Is Scarlet Nexus Worth Playing? Yes, Here‘s Why…
In my opinion, Scarlet Nexus is absolutely worth your time and money, especially if you‘re a fan of slick action RPGs with anime style. After playing through the game myself and researching reviews, I strongly recommend giving Scarlet Nexus a shot for its incredibly fun psychokinetic combat, stylish visual presentation, and solid overall gameplay value.
What Makes Scarlet Nexus Stand Out?
Scarlet Nexus is a brand new original IP developed by Bandai Namco and released in June 2021 for PlayStation, Xbox and PC. Set in a brainpunk future where humanity is attacked by mutants called Others, you join an elite psychic force to take down these disturbing monsters in style.
Here are some key factors that make Scarlet Nexus worth playing:
Incredibly Satisfying Psychic Combat
The real-time combat allows you to mix up melee weapon attacks with psychic kinetic abilities to lift objects and enemies for juggle combos. It just feels so smooth and impactful, like you‘re directing an anime action sequence.
Chaining combos with teammates also feels epic, and there‘s great tactical variety in how you customize your moveset. This is easily one of the most enjoyable action RPG combat systems I‘ve played in years.
Killer Anime Visuals and Soundtrack
Everything from the colorful environments to the wild monster designs oozes anime cool. Combat is a visually stunning spectacle of effects and action. The characters also look slick and expressive.
The music perfectly complements the futuristic vibe. I often paused just to admire the stylish visual presentation. For anime fans, Scarlet Nexus is a feast for the senses.
Two Unique Playable Protagonists
You can play through the story as two different recruits, Yuito and Kasane, who experience an intertwining narrative from different angles. Their abilities and personalities also differ for fresh playstyles.
Seeing the mysteries unfold from both perspectives gives an engaging replay value and lets you bond more with the supporting cast.
Engaging Story with Horror Elements
The creepy monster enemies, called Others, really disturb as physical manifestations of human thoughts and fears. Learning their origins as you progress made me invested to see the story through.
The two protagonists also develop an intriguing chemistry as their pasts intertwine. There‘s social commentary as well on how brains process trauma. Some moments genuinely shocked me!
Polished Gameplay and RPG Progression
Gameplay stays fast and fluid throughout thanks to the polished combat. There‘s also plenty of abilities and gear to unlock for characterization. Side quests provide nice world-building too.
Pacing feels tight at around 30 hours per playthrough. Performance is solid across PlayStation, Xbox and PC. The gameplay loop kept me hooked from start to finish.
Strong Reviews and Reception
Scarlet Nexus earned mostly positive reviews upon launch, with critics praising its combat, visual presentation and anime style. It has a score of 81 on OpenCritic based on 65 reviews.
Many noted that while it breaks little new ground for the genre, the execution is incredibly slick and satisfying. Reviewers largely agreed Scarlet Nexus is fun and engaging.
A Refreshing New IP
In an industry dominated by sequels and franchises, Scarlet Nexus stands out as a new anime-inspired IP with plenty of personality. It carves a unique identity with its brainpunk setting and kinetic abilities.
Rather than feeling like an incremental sequel, Scarlet Nexus introduces bold new ideas to the action RPG genre. It‘s an appealing option if you want something fresh.
Diving Deeper into What Makes Scarlet Nexus Great
Here‘s a more detailed look at some of the key elements that make Scarlet Nexus worth your time and money:
The Incredibly Satisfying Combat System
Let‘s talk more about the real star of the show here – the psychokinetic combat. The kinetic abilities allow you to pick up objects and enemies with your mind and launch them around the battlefield for tons of stylish combos.
Mixing this up with regular melee weapon attacks like swords or hammers makes every encounter an adrenaline rush as you juggle foes and set up epic skill combos. Unlocking new skills and experimenting with your party‘s loadouts adds plenty of tactical depth too.
