THE SABOTEUR

The definition of a cult classic, Pandemic Studios’ 2009 World War 2 stealth action game is one that deserved more praise than it got back in the day. Though it certainly had issues, it had more than enough strengths to make up for them, from an incredible visual aesthetic and an atmospheric setting to excellent open world action and much more.

Bandai Namco does note that some elements in the Story Demo are “restricted, and differ slightly from the full retail version.” You can carry your save data over into the full game and continue progressing along with unlocking bonus content. However, those who have unlocked the content from playing the first demo won’t be able to do so again.

Steam players should also note that the first demo and the new Story Demo are contained in the same download. You can select either at startup. Scarlet Nexus is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, and recently crossed one million units in worldwide shipments and digital sales. For more details on the full game, check out our review here.

Set in the future, Scarlet Nexus focuses on two protagonists – Yuito Sumeragi and Kasane Randall – who have recently joined the Other Suppression Force (OSF). The Others are hostile mutant creatures that drop from the sky and hunger for brains. So it’s up to the OSF, whose members can use psychic powers, to fight them.

Of course, there’s a lot more going than meets the eye but it’s a solid hack and slash title (check out our review here for more details). Scarlet Nexus is available for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. Those interested in checking it out can play the demo which allows for choosing Yuito or Kasane, though a new Story Demo is coming soon that will provide access to the initial parts of the story.

【THANKS FOR 2,000,000 PLAYERS!】#ScarletNexus は世界累計出荷・DL販売本数が100万本を突破、Xbox Game Pass / PC Game Pass含む累計プレイヤー人数は200万人を突破しました！

怪伐軍の皆さまへの感謝を込めて、本作のコンセプトアーティスト石川珠実さん制作の記念イラストを公開いたします！ pic.twitter.com/aRrUxEl9YC

— 公式｜SCARLET NEXUS (@SNX_RS) April 14, 2022

But that’s not all – update ver.1.08 also adds a Very Easy difficulty. This is aimed towards beginners and those who would rather focus on the story. A new Story Demo is also coming soon and though it’s exact contents are unknown, it should be interesting to see how it differs from the current demo.

Scarlet Nexus is available for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC along with Xbox Game Pass. It’s received three paid DLC packs which add new features, events and items along with free updates that add more challenges, cosmetics and Photo Mode. Check out our official review here for more details and stay tuned for further updates.

Scarlet Nexus players will receive Alphen’s Blazing Sword and broken iron mask (which can be equipped by multiple characters). While Tales of Arise’s items will be free, the same is currently unknown for Scarlet Nexus’s DLC. Stay tuned for more information in the coming days.

Tales of Arise and Scarlet Nexus are both available for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5 and PC. You can check out our review for the former here and the latter here. Though details on the next Tales of title are currently unknown, director Kenji Anabuki has expressed interest in a Scarlet Nexus sequel, that too for a “more mature audience.”

Called Brain Eater Pack, the DLC is available for players to purchase and access, and it adds in quite a few new things to the game. For starters, the DLC contains a new story episode, which explores a new side of Karen Travers. Apart from that, two new costume sets for all characters have been added, along with new vision simulator missions, new challenges, and new rewards. To coincide the release of the new DLC, a trailer has also been released, which can be seen down below.

In our review of Scarlet Nexus, we scored the game a 7/10, praising it for its combat system and world-building, but highlighting issues with its story and storytelling.

As for Photo Mode, it allows for adjusting the angle and camera tilt, changing the expressions for different characters (along with toggling their hoods on or off). Other features have yet to be detailed but there’s even more to come for the action RPG. A third paid DLC pack is in the works and if it follows the previous Bond Enhancement Packs, you can expect new Bond Episodes and other new SAS effects.

