The vibrant world of Neverness to Everness, an open world gacha game colloquially known as a kind of anime GTA, is currently in the hands of Chinese players as developer Hotta Studio collects feedback with a limited-scale closed beta test.
To celebrate the news, the company has released some new information about the title’s progress, although there’s no trailer at this stage.
It says that it’s aiming to move away from the maudlin tone of other gacha games, delivering a more light-hearted and colourful story that provides a more “relaxed atmosphere” for fans. To be honest, we’re so tired of the writing style in these kinds of games, so we hope it’s a simple and easy to follow plot.
It adds that it’s putting a ton of work into animation and cutscene direction to help draw players into the story. There’ll be three chapters available at launch, with more to follow post-release.
It also explained that it’s using Unreal Engine 5 to build environments filled with character, colour, and variety. While the art style is similar to Zenless Zone Zero, we think the use of colour is even more exaggerated here.
And as for the open world driving mechanics, which is what sets the title apart, the studio says it’s been hard at work adding physics and collision damage to vehicles to make the driving more satisfying. You’ll have to repair your car like in GTA if it gets too busted up.
There’s still no release date attached to the title, but it’s due out on PS5 alongside PC and smartphones. Is this something you’ll be willing to try? Let us know in the comments section below.
Comments 21
The gacha games are becoming the next souls like games, way too many and flooding the market.
I would advise rewording the title of this article because the current title suggests that it's an official GTA game in anime style. That's how I read it at least.
The titles today seem a bit off… in this case, this is not a GTA game. You could say GTA-esque, but it is not licensed by or related to Rockstar’s IP.
@Konks @xDD90x Fair, I've edited that.
I can't. Just quit ZZZ to free up time. My live service quota is FULL.
Errr. When's the UK beta?
Mmm. Maybe I’ll try this. I never played much GTA. Or any. Saints Row, yeah. And I do enjoy cute anime girls…
I am sick of gacha games
Main issue with these games is no “skip” button. The storylines are so dreadfully boring and just go on and on, that the gameplay gets bogged down. Most people don’t care about whatever relationship with whatever character.
@LavenderShroud I enjoy them too! wish it would come to xbox
@Bunchesopuppies While I disagree from the perspective that I actually do like those elements, I do agree that skip buttons are in order. It should always be an option. Either in a menu or held button to avoid skipping by mistake. Otherwise you risk gamers getting disconnected from your game if they're itching for more gameplay.
So it’s GTA without the satire, political commentary, violence, cursing, hookers, drugs, single player campaign or any semblance of realistic graphics. Plus gacha.
Sounds marvelous.
@Oxy But it has cute anime girls.
I was going to say "GTA is not a live service," but realized that I'm in the minority with that mindset.
This game is not really like GTA. Unless people call Cyberpunk 2077 a GTA style game.
It’s a whole load of flashy combat and supernatural stuff in a big city.
I’d say it’s more Stellar Blade / Persona / Genshin Impact / Yakuza than it is GTA (imho).
Anyways, there are gameplay videos on YouTube. Their X account has a number of trailers. I’d recommend looking into it as it’s quite different than what I was expecting.
@Bunchesopuppies ZZZ and WuWa both have skip buttons. It's slowly happening now anyway. 🤷🏽♂️
I like the art style. Don't like gacha or gambling. I like buying what I know I'll get.
I'm always amazed by how few games have tried to copy the GTA formula. I know we've had True Crime, Saint's Row and Sleeping Dogs in the past but given the success of GTA you'd assume there'd be way more.
@__jamiie And Lego City Undercover. But yeah, considering how many games are copies of or inspired by others, like the over abundance of Metroidvanias, you would definitely think GTA would have inspired way more games. Maybe nobody truly feels they can live up to what GTA already has to offer?
@LavenderShroud I forgot about Lego City Undercover! I loved that game and one of the few times the Wii U Game Pad lived up to its promise.
"Maybe nobody truly feels they can live up to what GTA already has to offer".
That could be true. I think there's a huge opportunity though to go back to something the scale of GTA3 or Vice City rather than the enormity of 5&6.
@Kienda please don't advice the reader to make their own opinion by researching beyond this article! The article clearly says GTA-Style, so how dare you bring in a wider perspective?!
This articles purpose is to bash the bad bad copy cat Devs from China! /s
I'm wondering why not more people from the Horizon Clone article are here to complain, yet!!!
@Victor_Meldrew to be fair, that fits GTA for 90% of the time. You play the story to unlock cool features, and then you basically run around drive around, fight around San Adreas/Vice City, no?
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