Genshin Impact's flashy combat and Control's paranormal vibes collide in a new Hoyoverse game, and I'm immediately hooked

Genshin Impact developer Hoyoverse has just revealed half an hour of gameplay of Varsapura, a new open-world game with shades of Control and LA Noire. The studio has really been branching out in all directions lately, between the creature-collecting Honkai: Nexus Anima and Stardew rival Petit Planet, but Varsapura is already looking the most interesting to me. Set in what appears to be modern-day Singapore with a mixture of paranormal investigation, dialogue choices, stealth sequences, and combat that takes notes from Zenless Zone Zero against a shadowy foe powered by the 'Mindrot,' it's already grabbed my attention.

The Varsapura gameplay demo begins with our lead arriving at the headquarters of SEAL (Shadow Entity Analysis and Limitation), part of the Shadow Emergency Alliance, in search of a job. The application form ramps up the Control vibes even more, warning that the interview process requires a "mind scan," and may involve temporary restriction of our senses or an insertion into potentially disturbing scenarios. Fortunately, we're told, "Applicants can exit the scenario at any time by thinking: 'Requesting intervention.'"

Once we've signed on the dotted line, we meet officer Sayuki, who explains the influence of the Mindrot and reveals that the test chamber we're being sent into is powered by the Mindbog, which manifests in the form of derogatory comments; how very modern social media. More directly pressing are the shadow creatures it spawns, which our character battles with umbrella-based attacks (a real Hoyoverse favorite of late, between ZZZ's Vivian and Yuzuha, but I love playing as both so I won't complain).

The battle system looks familiar enough that you probably know what to expect if you've played Zenless Zone Zero or Genshin Impact. You can swap between party members mid-combat, and some of the voice lines indicate specific enemy weaknesses. I'm particularly taken by Sayuki, who bashes foes with stacks of files, sending papers flying everywhere. However, Hoyoverse looks to have a few fresh tricks up its sleeve as well.

Speaking to the mysterious Mr. Shadow, the player character reveals why they want to join SEAL: "I'm looking for my killer - not the most altruistic goal." It looks like we'll have a bit more narrative control than the Hoyoverse standard of 'two options with one outcome,' too. During the conversation, there are options marked with colored tags including 'Empathy,' 'Persuasion,' and 'Deception,' along with a standard response to just provide an up-front answer.

We're also treated to an open-world driving sequence around what appears to be a modern-day city; the street signs suggest this may in fact be a direct take on Singapore, thanks to references to real-life roads. There's also a stealth sequence where the lead floats up onto rooftops with her umbrella and uses abilities to stun and assassinate patrolling foes. The more realistic art style is somewhat at odds with the anime character design, but I could see myself getting used to it pretty quickly.

While Hoyoverse doesn't have much else to say for now, it does add that "upon entering Varsapura, the protagonist's appearance shifts to match each viewer's preferences," suggesting that we'll have the ability to fully customize the look of our main character. Its other statements refer to the studio "currently recruiting individuals with exceptional perceptual acuity and high cognitive stability," a nod to the fact that it's hiring for more developers to work on the project. I'll certainly be watching this one with close interest.