This mechanic is seamlessly integrated into the combat and combos will often have you jumping between it and your physical attacks.
About halfway through the game, you have them all and this is when the combat really takes off.Īt its core, you have your physical attacks, but also this neat psychic power mechanic that allows you to pick up objects and chuck them at enemies. It is not until a couple hours later that you start getting introduced to the different mechanics and modifiers that really “unlock” the combat here. The problem is that the combat right at the start of the game is very barebones, usually just you repeating the same basic combo over and over. I will admit, this game has a bit of a rough start – one that might actually turn away new players. Hopefully a future attempt will give Scarlet Nexus another chance to clarify its thoughts.Alright, let’s start with the combat. For how long depends on your tolerance for repetition and anime stylishness. For as often as the game gets in its own way, it’s definitely a unique experience. So where could Scarlet Nexus go from here? The game’s polished presentation makes clear that Bandai Namco is betting on making a brand of its new property. Even the action gameplay strains to carry the story through its often-reused locations. It’s an interesting gimmick, but doesn’t provide much beyond letting the audience know that the development team played Nier Automata. Both Kasane & Yuito’s storylines must be completed in order to fully experience the narrative. This kind of Triple-A padding is spread throughout Scarlet Nexus. Shifting from a menu of combat options to a silent observer of multiple long conversations all but kills the player’s momentum every time it happens.ĭefeat your enemies with The Power Of Friendship (& a gun) Here Comes A Thought Any fun from the squad getting to know each other is outweighed by the lengthy, mostly inactive format. In practice, however, this translates to watching long scenes of mostly static images. Persona-style hang-outs in an action RPG are an appealing idea. These are essentially voiced visual novel segments, of the characters bonding between chapters of the game. Squadmates can level up as well as the player, but getting the most out of their psychic powers requires completing ‘bond episodes’. For better or worse, so does the other major portion of the game.
Mind ReadingĪll these abilities really showcase Scarlet Nexus’ anime style. The Others’ design is part flea market, part art installation. Calling upon their powers bolsters your own attacks, with two AI-controlled party members battling alongside you in the field.
Additionally, each player character also has their own support squad. One amps up your base abilities, while the other acts as a sort of ‘rage’ meter allowing for incredibly damaging telekinetic attacks. Techniques like Brain Drive and Brain Field further boost attack potential.
The combos this creates are a fun rhythm within the standard action gameplay. Heavier and more elaborate improvised projectiles can be weaponized with the left trigger. Pulling the right trigger telekinetically grabs nearby debris to hurl at foes. The game that asks: ‘what if a music festival had its own paramilitary unit?’ Psychic DamageĪside from the specialized melee weapons of the main characters, Scarlet Nexus’ main mechanic for hunting down the Others is the suite of psychic powers at your command. Players select between Yuito or Kasane, who are part of the OSF’s newest crop of recruits. Defending the future from these nightmare monsters is the Other Suppression Force. Unfortunately, humanity’s minds are the favored food for the race of brain-eating chimeras known only as ‘Others’. Scarlet Nexus’ ‘brain punk’ setting imagines a future where advancement was dictated not by technology, but psychic ability.
This new action RPG by the team behind the Tales of series isn’t just anime-styled, but has an anime series of its own airing alongside its release. Applying their ‘playable shonen protagonist’ development techniques to an original property has resulted in Scarlet Nexus. As far as game adaptations of anime go, Bandai Namco has the market cornered by sheer force of numbers.