E3 2019 became noteworthy for two things. Keanu Reeve’s breathtaking Cyberpunk 2077 reveal and Ikumi Nakamura’s debut with her first original IP. Titled GhostWire: Tokyo, it would see players seeking out answers to why people are disappearing. Delving into conspiracies wrapped around occult practices, it was so creative and unique many who otherwise detested Bethesda by that point were willing to give it a chance.

By September, her relationship with Zenimax soured, and she departed from her position as creative director. Comments she made around the time indicated her departure was less amicable than her public statements indicated. That the reason for her departure stemmed around political meddling into the scope of the project, but with no concrete statement from Nakamura herself, it is unknown what degree and to what ends this interference was taking. Given her comments on this game being a life long passion project, it only stands to reason that her intentions were in making a game for gamers like herself rather than attempting to push or conform to some political agenda.

As we have now seen what has become of GhostWire, her influences on the studio’s designs have taken on a more clear picture.

Similar to The Evil Within, of which Nakamura was the Lead Art Designer, the game’s original presentation depicted a dark, oppressive world filled with powerful and unknown threats. Seeking to bring only ruin to the world of humanity as we stood stalwart in its defense. Now the Asian Mythology inspired horror game has taken on a neon techno punk aesthetic that permeates its entire design.

Removing any sense of fear or intimidation, the enemies appear to be in some kind of simulation. Where you will defeat them with slow-paced arcade-like combat that by all rights should be vastly faster paced.

Any chances this game had to succeed clearly departed with Nakamura. Indeed, it will undoubtedly find a fandom, but much like The Evil Within 2, it looks like a flop in the making.