Overview
The Walkman is the portable music player feature introduced for Version 1.0 of Neverness to Everness. It lets players listen to the same licensed track library available through the in-car radio while exploring Hethereau on foot, separating music playback from vehicle interactions. The Walkman is treated as a flavor accessory, with on-screen visual cues showing the player wearing earbuds when active.
The feature is named after the iconic Sony Walkman portable music players that defined personal audio in the 1980s and 1990s. In NTE, the Walkman embraces that retro framing while serving as an entirely modern in-game system: a streaming-style music player that plays Persona 5 and Tower of Fantasy collaboration tracks alongside the original soundtrack.
How the Walkman Works
Activate the Walkman from the in-game menu or via a dedicated keybind / button (varies by platform).
Pick a station, playlist, or specific track from the available library.
The character visibly puts on earbuds; music begins playing.
Music continues during on-foot exploration, gliding, parkour, and most non-combat activities.
Audio ducks under important diegetic cues during combat, conversations, and cutscenes, then returns to full volume after the cue clears.
The Walkman is independent of the in-car radio: a player can have the Walkman active while on foot, get into a vehicle, and seamlessly transition to the radio when entering the car. The two systems share the same track library, so favorite songs are accessible from either interface.
Available Music
The Walkman library at launch includes:
Original NTE soundtrack: the in-house compositions described in the Soundtrack article, including the theme song by RICORAY and the urban exploration ambient pieces.
Tower of Fantasy collaboration: eight tracks from Tower of Fantasy, including "Chocolate," "Go, Chaser," "Mirafleur Hall," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Persona 5 Royal collaboration: two tracks, "Beneath the Mask -rain-" and "Life Will Change." See Persona 5 Royal for context.
Persona 5: The Phantom X collaboration: nine tracks including "Show Stealer," "Wake Up Your Hero," "Star Shine," and others. See Persona 5 Phantom X.
Audio Behavior
The Walkman is designed to coexist with the game's diegetic audio rather than dominate it:
Story-critical dialogue ducks the Walkman volume so the conversation is audible.
Combat audio (impact, parry cues, ability triggers) gets priority during fights; the Walkman can play through combat at reduced volume.
Ambient anomaly cues (static, environmental warping) take precedence over the Walkman during anomaly investigation moments.
Cutscenes mute the Walkman entirely during their original score; the track resumes after the cutscene ends.
This audio routing prevents licensed tracks from drowning out story-critical sound design while still keeping music accessible during long traversal sessions.
Comparison: Walkman vs. In-Car Radio
Aspect | Walkman | |
|---|---|---|
Activation | Manually toggled from menu or keybind | Automatic when entering a vehicle |
Use Context | On-foot exploration, gliding, parkour | Vehicle driving, racing |
Visual Cue | Character wears earbuds | Vehicle radio interface |
Library | Same as radio | Same as Walkman |
Audio Mix | Personal headphone mix | Cabin speaker mix with positional fade |
Why the Walkman Exists
The Walkman fills a clear gap in the urban-exploration loop. Hethereau rewards on-foot exploration: shop signage, NPC conversations, climbable rooftops, hidden alleys, and anomaly investigation moments all reward slowing down and walking through the city. Without the Walkman, that on-foot time would be silent of music; the in-car radio only plays inside vehicles.
Adding a portable music player extends the Persona 5 and Tower of Fantasy crossover music to all moments of gameplay rather than gating it behind vehicle use. It also supports the urban life-sim framing the game leans into: walking through a city with personal music is one of the most ordinary modern urban experiences, and including it makes Hethereau feel more like a place a person actually lives.
Tips
Use the Walkman during exploration sessions. Long traversal segments between mission objectives feel more pleasant with music playing.
Pair the Walkman with the photo mode sessions. Composing screenshots while a particular track plays makes the activity feel more like a personal city wander.
Mute the Walkman during anomaly investigation. Some sound design cues blend with environmental audio; licensed music may overlap with subtle tells the game wants you to notice.
Switch tracks based on activity. Combat-leaning tracks (Show Stealer, Life Will Change) suit street racing and heists; calmer tracks (Beneath the Mask -rain-, Mirafleur Hall) suit nighttime walks and apartment downtime.
The Walkman remembers the last track. Closing and reopening it resumes from the same position, so you can curate a continuous playlist across long sessions.
Related Pages
In-Car Radio
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Phantom X
Tower of Fantasy
Soundtrack
Hethereau
Side Activities and Mini-Games