacks directly, balancing aggression with defensive timing as enemies crowd the battlefield.
Her combat tools and techniques include:
- Melee weapons and firearms
- Dodges and counterattacks
- Weapons with different stats
- Unusual combat contraptions
Players can mix and match equipment to access different moves and attack styles. Weapon selection affects how Choko fights as well as the numbers behind her attacks, connecting equipment choices to the moment-to-moment action.
Choko's battles feature plentiful, exaggerated gore.
A different history of America
The setting begins in Showa 66, an alternate history in which Japan's economic strength places most of the United States under Japanese ownership. The country's transformation starts before the disaster, giving its ruins a history beyond the catastrophe itself.
Immigration brings Japanese culture into American daily life. The two cultures mix, and citizens adapt amid tensions, establishing the identity of Showa America before its institutions collapse.
Main quests advance Choko's search for answers, while side quests explore the lives of the wasteland's survivors. Their different backgrounds and beliefs give the journey personal stories alongside its larger questions about what happens to the country.
Zombies, monsters, and human survivors populate Showa America's wasteland.
RV life and character progression
A large RV serves as Choko's traveling home. Weapons, outfits, items, and experience collected during her travels feed into life on the road, giving the adventure a home base that moves with its heroine.
Daily Activities raise Choko's stats and unlock new abilities. These playful routines make character progression part of her everyday life, so growing stronger involves more than the battles along the main route. The contrast between violent encounters and domestic activity supports the game's unusual tone through mechanics.
Mini-games draw on 1980s and 1990s culture, bringing the retro theme into activities players take part in. These diversions give the post-apocalyptic road trip breaks from combat, while the RV's progression systems keep time between quests connected to Choko's development.
