This open-world RPG is more like GTA than I expected, and "you can interact with almost any object you can see"

The gorgeous open-world RPG that mixes Genshin Impact with Grand Theft Auto just received another trailer, and not only does it continue to look eye-catching, we also learned that “you can interact with almost any object you can see.”

Project Mugen was officially announced last month by publisher NetEase, and a recent trailer showed off the swinging/grappling/webbing movement that invited plenty of comparisons to Marvel’s Spider-Man. The newest trailer (below) makes the game seem like a mash-up of other very good games.

“When discussing urban exploration, our designers pointed out that objects on the street should not just be decorations, but also things to vandalise or utilise, opening up new opportunities for exploration and interaction,” explained the game’s technical director Zane Zhang. “This idea meant a lot of extra work for our dev team, but we believe that offering this sort of freedom is what really matters when making a game like Project Mugen.”

Zhang continued to explain that when you’re strolling through the city streets, “you can interact with almost any object that you can see… whether you want to wreak havoc on the streets like a bully, or relive your childhood by playing peekaboo with cats, there is no limit to what you can do here.” I hear that you can play with cats and I’m immediately sold. The clip below also showed how you can ride various vehicles, text on your phones, and throw around everyday objects with telekinesis - reminding me of the brilliant Control.

Project Mugen’s world is undoubtedly beautiful - soaked in neon lights, high-rise towers, and quirky characters - but it might not stay idealistic for long. The developers previously teased that things might get “messed up” due to people’s dreams getting mixed up with reality. I’m sure our superpowered Jean-Grey-meets-Peter-Parker protagonists can help save the day, though.

There’s no release date yet for Project Mugen, but it’ll launch on PlayStation 5, PC, and mobile when it’s ready.

You can check out our new games of 2023 and beyond guide to tide you over until Project Mugen drops.

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.