Scarlet Nexus warps to Game Pass; new DLCs revealed
Xbox Game Pass is a strong service for gamers who enjoy the all-you-can-play approach to their favorite hobby, but until recently it hasn't been home to an especially strong lineup of titles from big Japanese studios. That's slowly shifting, and as we've just learned courtesy of Tokyo Game Show, today marks the arrival of an important pair of additions: Bandai Namco's Scarlet Nexus and Spike Chunsoft's AI: The Somnium Files.
Both games are well worth setting aside some time to sample, especially now that you can nab them for no extra fee if you're a regular subscriber to Game Pass. Here's what our reviewer Cullen Black had to say about Scarlet Nexus:
There is fantastic framework in place now for a sequel, and I hope it sells enough so this team can continue to flesh out their vision. The budget was put mainly into nailing the style they were going for, and therefore padding was likely deemed necessary to fill out the length. This was truly unfortunate, but if you can look past this you’ll that nearly every facet of it is overflowing with passion. It’s the kind of game that only improved the more I thought about it, and I can’t wait to see where this team will go next.
And here are some thoughts on AI: The Somnium Files from that self-same Cullen Black:
AI: The Somnium Files is a must-play for fans of detective games. It’s risky, creative, fascinating, and feels like the next step for the visual novel medium. There are plenty of valid worries I’ve seen pop up from people who felt burnt by ZTD, but I feel like all of those were addressed here. It’s far from perfect, but the flaws are incredibly minor and it still delivers the strongest narrative I’ve seen from a game all year. Fans and newcomers will find a lot to Love with AI, don’t Sleep on this game.
Bandai Namco has also lifted the veil on some previously teased Scarlet Nexus DLC. The DLC will comprise of three packs, with the first Bond Enhancement Pack joined by a beefy free update. Here's a hot new trailer showcasing both:
The Bond Enhancement Pack 1 includes new fairy tale themed costumes and weapons designed by character designer and illustrator Yusuke Kozaki, along with an expansion of the bond system with new interactions between party members as well as a new action – Crush Vision – which decrease the Crush Gauge of surrounding enemies while Brain Crush is activated. The free Ver.1.04 update will include a wide variety of new content including Challenges, new Plugins in the Shop, Brain Talk expansion, and new in-battle voices. Both paid DLC and the free update will be available soon.
Scarlet Nexus is now available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
