NTE Releases Prologue Gameplay Trailer: Here Are My Thoughts

Last Updated on February 3, 2026 by Dante

NTE just showcased their prologue gameplay trailer on YouTube, signaling the next phase in the project’s launch schedule.

Although I’m bummed I didn’t get an invitation for the beta test, I studied this footage and saw a lot of promising things that make waiting for NTE worth it.

Let’s roll the footage and get into it.

The Graphics are Tight and a Bit Cartoonish

From the first moment Lacrimonsa appeared in Hethereau, I knew the graphics were about to pop.

And, I was right.

Hotta Studio went deep in their bag, showing off some crisp visuals that impressively blur the lines between comic/emoji playfulness and real-world dystopia.

Take a look at the opening sequence:

If you pay close attention, you can clearly see the juxtaposition between realism and cartoon. I think the absence of bright lighting makes this continuous switch feel less obnoxious.

And, the polish is really surreal, too.

In the opening sequence, after Lacrimosa deals some paint-like attacks, the paint left on the street bubbles up immediately. It doesn’t awkwardly linger on the screen like you would expect a contrast color would. This isn’t Splatoon.

It leaves just as gracefully as when the color palette enters the screen. Hotta Studio has clearly been giving it their all on the graphics side of this project.

In one of the project’s earlier videos, you can see that commitment to detail:

Yes, you saw that correctly. This is NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art DLSS 4. They just released some news earlier in January about this technology being available in more than 250 games, such as 007 First Light and Phantom Blade Zero.

DLSS 4.5 will be unveiled later in the year, so I wonder if NTE will make the upgrade and improve on these graphics. Nonetheless, this game is going to look amazing on PC and console.

The Cinematics Are Super Clean

This cinematic scene got me hyped:

The graphics are so good!

You can see the light refraction on the windows of the disembodied skyscrapers in the sky, tons of falling debris in great detail, and that absolutely stunning/terrifying spinning vortex thing on the horizon.

Just take a look at these freeze frames:

See the bubbles, the wreckage, and the skyline?

It literally looks like the vortext above is swallowing the cityscape, brick by brick.

Even down to the small water droplets floating above.

This is my favorite cinematic from the trailer, and if it’s a sign of what’s to come, this project is going to become a favorite.

The Battle Mechanics are Very Good

The battle mechanics in NTE are very good as advertised.

Take a look at Fadia taking these creatures to the woodshed:

There are some notable little features I like already:

• The multiplier numbers expand so you can really see how much damage you’re inflicting in combos. Usually in aggressive combat, there are so many on the damn screen that everything becomes illegible. No such problem here. Good job, devs.
• The enemy AI is really good. You’ve got maybe three seconds to solo an enemy before the others hover next to you. They’re not gonna idle and then give you the flashing red cursor and attack. Very clean details. Button mashing won’t save you here. You’re going to have to parry and dodge a lot.
• The attack speed is realistic for Fadia. With that big ass weapon, she packs a punch without spinning across the entire screen in two seconds.

No complaints here. I did want to see a higher battle pace, but this is just a beta test, and I imagine NTE is going to be beginner-friendly for the entire prologue before throwing players into the furnace.

The Game is Wacky as Hell

Right after the cutscene where the city basically falls apart, we got this wacky ass scene:

NTE seems to do this a lot.

It’s clearly not going to be an emo game like Wuthering Waves. It kind of has that serious-playful flexibility like Zenless Zone Zero. Kind of like “this world is hanging on a knife’s edge, but traffic is still a bitch”.

I like it.

Some Scenes Can Be Tightened Up

Alright, time for some criticism.

Take a look at this scene:

This is a beta test, so I know this scene is far from a finished product.

But, here are some things I noticed:

• There needs to be some polish from cutscenes back to gameplay. After the van pulled up, we got hit with a heavy dose of enhanced graphics (you can see the van’s reflection in Nelly’s eyeball) to stark emptiness when the van peeled off. It’s a bit uncanny. Esper Zero, standing in the middle of an empty-looking parking garage, was a little weird for me.
• The cutscenes inside the Bureau can be cleaned up. It was a bit rushed and patchy, especially during the exchange between Fadia and Baichang.

Also, the camera angles can be better in accentuated situations, such as referencing something:

The camera pan was super stiff.

But, I wasn’t that focused on any of this to be honest when I saw Esper Zero give us this clean tour of the Bureau:

Again, the graphics are so good!

My Final Thoughts

Overall, I really liked what I saw from the prologue trailer.

It could definitely use some tightening up, as this is what a beta test is for.

But NTE answered the most pressing questions about the realism of its ambitions by providing stunning graphics and fluid, intelligent combat.

I still won’t give a final verdict on whether I’ll play until I see an in-depth city tour of Hethereau.

Even so, Hotta Studio did good work here, and I’m eager to see more of this project.

Pre-Register for Neverness to Everness on their official website.