Overview

• Aggregators place the game in the mid‑80s on Metacritic and OpenCritic, with outlets praising story, atmosphere, and art direction.
• Series producer Motoi Okamoto publicly welcomed the score and said the combat‑focused design was expected to split opinion.
• Deluxe edition early access began September 23, with the full release set for September 25 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, alongside a new launch trailer.
• NeoBards centers play on gun‑free melee built around stamina management, dodges, counters, weapon degradation, and sanity/focus systems.
• Reviews note a roughly 10–15 hour first run and emphasize replayability via New Game+ and multiple endings, as well as reports of PS5 Pro hitches and differing frame‑rate modes across consoles, including a 30 fps cap on Series S.