Scarlet Nexus Preview – JRPG Gameplay Action with Details on Enemies and Story

written by Rhett Quiban

Using superpowers as motifs in various forms of media is a prevailing system in today’s pop culture, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. A lot of people love playing out this fantasy and there’s no better way of doing that than by playing video games. Scarlet Nexus is a game that will allow you to live out your fantasy of being a superpowered individual, and the developers behind the game know this fact full well, which is why it is the game’s central theme and mechanic.

Scarlet Nexus is an action JRPG. That fact alone already turned a few heads when the game was first announced in May 2020 during Microsoft’s Xbox 20/20 event. The game’s art direction is as anime-ish as they come, which should delight those who are fans of the media. Interestingly, there is also going to be an anime adaptation of the game that will come out in July of this year.

According to the game’s producer, Keita Iizuka, who also produced Code Vein, the name “Scarlet Nexus” refers to the red strings that will become a big part of the game’s story and gameplay system. “Scarlet” can also refer to the game’s heroes and “Nexus” corresponds to bonds and connections, a central theme in the game’s narrative.

Being an action RPG, Scarlet Nexus’ gameplay is fast-paced and adrenaline-inducing. You play from a third-person perspective and will have the chance to play one of two different characters: Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall. These two heroes are members of the Other Suppression Force, or OSF, a group of superpowered individuals tasked to defend their land from otherworldly creatures known as the Others. Both Yuito and Kasane are known as psionics, individuals who are capable of using psychokinesis. This power will allow you to move and lift objects with your mind, which you can then use to your advantage in combat.

When you’re not using your psychokinetic superpowers, this game essentially functions like a high-action hack-and-slash using the melee weapon that you are provided with. Your superpowers can be upgraded via the game’s skill tree system, which the game refers to as a “brain map”. As you progress through the game, you will come across various companions who will join your party and assist you in combat. Each companion will have their own unique abilities, which you will be able to acquire and control using a system in the game called the “brain link”.

In a game as adventurous as Scarlet Nexus, the world of the game is just as important as the game’s story. In Scarlet Nexus, you are taken to a near-future, alternate reality version of modern-day Japan. In this world, technological advancements have enveloped society and superpowers are more technological rather than mystical. Thanks to their higher understanding of technology and science, humanity was able to gather substances found in human brains. These substances are responsible for the powers that are present in this universe. Societies have also formed around these substances.

This game is set in a land called New Himuka. The design of New Himuka is the perfect union of a futuristic science-fiction world and modern Japanese architecture. Despite being a futuristic game, Scarlet Nexus is filled with Japanese cultural elements.

In Scarlet Nexus, you will be faced with a group of powerful and terrifying mutants known as the Others. The Others are mindless creatures who terrorize and hunt humans and hail from a place known as the Extinction Belt. These monsters come in various shapes, forms, and sizes, but they are also extraordinarily designed. The developers of the game intended the Others to look both alien and foreign, but also very familiar in terms of figure and form, and they surely succeeded in this arena.

The Others a powerful aura about them, as if letting those who behold their eyes upon them know that regular humans will never stand a chance against them, which is as truthful as it is horrifying. These creatures are constantly in pain, brought upon by their awful mutation. They hunt the brains of living organisms because it is the only thing that calms their madness.

The system, atmosphere, even narrative beats of Scarlet Nexus is nothing groundbreaking, but everything that is shown to the public thus far screams promise and potential. This game aims to provide gameplay that’s as fun as can be for its players by utilizing mechanics and themes that are well-known and well-loved, while also being individualistic with its core story and lore.

If you’re a fan of fast-paced third-person games that allow you to use superpowers to take down enigmatic-looking creatures, Scarlet Nexus should be right up your alley. This game is set to be released on June 25, 2021, and you can play it on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.