Overview – developed by FuRyu in collaboration with Natsume Atari and published by NIS America, REYNATIS is a magical Action RPG set in a stylised recreation of modern day Shibuya Tokyo. Experience two sides of the night in Shibuya as the M.E.A. patrol the streets, cracking down on Illicit magic use and the Stray wizards, who just want to be free. This title is available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Steam with a link to each version of the game at the bottom of this review.
Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank NIS America for providing the copy of REYNATIS that was used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.
Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review, starting with the story. Please note, I will be omitting some details when discussing the gameplay. This is to prevent spoiling the story and surprises that I feel players should experience first-hand. I have also previously covered titles by FuRyu, which can be found (HERE). Also note, images used are provided via the REYNATIS press kit.
Story – In this world, there are those who can use magic and those who cannot. The wizard minority are seen as dangerous and feared by the public. Many wizards are forced to hide themselves and live in seclusion. In Shibuya, Tokyo, a voluntary night-time curfew is in place, set by the Criminal Magic Response Act, but it is seen as nothing but a formality that few follow. Marin Kirizumi has lived his life oppressed for being a wizard.
Believing in the words of his father, Marin Sets off to Shibuya to obtain the freedom he desires. When Sari Nishijima came into her magic, she chose to use her power for order, enforcing her own sense of justice to protect shibuya from illegal drugs that turn people into monsters. During the night Marin, who has been supressed against his will, and Sari, who supresses others to uphold justice cross paths in Shibuya.
Gameplay – REYNATIS is an action RPG, similar to previous titles by FuRyu, mixing exploration, dungeon crawling and fast paced hack and slash combat. The game plays out over multiple chapters, split between the two perspectives of the Stray Wizard Marin and M.E.A. operative Nishijima. Each chapter will have a core objective that needs to be completed before progressing, which can have multiple steps that need to be cleared to proceed.
Each of the chapters will have cutscenes and story dialogue that occur during play, giving further depth to the plot that unfolds during the game. These scenes will transition players into battles, new areas and into big boss battles with cinematic scenes. In the chapters, the player will be able to explore Shibuya, moving around as both characters. While exploring the city, the player will be able to interact with people and take on side quests.
During exploration, the player will encounter hostile forces in Shibuya, who will engage the player in battle. These enemies can be Rubrum addicts called “Damned”, anti-magic watchdogs and magical beasts called M. When one of these battles occurs, the player will enter battle in an enclosed arena, with the objective being to take down the target. While in combat, the player can use two distinct modes which are part of the “Hoodie System”.
Both the Marin and Nishijima have two modes that they can switch between, which are Supression and Liberation. In suppression mode, the player is unable to attack as their magic is sealed, but they have the ability to dodge enemy attacks. Then there is Liberation mode, which unlocks their abilities and allows them to take down their foes in quick, often brutal fashion. Effective use of these two modes is important, as the characters have limited Magic power.
As the player progresses through the story, additional characters will join the player party to assist in combat and push the narrative forward. While in the party, the characters can be freely switched while exploring, but during battle there are some restrictions. During a battle, there is a cooldown between character switches and they will stay in battle for a short time, which adds some strategy to party combat. If a character is taken down, the next will be tagged in.
While in combat, the player has access to a standard combo string, comprised of multiple successive attacks. Then there are the Wizart attacks, which are two special powers that can deal tremendous amounts of damage to foes. Player characters have two Wizart attacks as standard, which are unlocked at set points. Additional Wizart attacks and special Wizart abilities can be obtained, which are activated through graffiti that is on the walls of Shibuya.
In battles, the player has a magic meter which will deplete when in Liberation mode, with each attack using up this precious resource. When the magic power has been used up, the player will be forced into Suppression mode. While in this vulnerable position, the player will be unable to attack, but it will be possible to dodge and avoid enemy strikes. In this state, a marker can appear when enemies attack, allowing players to dodge and gain magical power.
By using this magical absorption, the player can fully max out the magical power meter and cause it to glow. When this occurs, the player will be able to unleash a Liberation Burst, dealing damage to surrounding enemies and quickly closing in to eliminate the target. This can be very useful against powerful foes, but some enemies have attacks that cannot be absorbed, slowing down the charge of and release of a Liberation burst during battle.
All characters have an ultimate attack, called a Final Menace. This cinematic ultimate attack is used by filling a diamond shaped icon that is on screen, which is accomplished by dealing damage to enemies. If the player is in a pinch, this devastating power can be used as a desperation move, especially if the character is close to death. Effective use of all Wizart skills, Liberation Bursts and Final Menace can make the most imposing foes more manageable.
