Bandai Namco has plenty of upcoming RPGs that fans have their eyes on, though the one that inevitably stands out isScarlet Nexus. The anime aesthetic and its vibrant “brain punk” world makeScarlet Nexusquite different, and, as a result, far more intriguing than some other upcoming JRPGs.
The brain punk setting ofScarlet Nexusis a stark departure from the studio’s last release,Code Vein, and many are excited to know what kind of locales they would get to explore in the game. Thankfully, Bandai Namco recently released an environment highlight trailer that reveals some of the in-game locations players will get to visit.
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Some ofScarlet Nexus’locationsinclude the futuristic city of New Himuka that serves as the base location, alongside plenty of other unique areas such as a desolated industry, a dockyard, and a mysterious snow-covered area that looks straight out ofCode Vein. Whether these areas are seamlessly connected, however, is a different story.
Scarlet Nexus Is Not Open-World
Sadly, it seemsScarlet Nexuswon’t be a fully open-world game. The recently releasedScarlet Nexusdemoseems to paint a picture that players would be traversing through massive but linear locations to progress the main story. However, this doesn’t mean thatScarlet Nexusisn’t a meaty experience. In a recent interview with Gamespew, game director Kenji Anabuki revealed thatScarlet Nexuswould take 25 hours to beat if players rush through the main campaign.
Aside from the main quests, players can also undertake certain side activities, including character-specific missions that would increase players' bond with those characters.Scarlet Nexusis being developed by the devs behind the popularTalesseries. Kenji Anabuki also served as the lead designer inTales of Vesperia. As such,Tales of Vesperiainspirations could be seen inScarlet Nexus, especially when it comes to character interactions and bonding with the party members.
Scarlet Nexusfeatures two playable characters: Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall, both of which have a different storyline that coincides at certain story junctions. Furthermore, Yuito and Kasane have different fighting styles, each with a unique skill tree called a brain map and different party members that would make both playthroughs unique. Combining both scenarios, including the various side quests,Scarlet Nexuscould turn out to be a 50+ hours experience.
Even without an open-world,Scarlet Nexusseems to be a massive game. It also goes without saying that not every game needs to be an open-world experience.Scarlet Nexuswith its unique art style, fast and ferocious combat, and catchy trance music, is shaping up to be something that action RPG fans would not want to miss.
Scarlet Nexuslaunches July 28, 2025, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
