Neverness to Everness (NTE) Review – Beta Co-Ex Test

Rolling the Dice on Something Special

The live-service gacha space has been crowded ever since Genshin Impact reshaped the genre. We’ve explored interstellar railways in Honkai: Star Rail, anticipated the tactical evolution of Arknights: Endfield, and watched studios iterate on open-world formulas that blend story, spectacle, and monetization.

Yet despite the abundance of options, one setting has remained surprisingly rare: a fully realized, modern metropolis that feels grounded in reality.

That’s where Neverness to Everness (NTE) enters the conversation.

After spending extensive time in the Co-Ex beta test on PS5, I can confidently say: this isn’t just another gacha contender. It’s a game with ambition and more importantly, identity.

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A City That Feels Alive: Welcome to Hethereau

NTE unfolds in Hethereau, a dense urban environment plagued by “Anomalies” distortions in reality that range from subtle oddities to existential horrors. You awaken with no memories (yes, the classic gacha trope), and are quickly recruited by the Bureau of Anomaly Control. Assigned to the underfunded Eibon branch, you work as an appraiser investigating supernatural disturbances across the city.

It sounds familiar on paper. But in execution, it feels fresh.

Unlike fantasy kingdoms or post-apocalyptic wastelands, Hethereau resembles our world. Highways stretch across districts. Convenience stores glow under neon signage. Rain reflects off asphalt in a way that feels tactile and atmospheric. The density of architecture gives the illusion of a living city rather than a decorative backdrop.

For players craving urban immersion, this setting alone sets NTE apart.

Narrative Structure: Main Quests as Case Files

Most live-service RPGs fall into a predictable quest loop: talk to NPC, defeat enemy, report back.

NTE takes a more investigative approach.

Each main quest plays like a supernatural case file. You don’t just eliminate anomalies—you study them. You learn their origins, behavioral patterns, and implications for the city. The structure evokes serialized mystery storytelling more than traditional RPG progression.

This design gives weight to progression. Instead of checking boxes, you feel like you’re participating in unfolding investigations.

The Caveat: Level Gating

Main quests are level-locked. For some players, this may interrupt narrative pacing. However, the gating felt intentional rather than punitive. It nudged exploration rather than forcing grind repetition.

Side Content That Refuses to Be Filler

Side quests are often afterthoughts in gacha RPGs.

Here, they are delightful experiments.

During the beta, I experienced:

• Perspective shifts between 3D and 2D puzzle segments
• A rhythm-based band performance mini-arc
• Character-driven slice-of-life episodes expanding city culture

These quests flesh out Hethereau beyond combat zones. They reinforce the idea that this is a city you inhabit not just an arena you clear.

That distinction matters.

Combat: Stylish, But Needing Greater Role Diversity

NTE features real-time action combat with a party-swap system. Characters each bring unique abilities, and switching mid-combat plays a central role in flow.

The Esper Gauge System

The standout mechanic is the Esper Gauge. When swapping characters, the incoming character performs an entry attack while the outgoing one remains active for a brief overlap. This creates fluid, relay-style combat moments that feel dynamic and visually satisfying.

It’s not just a rotation mechanic it rewards timing.

The Weakness: Melee Dominance

The current beta roster leans heavily toward melee combat. While some characters have ranged abilities, they are not baseline attack styles. The result is combat that can occasionally feel repetitive: dodge, combo, build meter, ultimate, repeat.

Greater role diversity true ranged specialists, support archetypes with distinct identity would significantly elevate long-term combat depth.

The Gacha System: Interactive and Surprisingly Generous

Let’s address monetization.

The gacha system uses:

• Blue Dice for standard banners
• Red Dice for limited banners
• Hard pity at 90 pulls
• 100% guaranteed featured unit on limited banners (no 50/50)

During approximately 110 pulls in the beta, I acquired three S-tier characters—an unusually generous rate.

But what truly differentiates NTE is presentation.

Instead of a passive animation, you roll dice across a board-game layout, landing on tiles that correspond to rewards. Pulling becomes interactive, tactile, and visually transparent.

It reframes what is usually an anxiety-driven system into something playful.

Will generosity remain at launch? Unknown. Beta economies are often kinder. But structurally, this is one of the more creative gacha implementations in recent memory.

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Mini-Games and Beta Friction Points

NTE wants Hethereau to feel lived-in. To that end, it includes mini-games such as mahjong and driving.

Mahjong

Currently online-only. A single-player option would greatly improve accessibility and allow casual engagement without queue dependency.

Driving

A promising idea hindered by stiff handling. Vehicle responsiveness lacks fluidity, making races feel heavier than intended.

PS5 Performance Observations

• Camera sensitivity is overly aggressive, with no adjustment options.
• Certain quest triggers failed unless the player physically left and reentered large map zones.
• Companion affinity system occasionally bugged out when summoning characters.

These issues are frustrating but expected in a beta test. None appear foundationally broken. They are refinements, not red flags.

Relationship System: A Surprisingly Charming Touch

One feature that stood out was character affinity.

Increase affinity high enough, and characters can accompany you throughout the city walking side by side, even holding hands during exploration. It’s a small detail, but it reinforces the emotional dimension of the world.

In a genre that often emphasizes combat efficiency over connection, this system feels refreshingly human.

Technical & Product Overview

Final Verdict: A Foundation Stronger Than Its Flaws

For every shortcoming camera sensitivity, limited combat diversity, stiff driving there’s a counterweight:

• A compelling urban setting
• Investigative quest design
• Creative side content
• An innovative gacha presentation
• A fluid character-switching combat system

Most importantly, NTE feels distinct.

In an oversaturated market, originality matters more than perfection.

The Co-Ex beta reveals a game with rough edges but also one with enough ambition and structural strength to withstand them. If refinements continue at this pace, Neverness to Everness could carve out a lasting place in the modern gacha ecosystem.

When global launch arrives, I’ll be there on day one not out of obligation, but genuine anticipation.

And in today’s market, that’s saying something.