You know that feeling when you finish a game and just sort of stare at the credits, feeling a bit hollow because you know nothing else in your library is going to hit quite like that? That was me with Scarlet Nexus. It’s a weird one to replicate. You’ve got the "brain punk" aesthetic, which is basically cyberpunk but with more cables coming out of people's heads, and then that combat—snappy, telekinetic, and surprisingly deep.
Finding games like Scarlet Nexus isn't just about finding another action RPG. It’s about finding that specific intersection of high-speed stylish combat, "found family" tropes, and a story that gets progressively more insane the longer you play. Most people point toward the obvious stuff, but if you really want to scratch that itch, you have to look at the DNA of what Bandai Namco was doing with the SAS system and the dual-protagonist narrative.
The Astral Chain Connection
If you own a Switch, Astral Chain is the closest you’re going to get to the mechanical rhythm of Scarlet Nexus. Honestly, it’s almost spooky how similar they feel in your hands. In Scarlet Nexus, you’re juggling your own sword combos with psychokinetic tosses; in Astral Chain, you’re controlling a Legatus—a literal inter-dimensional monster on a chain—while your main character hacks and slashes.
It’s frantic. It’s colorful. The director, Takahisa Taura (who also worked on NieR: Automata), clearly loves that sense of "dual-tasking" in combat. You aren't just one person fighting; you’re a unit. The investigation segments can feel a bit slow compared to the high-octane battles, but the payoff when you land a Sync Attack feels just as good as nailing a Brain Crush in Scarlet Nexus. Plus, the urban sci-fi aesthetic is a dead ringer for New Himuka.
Why Tales of Arise Feels Like a Cousin
A lot of people overlook Tales of Arise because it’s "high fantasy" rather than "brain punk." That’s a mistake. Both games were developed by Bandai Namco around the same time, and you can feel the shared DNA in the combat engine.
The Boost Strikes in Arise are basically the flashier, more elemental version of the SAS follow-up attacks. You have a cast of six characters who all feel distinct, and the game places a massive emphasis on their relationships. If the bond episodes were your favorite part of Scarlet Nexus, Tales of Arise offers that in spades through its "Skit" system. You get to watch these people grow from bitter enemies or strangers into a cohesive unit that actually cares about each other. It’s a long game, easily 50+ hours, so prepare to settle in.
The Nier Automata Elephant in the Room
We have to talk about NieR: Automata. It’s the gold standard for games that start as one thing and turn into a philosophical crisis by the end. If the plot twists regarding the Moon and the extinction of humanity in Scarlet Nexus hooked you, Yoko Taro’s masterpiece will ruin your life in the best way possible.
The combat is handled by PlatinumGames, so it’s smoother than butter. You play as androids fighting machines in a desolate world, but the "vibe" is remarkably similar to the lonely, sterilized atmosphere of Suoh or Seiran. It also uses multiple playthroughs to tell a complete story, much like the Yuito and Kasane paths, though NieR takes this concept much, much further. You haven't really finished the game until you’ve seen ending E. Trust me on that.
Code Vein and the "Anime Souls" Comparison
Code Vein is often called "Anime Dark Souls," which is a bit of a lazy descriptor, but it’s not entirely wrong. It’s also a Bandai Namco title. It shares the same post-apocalyptic, stylish-yet-gritty art direction as Scarlet Nexus.
The big draw here is the partner system. You’re never really alone. You pick a companion who fights alongside you, comments on the environment, and helps you out when you’re about to die. It captures that "squad" feeling perfectly. The combat is slower, more deliberate, and significantly harder than Scarlet Nexus, but the character creator is arguably the best in the genre. You can spend four hours just making your character look exactly like a member of the OSF if you really wanted to.
Exploring the Niche: Gravity Rush and Ys
There are a few outliers that people rarely mention when discussing games like Scarlet Nexus, but they fit the bill for specific reasons.
Take Gravity Rush 2. It doesn’t have the gore or the dark sci-fi edge, but it has the movement. In Scarlet Nexus, you’re constantly leaping and using psychokinesis to manipulate the battlefield. In Gravity Rush, the battlefield is whatever you want it to be because gravity is your plaything. Kat is a fantastic protagonist, and the world-building is top-tier.
