Scarlet Nexus

With how important the story is to the depth of Scarlet Nexus, this reviewer is reluctant to say too much other than that there is more than meets the eye in this strange brain-punk world, both in regards to characters motivations and the way the world became how it is. The powers people wield, the monstrous Others, the mysteries of Red Strings and the deep motivations behind Yuito and Kasane choosing to join the psy-ops in the first place, all these and more await players within Scarlet Nexus.

For less titles like Jump Force and more like Guilty Gear Stive and Scarlet Nexus, with interesting stories that lock you to the screen alongside unique mechanics that fuse the best various genres. It lacks scenery and setting variety, but that goes to a secondary stage with the sheer will of all the other presente elements. An interactive Manga/Anime with bright colors, with dynamic combat that never becomes boring with a daunting and complex tale that is both overwhelming as well as captivating.

Scarlet Nexus is an absolute blast from the start and only gets better as you progress. The characters are charming, the story has nice twists and turns, and the combat is simple to understand but hard to master. While it certainly has flaws, this is a must play for action game fans.

Bandai Namco has crafted something truly strange and quite satisfying with Scarlet Nexus, and I hope we get a slightly more refined sequel.

Scarlet Nexus is all about combat. The fights are spectacular thanks to vibrant cel-shaded graphics, but primarily because the developers skillfully combined a couple of truly explosive ingredients: agile protagonists with psychokinetic talents, well-designed enemies, and the ability to unleash hell using the powers of your AI-controlled companions. As for the game’s downsides, the environments are repetitive and the writers failed to tie up all the loose ends and left some plot holes. [09/2021, p.54]

Scarlet Nexus is an absolutely solid action-RPG title. The story might get too complicated for its own good, but the characters keep things interesting. Having to revisit the same environments multiple times can get tedious, but the combat is enjoyable throughout due to the new abilities afforded to you by the constant leveling and party member changes. It is a fun romp overall, with enough of a reason to revisit it after completion. Scarlet Nexus is a game that anime fans will thoroughly enjoy.

Scarlet Nexus has paid a lot of attention to the action part and succeeds very well in delivering an intense, fun, and enjoyable game. If there was a more substantial story, more imagination in the latter stages of the game and more RPG elements, our impressions would be better. However, the hours we spent with it were not wasted at all and it is a worthwhile addition for fans of Japanese action games to their collection.

It’s understandable to take a look at Scarlet Nexus and write it off as “just another anime game,” but doing so would be a big mistake. This is an ambitious undertaking from Bandai Namco, one that attempts to blend the two disparate genres of character-action game and large-scale JRPG, and achieves an impressive level of success. Its combat and thin enemy variety don’t hold up all the way to the end of the combined 40 hours of its dual campaigns, but its story and characters absolutely do, and make for a surprise breakout hit of 2021.

With its impressive Brain Punk world, engaging story and action that never gets boring, Scarlet Nexus is a great opportunity for those looking for a new game for Summer.

Scarlet Nexus blends a unique Brain Punk visual style with tight combat that requires adaptation and synergy. The Others are the game's ace up its sleeve with bizarre but creative creature variety. Each enemy type demands adaptability with the assortment of abilities at Yuito and Kasane's disposal thanks to their squadmates. Outside of combat, character moments shine in Bond Episodes and the writing is complemented well by a talented English voice cast. The variety of personalities does well to carry the weight of the convoluted plot as it progresses. However, the slideshow presentation of the vast majority of cutscenes diminishes the emotional impact of events that would have benefited more from animation. The game provides a solid gameplay experience on PC and I look forward to what this team can come up with next.

Scarlet Nexus succeeds in hooking you from the very first minutes. A dense universe coupled with an efficient artistic direction and above all a gameplay that borders on the exceptional, make it a title not to be missed during this summer 2021. Kenji Anabuki, director of the title, offers us a refreshing game with a coherent world on all points, despite the weaknesses that can be the secondary activities or the few environments sometimes too empty. The will to immerse the player in a Shonen is palpable and more than pleasant, as the bet is successful. We can only congratulate and encourage this risk-taking which has more than paid off.

Filled to the brim with visual novel conversations and over-the-top action, Scarlet Nexus is a surprisingly endearing game that might be more linear than people expect, but more compelling than it probably needed to be.

Scarlet Nexus offers an excellent combat system, paired with creative visual designs and with the courageous choice of having two different (but intertwined) storylines. Unfortunately, a general lack of attention to detail and less-than-impressive environments prevent it from excelling, but it’s definitely a safe choice if you’re into Japanese action RPGs.

From its compelling story, to its wild enemy designs and combat, I'm kind of in awe of Scarlet Nexus. Where Bandai Namco games often have a niche appeal, I've got no reservations about recommending Scarlet Nexus. I'd definitely suggest skipping a lot of the side stories, but everything else here is the kind of anime-infused greatness that will appeal to nearly everyone.

The combat in Scarlet Nexus is no doubt the star of the show. Even when it becomes hard to take the narrative seriously, those sweet, sweet combat mechanics will pull you right back in, no matter which protagonist you choose.

With masterfully crafted action combat, charming characters, and a very interesting setting, Scarlet Nexus is a game that action RPG fans should definitely not miss. While the game lacks any real innovation, as it features themes and mechanics lifted from other Japanese RPG series, and it is a little too linear, the high quality of the experience makes it easy to look past these few issues, making Scarlet Nexus a memorable, and extremely enjoyable game.

They tried to tell a very epic story on a very limited budget. A contrast like this sometimes really grates on my nerves, but, paradoxically, it’s also a part of Scarlet Nexus’ charm. [Issue#254, p.40]

An excellent combat system buffers a classically unhinged anime story in an action RPG whose ambition outpaces execution.

Scarlet Nexus is a big hit when it comes to the action. With its nervous and supercharged fights, you quickly become powerful controller in hand, especially when you can borrow the power of your allies on the fly. This action is helped by framerate which does not falter on next-gen consoles despite the deluge of effects on the screen which can cause readability concerns. If the proposed universe is visually attractive, we regret not being able to enjoy it anymore because of a cruel lack of additional content. Ditto for the story which is certainly interesting but which is served by a more than minimalist staging. A good first draft which, we hope, will serve as a solid basis for a more ambitious sequel in the years to come.

Exceptional action spectacle with grandiose drawings and environments, extremely bizarre monsters and teen drama.

Even though the plot devolves into a trope-filled sludge pool by the end, I don’t feel like Scarlet Nexus was a waste of time. Yes, the excitement of combat begins to taper off towards the end of Scarlet Nexus’s twenty-odd-hour runtime--and the areas in the final stretch of the game feel overly long--but I had a good deal of fun mixing up my SAS abilities, crushing enemies in my Brain Field, and watching my team have a video game tournament at our base to settle an argument over living space boundaries. It might not be a new pinnacle of action-game storytelling, but Scarlet Nexus is still plenty of fun in the right places.

Scarlet Nexus is its own worse enemy. Bandai Namco is trying to fill game's own shoes with engaging fights and JRPG style story narative, but fails to deliver them in a proper way and especially with consistency. And don't try to play the game with keyboard, you do need a controller.

Bandai Namco's latest falls disappointingly short outside of the thrills and spills of its excellent battle system, but your mileage may vary depending on your fondness for anime.