Scarlet Nexus (Xbox, PC) interview: Talking brainpunk, anime, and cosplay with industry vets Keita Iizuka and Kenji Anabuki

Scarlet Nexus boss defeat Source: Bandai Namco

Cyberpunk dystopias have been the backdrop of all kinds of media for years, but Crimson Nexus, the upcoming activeness RPG from Bandai Namco Studios, is hoping to create a brain punk future that RPG and anime fans akin can fall in honey with. Only building the futuristic earth of Scarlet Nexus is an enormous undertaking, but one that the brains at Bandai Namco have dealt with before.

We got a gamble to pick at the minds of Game Producer Keita Iizuka and Game Director Kenji Anabuki backside the upcoming RPG and learned a petty more near how their past experiences helped inform Cerise Nexus gameplay, some insight into the game's dual narrative, and almost importantly, which character would they want to cosplay equally.

Unlock your potential

Scarlet Nexus Cover

Ruddy Nexus

The power of the mind

Scarlet Nexus is an anime-fused cyberpunk action RPG where your listen is your most powerful weapon.

Scarlet Nexus Hero Source: Bandai Namco

Zackery Cuevas, Windows Key: There accept been enough of cyberpunk games and fifty-fifty steampunk, only Scarlet Nexus has been described as a Brain Punk game — what does Brain Punk mean, and how does it shape Carmine Nexus' earth?

Keita Iizuka, Game Producer: The globe of Scarlet Nexus is indeed congenital around the keyword "encephalon". The story is fix in a time to come world where diverse devices can be operated and interacted with thanks to the brain through straight connexion, and data is directly reflected in the individuals' brain. In improver, the beingness of the "Others", hungry for developed human brains, and the "powers" that maximizes the power of the brain and enable the user to cause supernatural events to happen, are also elements centered effectually this notion of "brain" in Scarlet Nexus.

Both of yous have both previously worked on Lawmaking Vein and Tales serial, in item the fan-favorite Tales of Vesperia. Tin can you tell me how, if at all, your piece of work on Tales informed your piece of work on Scarlet Nexus?

Kenji Anabuki, Game Director: Both Scarlet Nexus and the Tales Of series are RPGs with action elements, then we are utilizing our previous development experience in every aspect of the development process.

In that location is no end to the number of details I could get into, but in terms of the major points, nosotros developed Reddish Nexus based on our experience in areas such equally the battle organization pattern, game and story residue, growth systems, and game cycle design.

Scarlet Nexus battle scene Source: Bandai Namco

Blood-red Nexus literally means a reddish connexion or a cherry-red link. Judging from the design of the characters, and the red strings or threads seem to inform the game's await and overall theme. Could you clue us in on what the Scarlet Nexus is exactly?

Anabuki: The "ruby threads" are an important element in this game. The red threads you lot can encounter in each location are the infrastructure of this world. When the red cablevision is connected to the characters' dorsum, they can connect their brains with allies and borrow their ability. This connection is also very of import in the story, and y'all'll learn more than by playing the game!

Cerise Nexus is set in a world where applied science and lodge have been altered by the substances establish in human brains, unlocking extrasensory superpowers in the process, what kinds of different powers will we see in the game and how will these different powers exist used in throughout the game?

Iizuka: Multiple powers appear in this game, including Yuito and Kasane's psychokinesis, the powers from the party characters, and also the powers of the other characters in the story. Although simply the powers of the political party members tin exist used in gameplay, there are many variations in how they can be combined and used.

Scarlet Nexus Attack Source: Bandai Namco

The trounce-by-beat gameplay immediately reminded me of games similar Nier Automata and Astral Chain and seems very combo-heavy. What types of inspiration did yous draw from while developing Scarlet Nexus' combat?

Anabuki: In order to take reward of my own development experiences, I wanted to inherit, to some extent, the exhilarating battles from the Tales Of series I had developed in the past, into Scarlet Nexus. In addition to that, we of course took references from other fluid and exhilarating action games. However, our primary focus was on the unique elements of this game, activity centered on different powers such equally psychokinesis.

The Others are these deranged species of mutants that serve as the game'southward main enemies. They look like they're fabricated up of things establish in the earth — What is the significance of these mutated monstrosities and why practice desire to eat brains and so badly?

