Battling through modern-day Shibuya may seem like a fantastical story to some, but for fans of Japanese games, Reynatis may not be their first battle down the iconic streets of Japan’s most cutting-edge cultural hub. The region’s layout is as true to the real Shibuya as possible – and traversing its streets might just feel a bit more magical than usual this time, though maybe not as flashy as one might expect, unless of course you feel like spending some time in Wizard Jail, or whatever its called.
Magic is very real in this Shibuya, and some are lucky enough to be born with the innate ability to use it. Others, though, are gifted in a different way: going through a Near-Death Experience, or NDE. Wizards, one and all, are subject to strict rules and regulations to control their power and keep the peace between themselves and non-magical humans. While some are content to live within the articles imposed upon their kind, others see these rules as chains of oppression. This can be seen through the streets in the form of Wizart graffiti, which can grant our characters different abilities upon discovery. Tension between wizards and average humans has made it so that hiding your powers while out and about is a must, but others think this policing unjust – so exist three factions wrestling for influence across Shibuya.
Marin Kirizumi is a rogue wizard who grew up oppressed by others due to his magic. Following his father’s advice, “If you become the strongest, you’ll be set free,” he arrives in Shibuya at night, which is against the curfew rules. Citizens, wizard or no, are not supposed to be outdoors at night. Luckily, not many bother enforcing this particular rule! On the other side of Wizard polarity, we have MEA member Sari Nishijima, who upon discovering her magic after a NDE, decided to use her powers to maintain rules and order. Sari endeavors to protect Shibuya from forces with dangerous ideals and illegal drugs distributed by The Guild, the third faction trying to influence Shibuya and likely the reason why so many monsters have been popping up.
Marin and Sari can traverse Shibuya in two ways – with their powers unmasked in Liberation Mode, or hoods up and inconspicuous in Suppression Mode. When exploring, you’ll use Suppression Mode to talk to townspeople, take on quests, shop, or simply check out where you are and what the area has to offer. Suppression Mode is required for most characters to chat with NPC’s. Since MEA members are part of a legit police force, Sari can chat in either mode without alarming the people of Shibuya. This is handy for gathering intel quickly and jumping into combat immediately without upsetting the passersby.
As you follow the storylines of Reynatis’ characters, you’ll also be able to use your powers in Liberation Mode safely as Marin. This is generally not a great idea in populated areas – after all, this Shibuya has RULES FOR WIZARDS, SILLY. So be CAREFUL. Don’t be SEEN. Or you WILL GO TO WIZARD JAIL. That said – there will be times where you must do what needs done, and if you find yourself in circumstances where Liberation Mode is the answer, then make sure to get out of sight as soon as possible once the job, whatever it is, is complete. Wizards, you see, are quite flashy. Bursts of color, giant scary weapons, and crazy elemental forces aren’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea when out shopping. Wild, I know. Causing a ruckus or being a general nuisance in our world isn’t really approved either, and might get you removed from the strip mall by force. In the Shibuya of Reynatis, however, Wizard hijinks will get you a visit from Sari’s affiliated group, the MEA: a special taskforce in charge of keeping those pesky Wizards in line, and they’re way scarier than your standard mall cop because they have magic.
In the hands-off preview event we recently attended, we dropped in on a quest where Sari was out in town looking to tear down posters with her image. She had recently, against her own volition, became the very face of the MEA. Being a former police officer, Sari already had the sense of justice and will to follow the law to the letter, which of course made her a great candidate and one that they were all too eager to capitalize on. Marin’s story progresses separately from Sari’s, though their paths do intersect at times, the player will be swapping between characters to independently progress their storylines.
Party members can be swapped at any time, with up to three people in your group. NPC’s with quests and other information will have icons above their heads to show their relevance, making it easier not to miss things. There is a system that shows the next objective on screen for the player to navigate to. The minimap in the lower right also shows this information as well, but the on-screen navigation points make getting to story objectives a cinch without getting lost.
Combat is the part of Reynatis that I was absolutely enthralled with during the preview event. Seeming similar to recent Xenoblade games, and slightly like Trials of Mana’s remake, Reynatis has fast-paced action combat that builds up combos, then unleashes massive damage through quickly swapping in party members for special attacks. Stringing these combos together and swapping through your party list is the key to success in combat, and while you can definitely make your way through fights using just your favorite character, doing so is basically just putting yourself through Hard Mode.
Quick swaps make short work of enemies, and making sure to dodge and weave your magic in between movements becomes such a fluid work of art on screen that its hard not to want to simply grind and chain battle after battle. A lot can be said about an immersive combat system, and Reynatis is looking to be mighty fine at this time, stoking the flame of adventure in my heart.
During the Q&A session, we learned about the crossover content that concerns NEO: The World Ends With You. This content is unlocked via story progression and seems to be a lot of side content. While it can be perused independently once unlocked, it doesn’t seem to have any more bearing on the story of Reynatis – the player will be able to meet characters and fight enemies from the series and may unlock a bit more lore about both versions of Shibuya we’ve experienced from their respective games. As an avid fan of The World Ends with You, I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store.
Overall, Reynatis is looking to be quite a story – one that’s peppered with messages of freedom and liberation, but also the importance of society being kept safe from harm. What is the happy medium? How will Shibuya be effected by all that’s going on? Being littered with Wizart graffiti, having street drugs turn unwitting fools into Damned monsters, and fighting back the Noise seems like a lot of work. Luckily, the player can unwind, petting cats and chilling out to combat the stress. Kind of like how we play our games and relax with our own furry friends when we are done grinding out a work week. I hope you’re looking forward to this one, as I most definitely am.
