Hethereau

Overview

Hethereau is the primary setting of Neverness to Everness and serves as the game's open-world map. It is a sprawling modern metropolis where the mundane rhythms of urban life coexist with supernatural Anomalies that can reshape the city's fabric at any moment. The city is designed as a fully seamless environment with no loading screens between areas, allowing players to walk, drive, fly, or otherwise traverse from one end to the other without interruption.

In Hethereau, the player takes on the role of an Appraiser (initially an unlicensed Anomaly Hunter) who explores the open world and fights hostile forces while advancing through the story. The city draws inspiration from real-world coastal metropolitan areas, blending modern skyscrapers, historic waterfront districts, lush natural parks, and rugged coastal landscapes into a single cohesive environment. The developers at Hotta Studio have emphasized that Hethereau is not just a combat arena but a living city with systems designed to make it feel inhabited and reactive.

City Structure and Districts

Hethereau is divided into four major districts, each with its own visual identity, cultural character, and gameplay opportunities:

• Bridge Crossing The historic heart of Old Town, where two mighty sea-spanning bridges meet. Known for topping Hethereau's livability charts with its budget-friendly vibe and laid-back rhythm, featuring quirky one-of-a-kind shops in cozy hidden lanes.

• Miguel District A traveler's retreat where the city's grandest natural beauty meets its tallest landmark. Home to the iconic Hethereau Skytower, the shimmering Caltrop Lake, and the bustling Noetic Bridge shopping scene. Added during the Containment Test.

• New Herland District Hethereau's glittering crown jewel, where towering skyscrapers pierce the sky and the biggest names in business call home. The most cutthroat Anomaly Hunter market in the city. Added during the Containment Test.

• Unheard Shores An ultimate getaway location featuring rugged mountains, camping spots, the sea train with its whistles blaring and seagulls soaring, and the Orichalcos Imaginist concert venue where chart-topping stars light up the stage.

The addition of Miguel District and New Herland District during the Containment Test in July 2025 expanded Hethereau's playable area to approximately 1.5 times its original size, making it substantially larger than the city available in the initial Chinese CBT.

Dynamic Day-Night Cycle

Hethereau features a dynamic day-night cycle that affects the city's visual presentation, NPC behavior, enemy spawns, and available activities. During the day, the streets are busier with foot traffic, shops are open, and the city feels vibrant and active. As night falls, the atmosphere shifts. Neon signs illuminate the skyline, different NPCs appear, certain Anomalies become more active, and the city takes on a moodier, more atmospheric tone.

The transition between day and night is gradual, with golden-hour lighting during dawn and dusk that showcases the game's Unreal Engine 5 rendering. Time-sensitive events and quests may only be available during specific times of day, encouraging players to explore the city at different hours.

Dynamic Weather and Climate

The city also has a dynamic climate system that cycles through clear skies, overcast conditions, rain, fog, and storms. Weather affects more than just visuals, it influences gameplay mechanics:

• Rain Wet road surfaces reduce vehicle traction, making driving more challenging. Some Anomalies may be more active during rain.

• Fog Reduces visibility, creating opportunities for stealth-oriented gameplay and adding tension to exploration.

• Storms More intense weather events that may coincide with increased Anomaly activity or special encounters.

Weather conditions directly affect vehicle handling in the Vehicles and Traversal system, making driving in rain or storms a distinctly different experience from clear-weather cruising.

Seamless Traversal

One of Hethereau's defining technical achievements is its fully seamless design without loading screens. Players can move between districts, enter buildings, descend into underground areas, and transition between the normal city and its supernatural variant without any loading interruptions.

Players can traverse Hethereau using a wide variety of methods described in the Vehicles and Traversal article, including walking, sprinting, wall-running, gliding, swimming, driving customizable vehicles (with the ability to modify sports cars), and using character-specific traversal abilities. Nanally's Anti-Gravity ability enables vertical exploration, while Lacrimosa's bat transformation (via her Sleepwalk passive) allows flight-based traversal.

NPC Daily Routines

The citizens of Hethereau follow daily routines that change based on the time of day. Shopkeepers open and close their stores, office workers commute to the financial district in the morning and head home in the evening, street performers appear at certain hours, and nightlife crowds populate bars and entertainment venues after dark.