Anabuki: Indeed, the Others are very intriguing and hungry for homo brains. Unfortunately, I tin't tell you much more for now. Simply you'll find out pretty soon when the game releases in June!

Scarlet Nexus fight Source: Bandai Namco

Scarlet Nexus first made its advent during Microsoft's Xbox 20/xx event back in August. How has the team been able to harness the ability of the Xbox Serial X?

Iizuka: The game incorporates a mix of anime style, cel-shading techniques, and too realism for characters and backgrounds. The game also features dynamic action battles and seamless transitions between action and story, making it very demanding for processing powers. However, with the high graphical performance and processing speed of the Xbox Serial X, players can play the game enjoying great performances.

Scarlet Nexus features a dual narrative and tells the story of Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall, two hugely unlike members of the Other Suppression Strength (OSF). Can you tell us about the process behind crafting these two unique characters and how they relate to the world effectually them?

Anabuki: We hoped that past looking at the globe of Scarlet Nexus, from different angles through the perspectives of the 2 protagonists, the audience will be able to reveal subconscious truths and experience new surprises that they could not past just seeing the story from just one point of view.

They both are very different: in many ways: male vs. female person, "dropout" vs. "elite," "friendly" vs. "calm", "rational" vs. "cool," etc. To very roughly describe the two, I'd say that Yuito is the traditional protagonist, while Kasane is the abrupt, slightly original hero. The fact that they have different characteristics makes the story more interesting. We besides tried to make the player feels sympathy towards the protagonist of their choice, and to make them feel shut to them.

In addition, we take tried to differentiate the boxing styles and game experience in battle so that the player tin can bask both stories differently without beingness bored during their overall feel playing the game.

Scarlet Nexus Boss Battle Source: Bandai Namco

Merely recently, an anime accommodation was appear. Can yous tell us a little flake about how the anime ties in with the game? How involved was the team in developing the anime? Will fans of Ruddy Nexus exist able to acquire more about the world and its characters, or is it more of a retelling of the events of the game?

Iizuka: In the anime serial, the story revolves around both Yuito and Kasane. While it follows the same storyline as the game, information technology includes a lot of boosted descriptions and expressions of the world and characters that are not depicted in the game.

The game development staff are too involved in the production of the anime and nosotros are working closely. As we have created a story that suits each media, we hope that you will enjoy both of them.

Throughout the game, both Yuito and Kasane are accompanied by other members of the OSF, each with their own unique abilities. Are in that location opportunities to strengthen the bonds between you lot and these characters?

Iizuka: You tin can deepen your bond with the party characters that accompany you. Yuito and Kasane are two very different characters, but you'll run across many different allies from both perspectives. We promise that you volition enjoy playing the game while discovering out how the drama of the members unfolds inside the OSF.

There'south currently a cosplay contest to promote the game'south release, with the 1st prize beingness an Xbox Serial Ten. Be honest, are you excited to meet people dress up every bit characters that you've created? And who would yous cosplay as?

Iizuka: Of course I'm looking forwards to the entries! If I would be participating it would exist as Kagero, because he has that cloak-styled hood and his usage of knives as weapons is really cool, just like an assassin.

Special thanks to Keita Iizuka and Kenji Anabuki!

Once upon a time, the Xbox would've been considered an RPG wasteland, but those days are long behind united states now. The Xbox has go the domicile to many excellent RPGS, and Scarlet Nexus seems poised to be the side by side great addition. While the devs might be keeping Red Nexus' plot shut to their chest, be sure to check out our preview of Ruby Nexus for more on the game's plot, gameplay, and read our first impressions after we got to feel the world of Crimson Nexus commencement manus.

Players volition be able to bank check out the game for themselves when the demo for Ruby-red Nexus arrives kickoff on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Series S on May 21. While yous won't be able to transfer your salve information to the final game, playing the demo volition unlock two cosmetics for each protagonist, as well as two pieces of equipment that provide assault and defence boosts. Scarlet Nexus arrives on the Xbox family of systems on June 25th.

Unlock your potential

Scarlet Nexus Cover

Scarlet Nexus

The power of the listen

Join the OSF equally either Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall, and embark on a futuristic quest total of psychic powers.

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