The Snake Scale Umbrella is the signature weapon of the Hollowone protagonist in Varsapura. It was inherited from the SEAL officer who destroyed her previous existence, making it both a personal memento and a practical tool. The umbrella is central to the protagonist's identity and distinguishes her moveset from standard action RPG weapons.
Origin
Before the events of the game, a SEAL officer carrying a snake-scale umbrella killed the Hollowone protagonist's "former self." The exact circumstances of this event have not been fully explained. What is known is that the protagonist inherited the umbrella afterward, and it became her weapon of choice. Her decision to join SEAL is motivated partly by the desire to find this officer and learn the truth about what happened. The umbrella ties the gameplay directly to the protagonist's narrative arc.
Combat functions
In the Combat System, the Snake Scale Umbrella supports multiple attack types:
Function | Description |
|---|---|
Melee strikes | Close-range attacks using the umbrella as a bludgeon or blade-like weapon. Normal attacks include light and heavy variants that form combo chains. The umbrella swings in wide arcs that can hit multiple enemies. |
Throwable projectile | The protagonist can launch the umbrella at distant targets. It returns to her hand automatically after hitting, similar to a boomerang. This gives her a ranged option without switching to a different weapon. |
Skill ability | A cooldown-based special attack tied to the umbrella. The exact effect was shown briefly in the demo but not fully detailed. |
Ultimate ability | A high-damage burst attack for critical moments in fights. The demo showed a dramatic, cinematic ultimate that dealt heavy damage to surrounding enemies. |
Traversal functions
The umbrella doubles as a traversal tool in the open world:
Gliding: The protagonist opens the umbrella above her head and glides across distances. This is particularly useful for crossing gaps between rooftops in the City of Rain. The gliding mechanic may remind players of Genshin Impact's wind glider, though the aesthetic and physics differ.
Silent aerial approach: During stealth segments, the protagonist can glide silently over enemies and execute overhead drop attacks. The umbrella's quiet glide makes it a natural fit for infiltration.
Weapon identity
Each playable character in Varsapura has a unique, unconventional weapon. Sayuki fights with police documents, and Dokki uses a wrecking ball. The Snake Scale Umbrella fits this pattern of weapons that are surprising on the surface but practical in context. An umbrella makes thematic sense in a city of perpetual rain, and its snake-scale texture hints at something supernatural about the object's nature.
In the gameplay demo
The 31-minute demo showed the umbrella transitioning smoothly between combat and traversal. One sequence had the protagonist fighting Shadow Monsters on a rooftop, then immediately opening the umbrella to glide to the next building without a pause. This fluidity between combat mode and exploration mode is a selling point of the weapon's design. The umbrella was also used during the SEAL assessment trial in the Otherworld, where it performed against both standard enemies and the Mindrot-corrupted environment.
Design influences
Umbrella-based weapons have appeared in other media. Kingsman's bulletproof umbrella, Resident Evil 4 Remake's inclusion of an umbrella weapon, and various martial arts films featuring umbrella fighting styles all precede Varsapura's version. What sets the Snake Scale Umbrella apart is its dual-purpose use as both a combat weapon and a movement tool, plus its narrative connection to the protagonist's backstory.