Then there’s the Ys series, specifically Ys IX: Monstrum Nox.
It’s an action RPG where you play as "Monstrums" with supernatural gifts.
- One character can run up walls.
- Another can glide.
- Another can see through solid objects.
- It’s very "team-based power fantasy."
The combat is lightning-fast—maybe even faster than Scarlet Nexus. You’re constantly swapping between three active party members to exploit enemy weaknesses. It’s got that low-budget charm that some find off-putting, but the actual gameplay loop is addictive as hell.
The Persona 5 Strikers Curveball
You might think Persona 5 is too "turn-based" to be a recommendation here. And the base game is. But Persona 5 Strikers? That’s a different beast entirely. It’s a Musou-hybrid, but it plays more like a real-time action RPG than a standard Dynasty Warriors clone.
It focuses heavily on the "Phantom Thieves" as a family on a road trip. The elemental weaknesses and the way you "tether" to objects in the environment to perform special attacks feel very reminiscent of using psychokinesis on a bus or a chandelier in Scarlet Nexus. It’s colorful, it has an incredible soundtrack, and it deals with heavy psychological themes. Just make sure you’ve either played the original Persona 5 or watched the anime first, otherwise, you’ll be totally lost on who these people are.
Understanding the Action-RPG Spectrum
When searching for your next game, it helps to know which part of Scarlet Nexus you actually liked. If it was the stylish combat, go with Devil May Cry 5. If it was the mystery and world-building, look at 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim (even though it's a side-scroller/RTS hybrid, the story is mind-blowing).
There’s also Visions of Mana, which recently came out. It’s a bit more colorful and "classic RPG," but the fluidity of the combat and the elemental triggers feel like a modern evolution of the systems Bandai Namco has been playing with for years.
Combat Mechanics That Scratch the Itch
What made Scarlet Nexus special was the "Physicality." Throwing a car felt heavy. Using a sequence of pyrokinesis followed by a brain crush felt earned.
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Final Fantasy VII Rebirth actually does a great job with this through its Synergy system. You aren't just controlling Cloud; you’re using Tifa or Barret to set up massive tandem attacks. It’s a bit more "menu-heavy" than the pure action of Scarlet Nexus, but the spectacle is unmatched. If you want that high-budget, cinematic flair where every fight feels like an anime finale, that’s your move.
What to Avoid If You Want the Scarlet Nexus Vibe
Not every anime-styled game is going to work here. I’d stay away from the more traditional "arena fighters" like the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm series or Jujutsu Kaisen Cursed Clash. They look the part, but they lack the RPG depth, the exploration, and the complex narrative weaving that makes Scarlet Nexus more than just a brawler.
Similarly, don't go into Elden Ring expecting a similar experience just because it’s an RPG. It’s a masterpiece, but it’s lonely, cryptic, and slow. Scarlet Nexus is loud, direct, and collaborative.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
To find your perfect match, start by narrowing down your platform and your "must-have" feature.
- Check for Demos: Both Tales of Arise and Visions of Mana have substantial demos. Download them first. The "feel" of action RPGs is subjective, and you’ll know within ten minutes if the movement speed works for you.
- Look at the Developer: Keep an eye on the "Team Red" or "Team Blue" distinctions within Bandai Namco. The developers who worked on the God Eater series were heavily involved in Scarlet Nexus. If you haven't tried God Eater 3, it's a bit more "monster hunter-lite," but the weapon transformations (God Arcs) are incredibly cool.
- Evaluate the Story Structure: If you loved the dual-protagonist approach, Astral Chain or Resident Evil 2 Remake (completely different genre, I know, but similar narrative structure) might satisfy that craving for seeing two sides of the same story.
- Consider the Aesthetic: If it's specifically "Brain Punk" or "Cyberpunk" you want, Ghostrunner offers the speed, though it’s a first-person platformer. For the "Anime Tokyo" look, Ghostwire: Tokyo captures that eerie, neon-soaked atmosphere perfectly, even if the combat is more "magic finger guns" than swords.
Don't expect a 1:1 replacement. Scarlet Nexus was a bit of a lightning-in-a-bottle experiment for Bandai Namco. But by focusing on the "Found Family" trope and high-speed elemental combat, you’ll find that the "ARPG" genre is currently in a golden age with plenty of options to fill that void.