Table: Scarlet Nexus Combat Strengths
| Strength | Description |
|---|---|
| Smooth and responsive | Controls feel tight and accurate, allowing intricate combos |
| Impactful feedback | Attacks have great visual and audio feedback for satisfaction |
| Psychic abilities | Unique addition that creates stylish and tactical gameplay |
| Melee and ranged flexibility | Vary between melee and throwing objects/enemies for combos |
| Bond system | Coordinate teammates for special attacks |
| Customization options | Tailor your abilities and loadouts for playstyle preferences |
Killer Anime Visuals That Pop
Scarlet Nexus uses its anime inspiration to create a stunningly realized world brimming with color and flair. The environments play with neon hues and futuristic architecture to depict a brainpunk future that catches the eye. Flashy combat effects, like sparks and explosions, make every psychokinetic clash exciting.
Of course, the character and monster designs also showcase incredible anime-inspired style. The Others appear genuinely disturbing as physical manifestations of human psyche – from giant flaming bugs to nostalgic teddy bears with biting jaws. Meanwhile, the protagonists and their stylish OSF outfits had me interested straight away.
Scarlet Nexus just has so much visual personality. Everything from the menus to combat animations pops with color, contrast and detail. Anime fans will be blown away by the audio-visual presentation.
Two Playable Protagonists – Double The Fun
Being able to play through the story as two different characters is a great way to add replay value. Yuito and Kasane both have distinct combat styles and personalities that change up the gameplay and story perspectives.
Yuito specializes in close quarters combat, wielding psychically-charged blades for devastating melee flurries. His upbeat attitude provides an optimistic view. Meanwhile, Kasane focuses on ranged kinetic attacks for crowd control carnage. Her cold demeanor gives a cynical outlook.
Seeing how their stories interweave from different sides expands the overall narrative scope. You learn more about their mysterious pasts and bonds with squadmates. Plus, their contrasting combat and personalities give a fresh experience for a second playthrough.
An Engaging Narrative With Horror Overtones
While the anime characters and traversal bring levity, the story also takes dark, mysterious turns as it explores human psyche through the monstrous Others. Unlocking more about how the Others came to be and what they represent creeped me out in the best way.
The layered bonds between characters also develop nicely, especially as you see their motivations from both perspectives. Certain plot twists genuinely shocked me as well.
Here‘s a spoiler-free overview of some elements I enjoyed about the story:
- Creepy enemies that embody human fears and thoughts
- Protagonist history that slowly unravels with twists
- Social commentary on brains and trauma
- Bonding with the supporting cast across playthroughs
- Well-paced breadcrumb reveals and climactic moments
- Emotional, horror and lighthearted elements blended together
If you want a narrative with heart and creepy mysteries, Scarlet Nexus delivers an engaging anime-flavored journey.
Extremely Polished Gameplay and RPG Mechanics
For a new IP, Scarlet Nexus feels remarkably polished across its 30+ hour adventure. The gameplay and RPG systems have clear care and quality. Combat stays snappy and smooth from start to finish.
Abilities are balanced nicely as well for experimenting with loadouts tailored to your playstyle. Unlocking new powers like invisibility or pyrokinesis kept progression exciting.
The streamlined level design ensures a steady pace between story beats and action. Side quests provide meaningful world-building too, rather than feeling like chores. It‘s clear the developers focused on crafting engaging gameplay from the ground up.
Final Verdict – A Must-Play for Anime Action Fans
After analyzing all aspects thoroughly and spending many hours in this brainpunk world, I can firmly say Scarlet Nexus is absolutely worth your time and money. The stylish psychokinetic combat system stands out as a hugely fun highlight. Plus, the slick anime aesthetic provides tons of visual flair.
Smart design choices like the dual protagonists and horror mystery elements demonstrate this is much more than just a pretty face. For fans of anime action, Scarlet Nexus should be on your radar.
The engaging 30+ hour adventure is packed with replay value as well between two playthroughs and New Game+ extras. All in all, Scarlet Nexus succeeds at being a polished and immensely fun new IP.
In a genre crowded with sequels and familiar names, Scarlet Nexus is a refreshing, unique title with plenty of style. If you‘ve enjoyed games like Code Vein or Astral Chain, then I think you‘ll have a blast with Scarlet Nexus.