HoYoverse has introduced a new open-world title called Varsapura, offering a first look at its gameplay and world design through a 31-minute demo released earlier last week. Although still in early development, the footage has drawn considerable attention for its setting, which appears to be heavily inspired by Singapore. The game presents a blend of familiar city landmarks, atmospheric storytelling and action gameplay that marks a notable shift from the studio’s previous works.
A world shaped by Singapore’s cityscape
The gameplay demo showcases two characters exploring an environment that resembles Singapore’s Central Business District. While not a replica, the landscape features reimagined versions of well-known landmarks such as NAFA, Duo Galleria and CHIJMES. A sign referencing Sim Lim Square also appears on a building, though the structure itself bears little resemblance to the actual mall.
The world is filled with nods to Singapore’s urban geography. Road signs reference areas such as Rochor, Kallang, and Serangoon Roads, raising questions about whether these names will remain or be replaced with fictional variants in the final release. The skyline, however, leans more toward that of Shanghai, suggesting the developers may be drawing inspiration from multiple cities to create a unique hybrid environment.
Rain plays a significant thematic role in the game. Its presence throughout the demo has led to speculation that the title Varsapura may incorporate the Sanskrit word for rain or monsoon, reflected in the atmospheric design and storytelling style.
A technical and artistic departure for HoYoverse
Varsapura represents a shift in HoYoverse’s development approach. Unlike Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, which were built using Unity, this new project uses Unreal Engine 5. The visual style also differs from the studio’s typically anime-influenced aesthetic, instead adopting a look more aligned with Lumi_N0va, HoYoverse’s in-house Vtuber model, which is also developed using Unreal Engine 5.
The demo was shown running on an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090, delivering a detailed, smooth presentation of the game world. The character designs appear more grounded and stylised compared to the brighter, more fantastical designs associated with the company’s other titles.
Combat in Varsapura resembles a hack-and-slash system similar to Zenless Zone Zero. Players can access special attacks mapped to ‘E’ for bursts and ‘Q’ for ultimate abilities, echoing combat controls familiar to Genshin Impact players. Character swapping is also included, suggesting that the game’s structure may ultimately share elements with HoYoverse’s existing titles, including the potential for gacha mechanics.
Influences from Control and a new narrative direction
Observers have noted parallels between Varsapura and Remedy Entertainment’s 2019 title Control. This comparison arises not only from the psychic abilities used by the demo’s characters but also from the game’s narrative framework. In Varsapura, players appear to join a covert agency named SEAL, which battles a mysterious force known as Mindrot.
The game also adopts surreal, dreamlike tones. The demo introduces a shadowy figure holding an umbrella who conducts an unusual interview for the SEAL organisation in a dark and abstract dreamscape. This shift towards psychological and atmospheric storytelling marks a notable contrast from the vibrant, stylised worlds typically associated with HoYoverse.
For now, the available footage serves primarily as a recruitment tool as the studio continues to expand its development team. With Varsapura still likely years from completion, it is unclear how closely the final version will resemble the environments, mechanics or designs shown in the demo. The project joins Petit Planet and Honkai: Nexus Anima on HoYoverse’s growing list of upcoming titles.