When a battle has ended, the player will be graded with a score and a rating out of 5 stars. The higher the star rating the better the experience boost they get, with bonuses given for good performance. When a character gains enough EXP points, they will level up and their stats will increase, making them stronger. They will also earn upgrade points, which can be used to power-up the Wizart skills, increasing their power and strength in battles.
In and out of battle, the player will be able to heal any damage they have taken, using food resources to help recover lost vitality. The player is able to heal by using items that have been purchased from shops, vending machines and as loot drops on the floor. Some care must be taken during and between battles, because there is always a chance for the party to get wiped. If this happens, the player can retry, flee or reload a save.
Out of combat in Shibuya, the player will be returned to the point the battle started. But it is important to be aware of your surroundings, as there is a danger to Stray Wizards that become liberated in Shibuya. If the public sees a Stray Liberated, a countdown will appear in screen. If this counter reaches 1, the M.E.A. will appear and eliminate the player. To prevent the M.E.A. from appearing, there are special safe zones that can be found to escape.
Scattered throughout Shibuya, there are fog gates which will transport the player to a mysterious world called Another. When the player enters this alternate world, the gameplay style changes and becomes a dungeon crawler. In these zones, the player can freely move around the area, but in this mysterious world monsters will spawn to battle the party. Successive battles against foes can occur here, so health management is important.
The last thing to discuss is the Malice and Stress systems, which can affect player progress. Malice is the animosity that the public has against Wizards, visualised by a purple miasma. This can be lowered by side quests, which will allow players to collect powerful Wizart when certain levels are met. The Wizart that can be found can also provide bonus EXP, extra money and even empower existing arts, so it is important to lower Malice in Shibuya.
Then there is stress, which is accumulated through conversations with the public, being seen when liberated as a Stray and other activities. When stress builds for a character, they will gain a boost to power but at a reduction of defensive power. If stress is maxed out, the character will be forced into Liberation mode, which is especially dangerous for Strays. To effectively reduce stress, the player can purchase items from vending machines to manage stress.
Now with the gameplay covered, it is time to move onto the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.
Controls – there is a fairly easy to use control system for this release, using a traditional twin stick control system for movement which is comfortable and effective. The face buttons and shoulder buttons are for attacks, skills, mode change and dodge/magic absorption. All of the inputs work very well and the game is comfortable to play, but due to the fast paced combat, the camera may struggle to keep up. Thankfully, there is a lock on system using the R3 input.
Difficulty – this title feels rather well balanced in the difficulty department, as there is a steady increase in challenge as the player progresses. There are some instances where the difficulty may spike for a time, most notably against bosses and new enemies. But it is fairly easy to adapt to these enemies and players can even grind experience. There are also generous save points throughout Shibuya and Another, which help with challenging areas.
Presentation – visually, this title looks gorgeous, with an anime style to the visuals and the detail that is put into the recreation of Shibuya. There are some minor issues with frame rate, causing occasional blips when the picking up items, entering/leaving battle and when transitioning between areas. This may be due to the hardware limits of the base PS4 model, so if using a PS4 pro or even a PlayStation 5 system, the experience may be much smoother.
Thankfully, the frame drops and freezes don’t occur during combat itself, which means these inconsistencies don’t negatively impact the gameplay experience. The cinematics are all animated well, with the scenes being extremely pleasing to the eye. The soundtrack is excellent, with music and sounds that tie the whole experience together, topped off with voice work that is clean and gives additional depth to the characters portrayed in game.
Final Thoughts – I have played a few different FuRyu titles, so getting the opportunity to check this game out really excited me. I went into it hoping for a fun and exciting hack ‘n’ slash RPG, which this title delivered in spades. The story really pulled me in, making me want to keep going and see what happened next, especially with the dichotomy of the twin protagonists. The detail that was added to Shibuya really enhanced my enjoyment, there is even a Burger King!
There is so much to enjoy in this game, with the main story, side quests and the dungeon crawling offering a tremendous amount of content. Players can even engage in text chats between characters, which adds more life to the game world. I have absolutely no issue recommending this game, especially to those who enjoys Action RPGs, as this is a solid experience that is worth the effort. Just be aware, there may be some performance blips on base PS4 consoles.
In the end, I give REYNATIS a final score of 4/5. This is an excellent hack ‘n’ slash action RPG, offering an engaging story with an interesting premise of twin protagonists. The combat flows like water, with flashy combos that have both style and substance, all wrapped in a fantastically stylised recreation of an iconic Japanese city and mysterious other world. If you want to check this game out for yourself, a link to each version of the game will be below.
Link to PlayStation version (HERE)
Link to Nintendo Switch version (HERE)
Link to Steam version (HERE)
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