Could "Infinite ANANTA" Become the Leading New Open World RPG? Impressions from a Hands-On Preview Surprised by Its High Quality [TGS2025]
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/731/G073164/20250925084/
Editorial Department: René | 2025/09/25 12:42 (UTC)
At the Tokyo Game Show 2025 currently taking place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, NetEase Games’ upcoming open-world RPG “Ananta: Infinite” (available on PC / PS5 / PS4 / iOS / Android) was on playable display. In this article, we present our hands-on impressions.
Ananta: Infinite is a new urban open-world RPG developed by Naked Rain Studio, part of NetEase Games. It was initially announced under the name “Project Mugen” (related article), and in September 2025, it garnered significant attention with the release of its latest gameplay trailer—demonstrating impressive production quality.
The protagonist is a detective known as an “investigator” operating in New Kaimen City, handling various incidents and troubles. The player’s affiliated organization, A.C.D., gathers individuals with exceptional abilities, and the main character holds the position of captain.
The first hands-on experience focused on the story mode, centered around a conflict with an enemy faction known as “Kurokin Group.”
In combat, players can perform regular attacks and also execute “Parry” moves timed to their opponent’s attack. Successfully executing these parries allows you to dodge incoming strikes while countering effectively.
Combat doesn’t end there—after regular battles, players are thrust into intense car chases. Suddenly, the gameplay shifts to driving and shooting at enemy vehicles, with opportunities to destroy tires and engage in dynamic vehicular combat.
Additionally, outside of combat, players can experience thrilling actions such as drifting through a bustling metropolis while operating a car. These sequences allow for smashing through obstacles with an exhilarating sense of force—offering the kind of satisfying chaos rarely found in everyday life.
The car chase sequences featured in the official gameplay trailer are worth watching—please check them out to fully appreciate their high quality.
After enjoying the story mode, we switched to “Free Exploration”. While in story mode you control the protagonist as captain, free exploration allows character switching—so we chose Taffy, a young girl with bunny ears who works as a delivery driver.
What stood out about playing as Taffy was that she can ride a Segway bike, which makes sense given her role as a delivery worker. The fact that each character has their own unique vehicle is an appealing feature in itself.
Furthermore, while riding the Segway bike, players can stream music via an in-game radio that allows switching between various pre-set tracks. The attention to detail in such playful features left us genuinely impressed.
However, just as Taffy confronts a gang of street toughs, we were informed by staff that our time had run out—regrettably, this was the end of our hands-on session.
Although we couldn’t experience everything, the game features a variety of vehicles beyond the Segway—players can pilot boats and even airplanes. Additionally, customization options allow players to turn their cars into “tough” or customized rides.
Another standout feature is that all playable characters are obtainable without gacha mechanics. In-game purchases are limited to skins and cosmetic items; there’s no traditional “character gacha” system. Each character also has their own unique story, meaning even players who avoid spending money can experience all content—a major plus, especially for a high-quality game like this.
In the game’s setting, New Kaimen City features numerous buildings and characters resembling Japanese architecture and culture. This may make it particularly appealing to Japanese players.
Without exaggeration, Ananta: Infinite is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated open-world RPGs set to release in the near future. We’re eagerly looking forward to more updates on this title.