Scarlet Nexus is currently available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. You can check out our official review for the game here. Game director Kenji Anabuki recently spoke about wanting to make a sequel for a “more mature audience” – read more about there here.

https://twitter.com/scarlet_nexus/status/1490852949228142594

Speaking in an interview with Inverse, Scarlet Nexus director Kenji Anabuki briefly discussed some things he has pondered for a potential sequel, saying that he would like to have the superpowers become an important part of not just the combat, but also the story, which would allow the game to appeal to “an even more mature audience”.

“If there is a sequel, I would personally want to utilize the ‘superpower’ theme in areas other than battles,” Anabuki said. “The world and settings of the story could potentially be created to suit an even more mature audience; by exploring themes like the dangers of having or using superpowers.”

As for what the story would be though, that’s anyone’s best guess right now. Anabuki says a sequel might be a continuation of the first game, but could also be a completely new story set in the same world. “Maybe it will continue from the original Scarlet Nexus story or be based on the game’s worlds and characteristics,” he said. “At this moment, I couldn’t tell.”

Meanwhile, Anabuki also touched on improvements that could be made to storytelling with a Scarlet Nexus sequel, with a large number of the first game’s cutscenes essentially having been series of comic book-style panels. “I still want to make them unique like the ones in Scarlet Nexus, while being able to provide our fans with the most satisfying gaming experience,” he said.

Another area where a sequel would likely look to make improvements is with accessibility options. “We have done as much as we can and added several features after launch into the game based on user feedback,” Anabuki said. “However, I have decided that paying more attention to industry trends and the newest user preferences will definitely benefit the gaming experience.”

Finally, while Scarlet Nexus did launch last year for PlayStation and Xbox as a cross-gen release, one would assume that if a sequel does arrive, it won’t be for at least another 2-3 years- by which point the PS4 and Xbox One will be significantly more outdated. However, Anabuki says that like the first game, he would want the sequel to be cross-gen. He said, “This is a personal comment, but I would like to still support all versions of consoles on all platforms at the time the potential sequel is released.”

Of course, a Scarlet Nexus 2 hasn’t been announced by Bandai Namco, and with the first game not even being a year old at this point, it’s unlikely that such an announcement will come in the immediate future. Hopefully there will be a sequel in the not-too-distant future now, because clearly, the IP has a lot of potential.

For now, Scarlet Nexus remains available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

Speaking recently in an interview with Inverse, Scarlet Nexus producer Keita Iizuka that being on Game Pass helped with the game’s popularity and visibility and also “largely contributed” to DLC sales.

Iizuka said: “It has definitely given Scarlet Nexus a boost in publicity and popularity. It has also largely contributed to the visibility and sales of downloadable content.”

Scarlet Nexus was, of course, a solid introduction for a new IP, impressing audiences with its well-realized brainpunk setting and its action-packed combat system. That it has done well for itself is encouraging, to say the least, and hopefully bodes well for the IP’s future.

Scarlet Nexus is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

The first batch of games in those three categories has now been revealed (courtesy of SteamDB), and there are some interesting names in each list. The list of Unsupported games is a pretty short one with just 5 games, though it does have one notable name- Persona 4 Golden. The game’s own page says that Valve is still working on adding support though, so hopefully this won’t be permanent. 

24 games so far have the Playable tag. The list includes the likes of The Witcher 3, Slay the Spire, Inscryption, Subnautica, Valheim, Tomb Raider, Rise of the Tomb Raider, NieR: Automata, Bravely Default 2, and more. That means that right now, these games are playable on the Steam Deck, but might still run into a few issues here and there. 

Finally, there’s the first batch of Steam Deck Verified games, which lists 38 titles right now and is already looking impressive. Games that have already been fully optimized for the upcoming handheld device include the likes of Portal 2, Celeste, Hollow Knight, Dishonored, Cuphead 2, Psychonauts 2, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Death’s Door, Death Stranding, Mad Max, Scarlet Nexus, Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Hot Wheels Unleashed, the upcoming Total War: Warhammer 3, and many others. 

You can check out the full list of the Steam Deck’s Verified, Playable, and Unsupported games so far below.

The Steam Deck is scheduled to launch in February.