Scarlet Nexus is a third-person role-playing action brawler and the latest game from Bandai Namco studios. Development talent from the Tales series came together to create this new project, which is described as having a “brain punk” aesthetic. Brain Punk is kind of like Cyberpunk, but with a keener focus on brain augmentations and supernatural powers.
If you’re wondering whether it’s for you, we’re going to give you all the information you need about Scarlet Nexus, so you can make an informed potential purchase. Here’s everything we know about Scarlet Nexus.
Scarlet Nexus Release Date, Platforms and Trailer
Revealed during Microsoft’s Xbox 20/20 digital event on May 7 2020, Scarlet Nexus is published and developed by Bandai Namco. The game was released on June 25, 2021, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S – although it didn’t receive an Xbox Game Pass inclusion at launch.
To understand how Scarlet Nexus looks in motion, check out this gameplay trailer, which shows off a bit of the hectic combat in Scarlet Nexus, while also setting up some of the narrative stakes ahead of launch.
What is Scarlet Nexus about? Features, Characters, Multiplayer Explained
The narrative premise of Scarlet Nexus is fairly bonkers. A new hormone found in the brain allows regular people to experience extra sensory powers. Unfortunately, at the same time, mutants descend from the sky to feed on the brains of humans as society accelerates through this new technological epoch. The eponymous Scarlet Nexus is another way to describe the red wires and links that are brandished by the game’s gifted characters.
The game is an Action RPG, an augmented melee brawler with hectic combat. You’ll hack, slash and dash your way through enemies, but you’ll also be able to fling objects with your mind, among other PK powers. It looks a lot like Platinum’s NieR games, if you’re familiar.
There is no character creation suite in Scarlet Nexus beyond some minor aesthetic tweaks. You’ll play as either Yuito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall, the two protagonists of the game who are part of the Other Suppression Force. This organization is tasked with defending humanity from brain-eating creatures. Over the course of the game, you can upgrade your powers and meet companions who you can connect with to unlock special abilities too. Scarlet Nexus doesn’t have any multiplayer functionality if you were wondering — it’s a narrative-driven single-player game. A big story to enjoy, backed up by some fast-paced combat.
Reviews have already dropped for Scarlet Nexus, and many are positive, awarding it a score in the late 70s / early 80s on Metacritic across the platforms. One fun part of the game’s marketing is that Bandai Namco has developed an anime adaptation of the game, produced by Sunrise and licensed by Funimation. This means if you really love the game’s characters and world, you can dig even deeper once you beat it.
