Scarlet Nexus
The fighting is great... and that’s about it.
Anime has always struggled with an overabundance of the “hero” trope. In any world of demons and unstoppable foes, one unwitting nobody will rise to the top of the pile through brains and brawn in godly measure to claim the title of ‘hero’. This person might not be the smartest, strongest, or even most likeable character in the ensemble, but by god can no one stop them when they truly dedicate themselves to a task.
It’s a trope that Scarlet Nexus fully embodies. As one of the two playable leads - Kasane or Yuito - you’re the fresh-faced rookie looking to prove yourself in the Cadets, a force of elite human warriors dedicated to repelling the nightmarish creatures dropping out of the Earth’s atmosphere to feed on human brains. Both of these leads are no-name fighters vying to stand out from the pack, but – surprise! – it emerges Kasane and Yuito are wicked warriors with untameable drive and skill.
It’s an understandably difficult tightrope to walk. Action games like Scarlet Nexus are all about empowering the player through abnormal abilities and devastating battle techniques, so they naturally lend themselves to falling into the ‘hero’ trope category that any avid anime viewer will no doubt be accustomed to. On the flip side, having the player embody your average hapless redshirt for the entirety of the 20-hour game would be more likely to frustrate than entertain, the latter of which Bandai Namco’s new action game is obviously jockeying for.
What ultimately lets Bandai Namco’s action game down is outside of the action itself, where side characters never amount to memorable, enjoyable companions, and a side quest structure that feels more primed to provide the player with character-boosting XP than tales that capitalise on the intriguing glowing city surrounding them.
A brilliant battle system is let down somewhat by the largely underwhelming side stories and meandering companions of Scarlet Nexus.
Hirun Cryer