Scarlet Nexus is an action role-playing game developed by Bandai Namco Studios. This is the brilliant developer behind the highly-acclaimed games, Elden Ring and Divinity: Original Sin 2. It was released on June 25, 2021, on all major platforms, and has since garnered generally positive reviews. While it did not receive the same praise as its excellent predecessors, critics and gamers alike had several good things to say about the title.
So, what is Scarlet Nexus? Is it any good? What were the expectations Bandai Namco had for the title after its release? Read on as we try and answer all that.
What is Scarlet Nexus?
Scarlet Nexus throws you into a brain-punk futuristic reimagination of Japan ravaged by savage mutants called the ‘Others.’ You play as either Kirito Sumeragi or Kasane Randall recruits to the OSF aiming to help defend the world against them. They are individuals who have unlocked their psychic abilities to fight for the greater good. The goal is to travel across several different vistas with your friends, hoping to unravel the mysteries of the world and prevent an impending extinction threat.
It is a high-paced action game looking to test the reflexes and imagination of the players. Every encounter forces you to think outside the box. Although you can get by through the basics of any hack-and-slash game, it rewards players that come up with intuitive ways to get rid of the opposition. How you would combine each party member’s psychic abilities play a major role too.
It is also worth noting that the main story differs from one main protagonist to the next. This gives the game great replayability as you can have a completely different experience depending on which character you choose at the start.
Is Scarlet Nexus Good?
Scarlet Nexus reviews you can find across the web almost always put the game at 8/10. This puts the title in the tier of games that are worth checking out but has several issues it could have lived without. Critics agree that while the game is great, its side content and character interactions could use some work. So, as for the question: Is Scarlet Nexus good? Yes, it is. Playing it will generally be a great experience for most players worldwide.
As for how long to beat Scarlet Nexus, typical players can take up to 20 – 25 hours rushing through the main campaign. This is regardless of which main character you choose at the beginning of the game. As for the completionists, finishing all of Scarlet Nexus’s content can generally take up to 40 – 50 hours.
What Bandai Namco Expected to Achieve
Bandai Namco had high expectations with Scarlet Nexus. Along with a significant marketing push for the game ahead of its release, Bandai also commissioned an Anime series based on the game as well.Â
The 26-episode anime with the same name aired from July to December 2021. Notably, it also featured the same cast of characters present in the game. However, Scarlet Nexus the anime ultimately failed to generate considerable buzz outside Japan.
It couldn’t be more apparent, Bandai hoped for Scarlet Nexus to be its latest hit franchise. While it did manage to gain quite a following even outside Japan, selling 1 million units in less than a year, Bandai had higher things in mind for the game. Nevertheless, a sequel for the game isn’t out of the question just yet. That said, it is still unclear what the developer plans to do next on the possible franchise.
