Explore the magic of Shibuya and go where the wind blows in Furyu’s new action RPG Reynatis, coming to PC and console.
Whether it’s turning up in person or taking it in on screen, visiting Shibuya is undeniably a special experience. This constant pulse of activity, the neon scenery, and the potential for just about anything to happen hangs in the air like nowhere else. Now, it’s the stage for a world-shattering magic show when action RPG Reynatis comes to PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation platforms next week.
Set in a world where spell-slinging and ancient secrets are as commonplace as Tower Records, Reynatis plunges players into the very different lives of Marin Kirizumi and Sari Nishijima. Two diametrically opposed protagonists, these two struggle to exist in a world where they both answer to very different authorities. The year is 2024 and magic is very real. It might sound exciting, but public perception, historical grievances, and fear make it more of a curse. In Tokyo, a Criminal Magic Response Act forbids citizens from going out at night, but Shibuya is too strong a pull for many who simply want to be free.
While Marin attempts to forge his future, and answers to his conscience, Sari is part of a governmental enforcement agency out to protect society and control dangerous magic. For fans of RPGs out of Japan, this duopoly of chaos and control will be as familiar as the night-time scramble these two meet across. Drawing inspiration from the likes of The World Ends With You, Persona, and even a little of X-Men, it delves into themes of identity, choice, and conformity. It’s a familiar refrain that tries to walk its own path, along with just about every backstreet in Shibuya.
The Big City
Just like The World Ends With You and even Ghostwire Tokyo, the bustling streets of Tokyo have an instant appeal to my more otaku sensibilities. I’ve been to Shibuya more than once, and that builds an air of expectation around this setting. When Marin takes his first steps into the iconic streets for the first time, the scale of the city and the limitations of the Nintendo Switch are obvious. Iconic buildings tower up towards the black sky, the 109 sits just up the road, and a myriad of side streets snake off the main thoroughfare. When crammed onto a 7-10 inch handheld screen, the neon backdrop is an impressive sight. Familiar storefronts are etched into the skyscrapers, Izakaya, and brightly lit convenience stores dot the high street, recognizable billboards and massive towers loom over our wandering hero like a modern fortress, all built around an open 3D environment that isn’t just a static backdrop. Tear off into the rest of this district and you might find some other memorable locations, from walkways to plazas that exist in the real world. Sneak off down Dogenzaka, see a myriad of vending machines, talk to the locals, or try to remember if the eerie underground shopping streets are entirely accurate. While it’s not a direct recreation, the intent is clear. Reynatis is a mirror to its real-world counterpart.
Consider that Reynatis will launch on the Nintendo Switch and it’s clear some compromises were going to be made to these grand designs. Action out on the open streets begins at night. Breaking curfew might play to the counterculture concept, but it also means that storefronts don’t have to be open, the daily cram of bodies is long dispersed, and the traffic that does appear seems to be stuck in a loop. While contiguous open spaces aren’t a problem for PC or PlayStation SSD hardware, my Steam copy of Reynatis still required a little time to load when Marin and friends stray off the scramble and down a side street. Despite running a rig that is wildly overpowered, performance can feel stretched at times, being especially noticeable when running around the dungeons I discuss later. While the grandeur of Shibuya is evident, these decisions do undermine the sense of freedom that you’ll initially feel.
The Locals
Aside from the local law enforcement, this Tokyo district is a hub for magic users of many types. The Magical Enforcement Agency and its agents, the nefarious Guild (of magic), and a small group of unaffiliated wizards and witches. Marin is one of these free spirits trying not to be crushed under the actions of larger forces who all intersect across the asphalt. With tensions running high and a prophecy hanging in the air, powerful magic spills over into combat.
Rather than opt for a turn based experience like so many similar games, players fighting to be free or keeping order can unleash their magical powers to take on anything that opposes them. Local thugs, powerful witches, and immeasurably strong magical monsters are all potential problems for both sides of this fight. A satisfying range of combat options are available. Marin and Sari open proceedings using a variety of balanced melee and special magical attacks but capabilities expand as new characters join your party from every side of this altercation. Particular highlights include a hammer-wielding Loli and an officer with ice guns. Both provide interesting approaches to crowd control that elevate things beyond simple hack and slash.
It’s not all attack, however. The magically inclined will need mana to cut down their foes, and must suppress their magical stance to regenerate it. Hiding away their flashy visage and sheathing empowered weapons, Shibuya’s wizards and witches can avoid incoming damage and generate bonus mana using a series of quick time dodges. Between attacks, swap stances and spam dodge at telegraphed times to sidestep damage and slow down the action. Bonus damage and mana flows from this system, with the possibility of maxing out the mana gauge and entering a further bonus attack mode. This set of dual stances offers the option to simply spam attack, or take a more tactful approach. Decide when to switch characters and stack up damage with an ally on the field. Unleash your flashy ultimates as soon as possible or step back and dodge trouble until the perfect moment. This mix of real time movement, dodging, decision, tag team tactics, and flashy attacks plays like a slimmed down Zenless Zone Zero at times. In reality, the combat comes closer to Ys IX and is consistently entertaining, but nowhere near as deep as it could be.
Combat out in Shibuya is more than just learning to roll. When events don’t force a confrontation, making the choice to confront a problem head-on comes with its own consequences. The same cool graffiti art collections that play a core component in the progression system, are a draw for local thugs and especially aggressive magical drug addicts. Hooked, desperate, and dammed souls, they are a minor inconvenience. Fight them and be the obvious outsider, then authorities might come looking for you. This kicks off an interesting GTA-styled dash through the streets as alarmed citizens and social media conspire against you to alert the authorities. Make a stand, and it’s almost inevitable that you’ll need to find a safe zone to wind down a stress debuff, or maybe just escape through the fog?
The Other Side of Shibuya
The Fog is a more literal ‘other side’ to Shibuya. Warping through to another realm, a magical forest, these mysterious portals act as dungeons during the game. Unlike the busy city, these are empty areas devoid of civilization. Unfortunately, they also feel devoid of much else. While they’re a solid thematic idea, much of the narrative seems to push magic users through these gates to dash through an incredibly linear dungeon, take down some mobs, and leave. What could have been a bustling escape from the modern jungle, is nothing more than a manicured lawn.
Between flitting back and forth, running through Shibuya, and trying to find a way to be free, there’s a lot to like about Reynatis. The striking design of the city and its inhabitants is impressive, if not at least because it’s seemingly despite the resource restrictions of the Switch. Characters all feel individual and the narrative that draws them together is mostly well-written. Despite some odd actions along the way, the characters are largely believable in their own world. That world is one clearly designed to reflect Creative Director Takumi’s view of Japan. The two forces of the Guild and the MEA work to pull at the central cast, choosing between expression and conformity. This is explored at both an individual and societal level. Personal moments are used effectively to remind players what it’s like to stand out in a homogenous society. Sari’s experience in the MEA is used very effectively to remind players that maybe work isn’t your family after all, and the human toll of this war spills over onto the drug-addledd backstreets of the city.
For those of you that don’t want to delve too deep into the underbelly of expectation and lore, Reynatis is a skilfully designed action RPG that weaves in some ingenious combat systems and makes a solid stab at building a brand-new world. Sometimes it’s inspired and sometimes it misses the mark. Sometimes you’ll feel awe at the scale of Takumi’s vision, and then you might see that scale realized in Night City instead. Reynatis isn’t perfect, but it’s a nail refuses to be hammered down. It stands apart from the competition as a compelling piece of work that has a lot to say. Reynatis is available on 27 September on PlayStation, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Find out more on the official website.
