HoYoverse, the team behind gacha-based live-service gaming giants Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero, has unveiled its next title, Varsapura, an open-world RPG that’s set in Singapore.
As revealed via a lengthy 31-minute gameplay video, Varsapura is currently in development and will run on Unreal Engine 5, with the studio also recruiting developers for roles at both its Singapore and Shanghai offices.
Running on an Nvidia RTX 4090 pc, the gameplay trailer looks to take place at the start of the game, with the player character, who the game teases will be customisable to “match each viewer’s preferences”, signing up for an organisation known as SEAL (Shadow Emergency Alliance) and facing off against monsters using unique weaponry like an umbrella or literal paper folders. Although plot details remain slim, the game will revolve around a phenomenon known as Mindrot, alongside something called “Cognosea disruption events”.
After the initial indoor section, the trailer cuts to an open-world driving section, which gives an extended look at the game’s Singapore-inspired setting, with locals undoubtedly recognising notable landmarks like street signs bearing the names of Serangoon and Rochor, or in-game representations of the Bras Basah area, Parliament House and the Church of Saints Peter & Paul.
While still in its very early days, Varsapura looks to be not only one of the studio’s most ambitious RPGs yet, but also the most interesting, with its unique local setting. No info has been revealed on the game’s inevitable gacha monetisation systems either, and since the studio is still in the process of looking for developers to work on the game, it might be a while before more info is revealed on HoYoverse’s next big title.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
Si Jia
