Thoughts on Varsapura, Hoyo’s Latest Project
Hoyo has released a gameplay trailer for the newest game, Varsapura. This title is a psychological thriller-based RPG, where the player takes on the role of the woman who joins SEAL (a public security organization) in order to find her killer. Yes, you read that correctly. Killer. How she’s still able to walk around, we don’t know. If you are curious, then I guess you’ll just have to play the game when it comes out.
The Gameplay of Varsapura
In terms of mechanics, gameplay seems to be somewhat more reminiscent of ZZZ than Genshin. While there is a level of exploration, it’s mostly just a method of getting from point to point, and not an integral part of the experience. This may, of course, change when the full game comes out.
Another similarity to ZZZ is the player’s party size, max 3, and the fact that there are, for lack of a better term, intro sequences when characters are switching in. The full extent of this particular mechanic was not fully elaborated in the preview.
Combat follows the basic Hoyo 3-button system: Normal Attack, Skill, Ultimate. There are, however, a wide array of options within this limited system. For example, you can enter a Stealth mode, which allows you to sneak up to enemies, and there is a special “Assassinate” option (which seems to only be effective if used during Stealth).
You can also ascend to higher elevations (such as rooftops) with the use of an umbrella, which also allows you to perform plunging attacks (something many Genshin players would love to be implemented in that game).
The Artistic Quality of Varsapura
The art style of this game is less cartoonish than Hoyo’s other games and more akin to something you’d see in some of the new Final Fantasy titles. Though the 3D animated models are quite impressive in terms of construction, the level of detail involved in their design means that it’s extremely apparent whenever thei expressions are lacking. This can, of course, be remedied before the game’s release, but it is, nonetheless, still something to be aware of.
The voice acting was acceptable, for the most part. There were a few lines that were slightly stiff, but they were short snippets and didn’t take away from the experience. Overall, the voicework is promising. Hopefully, it will remain so upon release. Sad that that’s now a concern, thanks to certain other titles that dropped the ball in that regard.
Final Thoughts on Varsapura
It’s another Hoyo game. Same general gameplay, good voice work, and potentially interesting story. There are a lot of terms and lore thrown at the player without proper explanations being given, which seems to be a growing trend since Honkai: Star Rail. Assumedly, you’re expected to just figure it all out as you go along.
While a full analysis is impossible at this time (we don’t know if there will be an artifact system, for example), if the game is intending to delve into a more mystery/horror-based game, it would be wise for them to focus primarily on the narrative. As such, any grinding elements that may be present will most likely end up feeling even more exasperating than in Hoyo’s other games. Hopefully, they will be able to find a way to balance that (though, historically, they really haven’t).