This NPC behavior system contributes to the feeling that Hethereau is a living city rather than a static game map. Players who observe NPC patterns may discover hidden quest triggers, shop discounts at specific hours, or unique interaction opportunities that only occur during certain daily windows.

Urban Life Activities

Beyond combat and exploration, Hethereau offers a variety of urban life activities that reinforce the "daily life" fantasy of living in a modern city:

• Vehicle customization Players can modify and drive sports cars and other vehicles freely around the streets.

• Business management Run shops and manage businesses within the city.

• Home customization Customize homes and show them to friends via the multiplayer system.

• Mini-games Activities like fishing, taxi driving, racing, mahjong, rhythm games, and working at coffee shops are available throughout the city.

• Pink Paws Heist A unique activity introduced in the Co-Ex Test allowing players to plunder resources.

Supernatural Transformation

Hethereau is not just a normal city. Under certain conditions. Typically triggered by story events, high-level Anomaly activity, or specific quests: the city undergoes seamless transitions where the surrounding environment shifts to a much more surreal, creepier version of itself in real-time. During these transformations, buildings may twist, the sky may change color, reality may fracture, and enemies that do not appear in the normal city emerge.

These supernatural episodes are a core part of the game's narrative identity, reflecting the tension between Hethereau's mundane urban life and the anomalous forces that lurk beneath its surface. The Bureau of Anomaly Control exists specifically to manage and contain these phenomena.

Key Locations Within Hethereau

Beyond the four districts, Hethereau contains several notable locations that play important roles in the game's story and systems:

• Bureau of Anomaly Control The government organization's headquarters, where the protagonist is recruited as an Appraiser.

• Eibon Antique Shop Located in Bridge Crossing, this is the most renowned shop in the Bridge District. Hotori serves as the elegant proprietress, while Nanally is the head of the Coluccis family who are associated with the shop. A key story location and hub for quests.

• Sterry Express A delivery company where Hathor works as an elite courier. Operates throughout the city with delivery routes spanning multiple districts.

• Hethereau Skytower The city's tallest landmark, located in Miguel District. Visible from across the city and serves as a navigation reference point.

• Orichalcos Imaginist A major concert venue in Unheard Shores where chart-topping stars light up the stage with epic concerts. May host in-game events and performances.

Crime and Wanted System

Introduced during the Co-Ex Test, Hethereau features a crime and law enforcement system. Committing illegal acts in the city increases the player's wanted level, which may lead to police pursuit. When caught, the player is sent to a fully-realized detention center where they can work off their debt through community service. The detention center features its own daily schedule, traders, and unique rewards, including a prison outfit for the protagonist. See the Crime and Wanted System article for full details.

Anomaly Dungeons

Large-scale Anomaly Dungeons are located throughout Hethereau and are designed around cooperative multiplayer. Notable dungeons introduced in the Co-Ex Test include The Bank and The Hospital, which require players to work together to navigate environments and complete encounters.

Expansion History

Hethereau has grown significantly across the game's test phases:

• Chinese CBT (November 2024) The initial version of Hethereau was available with Bridge Crossing and Unheard Shores as the primary explorable areas.

• Containment Test (July 2025) Added Miguel District and New Herland District, expanding the city to 1.5 times its original size. This was the first global English test.

• Co-Ex Test (February 6-20, 2026) Further refined all four districts with additional details, the crime and wanted system, drivable vehicles, cross-platform play across PS5/PC/mobile, visual upgrades, and new urban activities.

The developers have indicated that Hethereau will continue to expand after launch, with new areas and districts added through major content updates.

Related Pages

• Bridge Crossing The historic old town district.

• Miguel District The tourist paradise district.

• New Herland District The financial hub district.

• Unheard Shores The coastal getaway district.

• Vehicles and Traversal How to get around the city.

• Crime and Wanted System Law enforcement in Hethereau.

• Bureau of Anomaly Control The organization managing anomalies.

• Multiplayer Co-op activities and Anomaly Dungeons.

• Hotori Proprietress of the Eibon Antique Shop.

• Nanally Head of the Coluccis family in Bridge Crossing.