![]() That satisfaction bloomed into a deeper thrill when I found I could trigger powers in this sequence without breaking stride, returning to strike with fire on my sword, and began to anticipate enemy responses, mixing in evasive manoeuvres. I took early satisfaction from the pendulum rhythm of sword attacks and telekinesis throws – you can suck a car or girder into your gravitational control while swiping away, step back to launch it, then lunge forward again to continue your assault. Rather, Scarlet Nexus build slowly towards something very special. The gradual drip feed of moves, abilities and monster types helps too – as much as there is to absorb, it’s not all at once. But with all those options I figured out ways to adapt, using the generous space in many of the grand urban arenas to assess the situation, perhaps coax a key trouble causer away from their posse, or target insistent projectile hurlers before focusing on a bigger threat. It’s some workout for the fingers, and since you’re also keeping track of cooldown timers and the specifics of the Others, for the head as well.Īt times, I found it simply too busy, not least when being blitzed by balls of oil and water from offscreen, slowing me down. And how much teamwork can fit on a humble game controller? Suites of powers are sardined on to right and left bumpers, held down to transform face buttons from primary attacks into menus, while the action refuses to let up. It’s enough to cause that overload, trying to assign some sense of logic to these creatures, then quickly trigger the teamwork required to expose their weak points, catch them off guard or set them ablaze. Even the simplest is a hideous curiosity, like ‘Vase Paws’, a pair of feminine legs in a short skirt, topped not by a torso but by a fine bouquet of flowers, or the jack-in-a-box-like ‘Barrista Santa’ which folds into an impenetrable casing then pops out with fleshy tentacle heads that spin round or lob crates at you from afar. Someone clearly had far too much fun designing these surreal abominations, like a Dr Frankenstein inspired by Dali, welding together human limbs, machine parts and colourful flora into nonsense things that can somehow walk and slap and bite and pelt you with nasty goo. Thankfully, all this flair meets its match in the monsters of Scarlet Nexus, the brain-eating ‘Others’. Everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in, and if one was around, you’d get to toss that too. Not to mention additional telekinetic attacks linked to your surroundings – you might launch a train at your enemy, or possess a large statue and hammer them repeatedly from above, with a bespoke QTE that neatly complements the action. Everything you might expect from this sort of game – air juggles, dodge counters, projectile deflects, finishing moves, a powered up super mode – is present and correct, and a skill tree piles on further possibilities as you level up, from air dashes to simultaneous power use. SAS is the inspired flourish atop a dense and polished core. Using these you might instantly buff your weapon with fire, reveal hidden enemies, and so on. ![]() Both protagonists, Yuito and Kasane, who you choose between at the start of the game, specialise in telekinesis, but each comes to lead a different squad of individuals with their own unique skills, from pyrokinesis and electrokinesis to clairvoyance and teleportation. Most importantly, it has the same impossibly slick, kinetic, close quarter action, and expects you to quickly call on various powers to match the weaknesses of your foes.īecause the key to Scarlet Nexus isn’t just your own ability to levitate heavy objects and fling them at enemies’ heads, but the ‘Struggle Arms System (SAS)’ that links you to your squad and enables you to channel their powers too. It similarly follows an elite government force exterminating monsters of unknown origin in a futuristic city. It shares Astral Chain’s sharp, cel-shaded anime style and bouncing soundtrack. ![]() Scarlet Nexus feels like a Platinum game from a parallel universe, namely one in which 2019’s Astral Chain forked off in a new direction. In fact, for those of us who feel at home with Devil May Cry or Platinum Games titles like Bayonetta, there’s a level of comfort here. READ MORE: Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance review: a so-so brawler with a certain Xbox 360 charm.Mostly it’s exactly what I signed up for. It’s a game about synergy and mental energy that jacks you in to its world, electrifying and draining. Scarlet Nexus seems designed to overload your senses, memory and motor functions. ![]() And as I play the game, I kind of know how he feels. Blessed with telekinetic power and networked together with the minds of his teammates, his brain is stretched to the limit. Yuito, one of the heroes of Scarlet Nexus, is struggling with his psychic abilities. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |