Ethan Crossfield 
ProbablyMonsters' Nekome: Nazi Hunter makes its intentions clear immediately: this is a Grindhouse-inspired action game built around violently humiliating Nazis. After roughly 30 minutes with its pre-beta preview, the concept feels less like empty shock value and more like a focused revenge fantasy with an unusually blunt sense of style.
What happened
The preview opens in a lavish palace, where Nazi officers celebrate the creation of additional death camps over a lavish meal. Vano Nastasu enters disguised as a butler, presenting a silver platter that contains a severed Nazi head. He then turns on the group's leader, using a blade marked with the word Nekome, described by the game as Yiddish for vengeance.
The opening sequence is intentionally excessive. Vano cuts down the leader before the player takes control and attacks the remaining officers. Combat uses repeated strikes for rapid slashes and dismemberment, while a separate button allows Vano to parry and break enemy defenses. The system is straightforward rather than technical, but its directness suits the game's blood-soaked presentation.
The story then moves into Vano's past. Hitler's Hyenas kill his parents and force Vano and his sister into a horrifying fight. Vano refuses to kill her, stabs himself instead, and survives after the Nazi leader shoots him and leaves him for dead. Years later, Vano is in New York City, training under Harold, a butcher who serves as his mentor. When Nazis attack and kill Harold, Vano's pursuit expands into a search through a 1940s American-German Bund operation.
Why it matters
Nekome's strongest quality is its refusal to treat Nazi villains with restraint or dignity. The game frames their crimes as the source of Vano's trauma, then answers their cruelty with theatrical, deliberately ugly punishment. That approach is unsubtle, but the preview suggests the lack of subtlety is the point.
The limited combat depth could become a concern over a longer campaign. During the preview, attacking and parrying were easy to understand, while the pre-beta build showed some roughness. Still, the jank did not undermine the central appeal: the game quickly establishes a satisfying rhythm of entering hostile spaces, finding targets, and tearing through them.
Stealth follows the same philosophy. In the New York alley sequence, Vano can quietly eliminate enemies while tracking Harold's killer. These encounters are simple, yet effective, and offer a change of pace from the louder arena fights.
What to watch next
The full game will determine whether Nekome can build variety around its revenge premise. Players should watch for deeper combat options, more distinctive stealth scenarios, and evidence that the story can sustain Vano's anger beyond its deliberately provocative opening.
The preview did not provide a firm launch date, though the game is expected to arrive sometime early next year according to the source material. For now, Nekome is best understood as an early look at a stylish, aggressively violent action game rather than a finished assessment.
Key takeaways from the preview
- The game centers on Vano Nastasu and his campaign of revenge against Nazi forces.
- Combat emphasizes fast slashes, dismemberment, and simple parries over complex technique.
- Stealth kills provide a quieter alternative during the New York investigation.
- The preview build is visibly pre-beta, with some roughness but no major distraction.
- A firm release date was not provided; the source only points to an early-next-year launch window.
Expert View
Nekome: Nazi Hunter understands that its premise only works if the villains are treated as targets, not icons. The execution is crude by design, but that commitment gives the preview a clear identity. Its real test will be whether ProbablyMonsters can add mechanical variety without diluting the furious, pulpy energy that makes the first 30 minutes memorable.
