After discovering gameplay sequences in a secret event organized online by the publisher last summer, this time we were able to play Scarlet Nexus under somewhat unusual conditions, as we were playing on a PC that was connected to the Shadow system. A good fiber connection and a few hours later we already know more and give you some clarifications.
The opportunity was therefore given to us to discover the beginning of the adventure pad in hand and after choosing between one of the two starting heroes – Yuito, the son of a good family who wants to join the army, and Kasane, the orphan a tragic fate – we opted for the latter – and an animated opening with rock music, the demo of Scarlet Nexus Started the character training and tutorial right away, then offered us to explore some main and side quests from the start.
The nexus
Most of the narrative is through visually novel passages with fairly well-framed, animated and dynamic stills, with voices – Japanese or English – almost always, and a few short animated 3D passages. And if the common thread of the story seems to be connected to the fate of a very “Japanese cyberpunk” world invaded by strange creatures made of half animal, half skeleton and half plant, we will also follow the more personal predictions of heroes , Roles of “classic” manga characters, recognizable by the theme of comic music that appears regularly. The whole thing shows a slight cel shading that seems to have the most beautiful effect.
This demo was definitely an opportunity to visit some places that were all very urban but were destroyed by a deliciously colorful apocalypse. A city that serves as a HUD, very modern and Japanese, a construction site, an infamous neighborhood, and the monsters aren’t left out, and its design, almost Silent Hill esque, probably won’t leave you speechless. To see the hard way if the scenario of Scarlet Nexus shows the height of the design of the universe, which was created for the purposes of the game and for once appears great.
To touch
Where the game surprised us most is its playability. We weren’t very excited after the video previews, but we tell ourselves that titles like NieR Automata are never very far away. Having locked his enemy, we mainly have access to two types of attack: to the body body with a bladed weapon or to remove it with the Telkinsia, which makes it possible to project the objects of decoration onto the enemies as an apprentice in power ! Sometimes the objects are still in the field of the camera despite everything …
The result is quite astonishing, the battles are interrupted by the required alternation between ranged attacks and body-to-body attacks. The object of the game is to coordinate their attacks so that the enemy doesn’t get delay, a bit like in one. Rhythm game! Dodging with a counter attack is possible, and we can also trigger small QTE kinematics with some special decorative elements. Everything is shown to play pretty fast, rather dynamic and much more so than in the videos watched on the internet. At the top, we can’t wait to see more! In terms of dungeon explorers, they looked pretty linear and at times maze-like: luckily there is a map!
First they meet, then they fight
On the RPG side, it seems rather easy in terms of equipment management, weapons, or the skill tree, but your teammates accompanying you on a mission will be a game changer: in addition to some status buffs, they can sometimes offer a new power from Telkinsia or Elemental Weapons! The system deserves one more exam before it can be fully assessed, but this is quite promising.
Especially since unlocking different skills involves acquiring social links in Persona mode between two missions, or you need to chat with your comrades, sometimes go on missions with them to strengthen your links, and especially, their power!
We are waiting for it … with curiosity and desire!
Scarlet Nexus is a new license made in Bandai Namco with a very “God Eater” design in a dystopian universe where a futuristic society with a very distinctive design is besieged by monsters who are equally besieged in terms of quirks are like the decorations. If the scenario has to be confirmed the hard way, the design seduces us. And gameplay question, controller in hand, it doesn’t seem bad either: despite an RPG aspect that seems a little easy, but broken by the powers of our companions and the acquisition of a “social connection” with them, it’s in The fights are very nervous and we alternate attacks on the body, bodies and kin at a fairly demanding and fast pace. Will Scarlet Nexus keep its promises? The answer in the TEST, towards the end of June, if everything goes well!