Directorate Novitiate Trailer Reveals Noir Urban Fantasy RPG

Trust is dangerous. Love is deadly. Nesting Games has just unleashed a narrative trailer for Directorate Novitiate, a brooding urban fantasy action RPG aiming to shake up the genre when it hits Early Access this summer. With artful noir visuals and a 2006 Los Angeles crawling with supernatural secrets, Directorate Novitiate is more than an RPG—it’s an invitation to a shadowy world where every decision leaves a mark.

Mercury’s Double Life Takes Center Stage

Magical criminal underworld lurks beneath LA’s glossy veneer.
Shape Mercury’s fate and relationships with branching choices.
Noir-inspired visuals and cinematic third-person combat.
Early Access set for Summer 2025.

Publisher|Nesting Games
Release Date|Summer 2025 (Early Access)
Genres|Action RPG, Narrative, Urban Fantasy
Platforms|PC (Early Access), with other platforms TBA

The trailer drops us into the fractured life of Kana Luna—known in LA’s shadows as Mercury. By day, she’s an ordinary Angeleno. By night, she’s an assassin navigating a supernatural war between rival Syndicates. The narrative teases not just magical intrigue, but also the heartbreak, betrayal, and impossible choices that come with leading a double life. Mercury’s journey is more than just spells and shootouts—it’s a fight for her soul.

Directorate Novitiate: Mercury in a neon-lit LA alley, ready for action — Noir visuals and neon-soaked backdrops set the stage for Mercury’s nighttime exploits.

The trailer isn’t shy about the stakes. Fractured relationships, emotional fallout, and the chilling threat of the “Constellation Killer” loom large. Every scene oozes with narrative potential. If you crave RPGs where decisions carry real weight—think Disco Elysium or Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines—Directorate Novitiate promises a similar punch, but with a fresh, urban fantasy twist.

Mercury facing a magical adversary in combat, urban fantasy setting — Cinematic combat blends magical powers with gritty urban brawling.

Directorate Novitiate isn’t just about dialogue trees. Nesting Games is promising cinematic third-person combat—think spell-slinging meets alleyway slugfests—and a city where every friendship, rivalry, and location hides secrets. Choices will ripple across the story and gameplay alike. It’s a bold claim for an indie, but with industry veterans Frederick and Sebastien Brassard at the helm, the stakes feel real.

Atmospheric LA cityscape, stylized with magical elements — 2006 Los Angeles reimagined: a city where the supernatural simmers beneath the surface.

Early Access releases can sometimes stumble out of the gate, but first looks at Directorate Novitiate are promising. The blend of noir art, narrative ambition, and brawling magical combat gives it a unique edge. The big question: can it deliver on its branching storylines and emotional stakes in an already-crowded genre? If Nesting Games pulls it off, this could be the urban fantasy sleeper hit of the summer.

Mercury and allies in tense conversation, noir atmosphere — Who can Mercury trust? The game’s branching narrative ensures no relationship is simple.

TL;DR: Directorate Novitiate is a narrative-driven urban fantasy action RPG launching in Early Access this summer. Set in a haunted, magical 2006 LA, it puts players in Mercury’s shoes—an assassin caught between worlds. Expect noir-inspired visuals, cinematic combat, and choices that shape both the city and its characters.

Source: Nesting Games via GamesPress