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Rhapsody in Scarlet is Konami's surprise new IP, and its beast-magick combo system is the real hook
Konami has unveiled Rhapsody in Scarlet, a brand-new action-adventure coming to PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Jazz Age New York gives it an unusual stage, while the combat system revolves around combining magick, beast abilities and different attack types into player-built combos.
By Hugat Rhapsody in Scarlet 
Rhapsody in Scarlet is not another remake or the return of a dormant Konami name. It is a new IP, led by Ellie Myers, a young magus who reaches New York hoping to become a jazz singer and ends up tangled in a hidden war instead.
A mysterious mafia conspiracy pulls her into that conflict. The premise gets large very quickly, with Konami already describing a threat capable of upsetting the balance of the world.
Combat is built around making the pieces connect
The interesting part is how many of those pieces can apparently be chained together. Ellie has close-range attacks, long-range options, area-of-effect abilities and magick linked to powerful beasts. Konami says players will be able to combine them into customizable attack sequences rather than treating each tool as a separate combat lane.
Beasts can be switched as encounters evolve, opening different abilities for different situations. Co-producer Takanori Murayama says the team wanted to move away from the weapon-focused close-quarters structure common in modern action games.
That puts plenty of pressure on the combo system. A large move list is easy to advertise. Making its parts interact in ways that reward experimentation is the harder bit.
Sköll is part of Ellie's fighting style
Ellie's beast companion Sköll is not framed as background decoration. Their bond powers coordinated attacks, making the creature system part of both the fiction and the combat mechanics.
Ilya Jones provides another contrast. She leads the Seekers, an organization of magi, and values order while Ellie pushes against authority. Konami describes repeated clashes between the two before their shared battles gradually bring them closer together.
New York gets a supernatural Jazz Age
Konami says the team researched the period using historical material and on-location work, looking at architecture, fashion, automobiles, nightlife and Prohibition-era speakeasies. The fantasy layer is then dropped directly into that setting through beasts, magick and hidden communities of magi.
Jazz is equally central to the pitch. The opening theme, Cool/Hot, is performed by SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS featuring Emi Meyer, while the wider score is intended to connect the swing and energy of the era with the pace of combat.
The release date is still missing
Rhapsody in Scarlet is currently announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam as a single-player game. Konami has not given it a release date.
For now, it can only be wishlisted.