I honestly didn't expect NTE to hook me this hard.
I've been playing it since release and have already put 500+ hours into the game outside of Steam. At this point, it has genuinely become my main game. I log in every single day, and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

WARNING: Wall of text ahead. Sorry in advance.

My first impression was: "Daaamn... this game looks gorgeous." The art style, animations, the city itself, and the overall atmosphere immediately stood out to me. The characters are also very likable... apart from that annoying little rat Taygedo.

One of the best things for me is simply walking around in Hethereau and its surroundings. I never feel like I'm rushing from objective to objective because just wandering around is enjoyable.
What I also really enjoyed was discovering all the little references scattered throughout the game. There are nods to various anime (Like Jojo for example), meme references, and even some easter eggs inspired by other games. They're not overdone, but it's funny when you stumble across them.

There are permanent events and limited time events.
Every in-game event released so far has been really fun, and I've enjoyed them way more than I expected.
One PvP racing event had weapons scattered around the track, letting you blast other players' cars until they exploded and forcing them to find a new ride. It instantly reminded me of the classic Crash Tag Team Racing since you were able to team up with an opponent and you would either drive the car or shoot the guns and you both got the same spot in the leaderboard.

Combat is another highlight.
Building teams around different Cycles to maximize damage feels rewarding without being overly complicated. Experimenting with different combinations, like stacking Blossom and then switching into Nova cycles, while watching Vita Pistils shred enemies as they suffer Mental DMG, is just incredibly satisfying.

Driving is nice to have, although I'm probably one of the few people who still prefers running everywhere.

The soundtrack deserves a mention too for sure, there are plenty of places where the music is incredibly relaxing and fits the atmosphere perfectly.. Especially the fishing spots.

There are various challenges to complete, lots of puzzles to solve, a vast amount of collectibles scattered around the city... There is simply enough content in the game to keep you hooked for a long time.

The City Tycoon is pretty nice too.
You get to run your own Coffee shops (quite literally if you do the Owner's Selection) where you can actually employ the characters and activate their Life skills like Increasing dish prices, Reducing ingredient consumption or Increasing traffic in the shop.

There are also the Hethereau Hobbies.
You can do all kinds of stuff like City Deliveries, Swift Travel (Taxi), Sea Angler (Fishing), you can play Little Sparrow (Basically Mahjong), Super Sound is basically like Guitar Hero, you can also do the Pink Paws Heist which is a bank heist minigame where you get a time limit and the Bank's owner lets you take whatever you want since they're so rich that they don't know what else to do with the money lol.

You can also buy your own properties and decorate them however you like, increasing your home's Comfort level in the process. As you build your Bonds with different characters, you'll eventually be able to invite them to "Visit" your home (and stay there), where you can interact with them and make the place feel more alive.

My only real complaint is the beginning of the Main story. It feels a bit all over the place, and it takes a while before everything starts connecting and you finally understand what's actually going on.

There is still a lot of content in the game that I haven't mentioned here, but if I tried to cover everything, this review would turn into a full-length novel. Besides, I think discovering new things yourself is part of the fun, so I'll leave some surprises for you to experience.

If you enjoy anime-style open-world RPGs with fun combat, memorable characters, and a world that's actually enjoyable to explore, then I absolutely recommend Neverness to Everness.