Publisher Bandai Namco has just unveiled a brand-new animation and gameplay trailer for their upcoming open-world RPG Scarlet Nexus. The two-minute clip showed snippets of the game’s combat system. Also, new snippets of gameplay have also been showcased during IGN’s Summer of Gaming 2020 livestream.
The JRPG was initially announced during the Microsoft’s Xbox Series X reveal back in May. Since then, Scarlet Nexus has generated tons of news regarding speculation for its release date and platforms, not to mention the hype it has built for its flashy reveal trailer. For those who aren’t in the know, Scarlet Nexus is an RPG set “in a far distant future.” In this reality, a psionic hormone was discovered in the human brain, which grants people extra-sensory powers and changed the landscape of humanity. The game’s main villains, called The Other, are deranged mutants with a thirst for human brains. To combat them, humanity has formed the OSF (Other Suppression Force) who scouts humans with psionic and extra-sensory abilities. Players are put in the shoes of Yuito Sumeragi, a new recruit to the OSF.
In Bandai Namco’s original description for Scarlet Nexus, the publisher dubs the game’s environment and overall vibe as a “Brain Punk” future. I would assume “brain” comes from the game’s focus on psionic abilities and such. The “punk” aspect however, is very obvious in the few gameplay snippets and clips which show the viewers around the city of New Himuka. The city’s landscape is very reminiscent of iconic depictions of dystopian futures such as Blade Runner and The Fifth Element. As for Scarlet Nexus’ combat, it feels and looks mostly like a Devil May Cry-esque hack-and-slash. Scarlet Nexus does deviate from this combat style from time to time when it showcases the use of the Yuito’s psionic powers, such as throwing items around.
For those who are excited to play this RPG, there’s still a long wait ahead, but Scarlet Nexus is planned to launch for PC and both current and next-gen consoles within the year.
