NTE: Neverness to Everness debuts a confident open world ready to compete with the best-in-class. Style and substance—it’s all here.
Considering the enduring popularity of the Grand Theft Auto series and the staying power of anime free-to-play games, it was only a matter of time until something like NTE: Neverness to Everness came along. Making headlines from its debut trailer for its seemingly unparalleled freedom in a modern city, many wondered if it would stick the landing, cramming so many activities in one package. Wonder no more, NTE is one of the most entertaining open-world games right out of the (Golden) gate.
What’s more is the fact that every single quest and gig has a care to it when it could have easily been packed with throwaway missions to keep players busy. In a gacha landscape where the popular games prey on consuming all of their players time with menial tasks, NTE dares players to have fun while doing them. From the striking cutscenes to the flashy combat and myriad hobbies available, it is mind-boggling to think of a more complete live service game at launch.
Once a main character’s gender has been chosen, NTE wastes no time on showing an apocalyptic scenario: a city called New Helios is under siege by a “Hypervortex” that appeared in the middle of the city. Our protagonist, called Zero, has no recollection of why she appeared in this situation. After a few combat sequences to showcase three obtainable characters and their abilities, we fast forward a couple of weeks away from the destruction of said unlucky city.
Now on the outskirts of a city called Hethereau, Zero is welcomed by the Bureau of Anomaly Control. This paranormal agency works in tandem with superpowered anomaly hunters, or Appraisers, to monitor situations where otherworldly beings might make an appearance and contain them (high five if you’re thinking of Control). This is where we are introduced to our first companion: Mint. Throughout the game, there are many talented voice actors that seasoned gacha gamers will recognize, but listening to Brianna Knickerbocker—Hu Tao in Genshin Impact—is a wonderful surprise.
Zero is about to head into the San Francisco-inspired city as their debrief ends when an anomaly in the top floor of the bureau appears. Serving as a tutorial for the combat, it is incredible to see here how much developer Hotta Studio has grown since Tower of Fantasy. Where that entry was a fair recreation of open-world action RPG conventions, NTE boldly takes a step forward. The combat feels incredibly rewarding.
Like most other party-based action games, the combat consists of a four-member team. Each with their normal, special, and ultimate attack, rotating them at specific moments is essential. The small cutscene performing each ultimate attack never gets old. With the goal of breaking the enemies’ stance, precise dodges help to avoid unnecessary damage. Previously seen in games such as Zenless Zone Zero, the dodge here becomes a fun timed move because bosses are so unpredictable.
Fighting a picture frame boss inside said anomaly, its area-of-effect attacks and constant repositioning keep things moving throughout the battle. In a more elaborate late-game boss battle I was able to try, finisher moves left me awestruck by how stylish and devastating they were. As the final blow is dealt, NTE shows an expressive visual style with full use of prismatic hues that is maintained throughout. Something that stuck with me from Hoyoverse titles was the impactful cutscenes. I dare say, they look more attractive here.
Back in the real world, Zero is finally let free in the open world; it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activities. Evoking GTA, Yakuza, and even a little Sleeping Dogs, there are so many things to do that it is difficult to know where to start. Driving, one of the more unrecognizable activities in anime fantasy games, is a pillar to the exploration. From the usual races in special tracks to Crazy Taxi-style and delivery missions, these are a surefire way to earn money in this world. It will be needed if you ever want to buy a supercar from the luxury dealership.
Not only that, but players can easily summon a go-kart to drive around less accessible areas instead of a full-blown car to the tune of its electronic soundtrack. A question that arises is, how does it feel to drive? As a lifelong car sim enthusiast, I can say it is a middle-of-the-road experience between Gran Turismo and Need for Speed. Flexible enough to feel good, a bit too stiff at times. But it works. And taking into account all the other things on offer, it is a worthy compromise. Especially when the traversal itself is so satisfying.
Our player characters can double jump and glide to move around. As the city’s buildings add so much verticality, the ability to run up to the rooftops is intuitive. The freedom to move as one pleases is primordial to NTE. Exploring every nook and cranny is encouraged, too, as hidden items, unexpected side quests, and secrets are just around the corner. In my time I was unable to explore everything that was on offer, but the missions I played were memorable, if a bit too long.
Meeting a man down in the dumps for a side quest, he starts rambling about the good old days. So it is revealed that this delusional actor once made a pact with the mafia to fool people into thinking he was a hero. Alternating between lively animated conversations and combat encounters, we find out that his lust for popularity almost led him to harm innocents, ultimately ending in tragedy. The game deliberately changing from a third to a first-person perspective brought the point home more intimately. There are many such random stories for players to find in the city.
The city itself is a character. Museums, arcades, restaurants—you name it. If you ever wondered when playing any open world, why can’t I enter this place? NTE is quite literally made for you. There is a deep focus on the countless shops and density within each area. Without feeling too burdened, there are shops that you can enter and interact with the owners or trigger a new mission from.
Many of the parallels drawn from crime-based games stem from being able to go to jail in NTE. That’s right. If your character decides to go berserk and attack the lovely citizens of Hethereau or their cars, police will start chasing you. Increasing a wanted system up to level four, in which a massive boss is spawned to obliterate you, is an unexpected mechanic that signals the autonomy players can have in this wondrous world. To pay your fee if you do not have any cash on hand, you can play a PowerWash Simulator-type game. Or break free.
To round up the interesting activities to engage in, you can also rob a bank. Whereas the main plot unfolds a paranormal mystery, this rather thrilling heist is an alternative gig that sees players opening safes to reach high scores. Not entirely a crime simulator, avoiding lasers and fighting enemies to loot everything is an entertaining goal to work towards. Oh, and there is fishing.
With so many things to do, one last thing I almost forgot to mention—albeit paramount—is the monetization. As a veteran player of gacha games, being paraded an attractive cast is nothing to enjoy when the game asks to break the bank to acquire them. NTE opted for a less predatory onboarding, gifting various “S-rank” characters the player can choose and more to pull for more banners. There is an option to eventually buy penthouses to bond with your favorite characters, for those inclined to do so.
Competing with fierce rivals, free-to-play games need an incentive to keep players coming back. Vying for our precious leisure time, they are all structured in a way to prey on users’ fear of missing out. In contrast, NTE’s expansive progression rewards, such as earning experience from completing missions or exploring, give a reason to do every bit of content in this city filled to the brim with it. It is not an overstatement to say that it will be a time sink, but offering a more generous pity system than its peers makes it worth it.
Conclusion
Accompanied by a groovy electronic soundtrack, NTE: Neverness to Everness is a confident anime open world. Jampacked with fun activities enticing replayability, the art of enjoying a free-to-play game’s daily actions seemed lost. Learning from previous entries in the genre, the combat is as engaging and stylish as it allows, rewarding fast reflexes. Finally, the expressive anime aesthetic is captivating. This truly is an urban wonderland.
Reviewed for PlayStation 5 Pro, also available on mobile for iOS & Android and PC for Windows and Apple Mac via an official launcher.
A key was provided for the purposes of this review.
Developer: Hotta Studio
Publisher: Perfect World Games
Release Date: Out now
Pros
- Expressive art style captivates
- Impactful combat is engaging
- Multiplayer online modes are intuitive
- Open-world activities are fun and entertaining
- Friendlier gacha mechanics than the competition
- Promising new updates to build on a solid foundation
Cons
- Some quests' pacing may drag
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Amazing
