I’ve been playing Scarlet Nexus for about a week now, and I’ve admittedly been struggling to get into it. I picked it up because I’d heard it would be very narrative-focused, and those are usually the type of games I get into most. I wasn’t terribly excited for Scarlet Nexus’ combat, but I figured if the narrative was good enough, I could get past it (especially if I played on easy). Unfortunately, I’ve come to the conclusion that Scarlet Nexus probably isn’t for me. After giving it a fair shot, all it’s made me do is start missing Persona 5 Royal.
Related: Scarlet Nexus Is Good But You Should Play Genshin Impact Instead
It was hard not to immediately draw comparisons between Scarlet Nexus and Persona 5 Royal. Of course, the combat is absolutely nothing alike, as Persona 5 Royal is a turn-based game. But the visuals, especially during dialogue, were remarkably similar. Both games are made in what we might call “anime style,” but even the way that different visuals of characters’ faces flash across the scene in a comic-like fashion when they’re giving expressive responses feels similar.
But more than just the appearances, both games are extremely dialogue heavy. This is certainly not a problem, at least not when it came to Persona 5 Royal. In Persona 5 Royal, the dialogue was not only interesting in that it usually added depth to the plot and character relationships, but it was also interactive. As the player, you got to choose which responses you gave to people, and some responses were even restricted based on how you’ve built (or not built) your social stats. This made all the dialogue feel meaningful and kept it engaging throughout, and in retrospect, maybe I didn’t appreciate that enough while I played.
Scarlet Nexus is pretty much the exact opposite. While I am a sucker for great dialogue in a game, playing Scarlet Nexus often didn’t feel like playing anything. The player basically takes a back seat for long periods at a time and gets to watch these characters engage in a bunch of flat conversations. Perhaps if the game was half as dialogue heavy, this wouldn’t be such an issue for me. But if you’re going to spend this much of the game reading, it should at least be interesting and engaging somehow.
Towards the beginning of Persona 5 Royal, your character immediately begins building a relationship with Ryuji Sakamoto. Almost immediately, you can tell that he’s been misunderstood by others. The personality that goes along with his reputation doesn’t quite seem to match, resulting in him being entertaining and intriguing. Thus, all the dialogue that follows feels necessary and enjoyable.
On the flip side, that was not my experience with Scarlet Nexus whatsoever. I wanted so desperately to like it, but the characters felt incredibly simple and cookie-cutter, made worse by even more cliché character relationships. I played as Yuito, and despite the fact that he and his friend Nagi both seem like nice people, their conversations could probably lull me to sleep.
Scarlet Nexus is not a complete waste of a game. Its strongest point is its combat. I’m not usually into that type of battle system, but it was done well enough that I found some enjoyment in it. Additionally, the story so far is not a complete deal-breaker. Some aspects of the mind’s powers and communication did capture my interest, they just weren’t implemented in the best way.
Considering Persona 5 Royal also deals with some facets of the mind—palaces manifesting based on someone’s dark desires—it’s just another way I found myself reminded of the game. Because I played Scarlet Nexus, I will now go back and replay Persona 5 Royal with a much higher appreciation.
Next: After Scarlet Nexus, No One Is Allowed To Use ‘Others’ Any More
