Gamescom is underway, and this means new games announcements will be abound. During yesterday's Opening Night LIVE, a number of such announcements took place and among those were Where Winds Meet. Set in the final days of the Ten Kingdoms era of Chinese history, this open-world action-adventure RPG puts players in control of a wandering swordsman and will have to choose between protecting the innocent and fight for justice, or live only for themselves and risk the land slipping further into chaos and despair. Players will have a trusty steed to travel across the open-world landscape and will have to master the blade in fast-paced Wuxia-style battles.

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Where Winds Meet is set during the beginning of the Northern Song Dynasty, during an era of war and conflict. The player takes on the role of a wandering swordsman, who grew up during this brutal age, and used their martial arts and sword fighting skills to survive against countless foes. The player is thrust into this ruthless world, and they must choose between upholding their code of morals, in order to protect the innocent and fight for justice or live only for themselves and risk the land slipping further into chaos and despair.

Where Winds Meet is in development for PC.

SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[The Catboy]

I am not gonna lie but I am already tired of seeing open-world RPGs set in an era of wandering swordsmen. I literally don’t know how many there are but I am tired of them and that’s largely because open-world games have literally been the go-to style of gameplay for far too many games since like the PS3/360 era.

 

[Lazyboss]

I am not gonna lie but I am already tired of seeing open-world RPGs set in an era of wandering swordsmen. I literally don’t know how many there are but I am tired of them and that’s largely because open-world games have literally been the go-to style of gameplay for far too many games since like the PS3/360 era.

I really don't know what this generation wants anymore.
They remake a game: developers can't be creative anymore, we want something new, not going to pay for a cheap remake.
They make new IP: I'm tired of seeing the same kind of games.
They make new ideas (death stranding): wtf those weird game, walking simulator, etc.

 

[The Catboy]

I really don't know what this generation wants anymore.
They remake a game: developers can't be creative anymore, we want something new, not going to pay for a cheap remake.
They make new IP: I'm tired of seeing the same kind of games.
They make new ideas (death stranding): wtf those weird game, walking simulator, etc.

Not sure what you mean by “this generation” when we are both in our 30s.
The only thing I would like to see is just something other than another open-world game. Since the 7th generation of gaming, the gaming scene has been flooded with open-world games with a gimmick to them. Why not a classic RPG or something actually different. I don’t really see that as asking for too much.

 

[Lazyboss]

Most of the classic RPGs were open world games, they just don't have the tech to go wild, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc.

 

[The Catboy]

Most of the classic RPGs were open world games, they just don't have the tech to go wild, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc.

That’s fair to say. Idk, I am just annoyed by the constant open-world that’s become the gaming market. I won’t mind seeing more non-linear with soft walls, like you commonly find in metroidvania games. Where progressing the game progressively opens as you play through the game. That’s just me kind of enjoying that style of progression and basically making the game into an open world through gameplay. That’s kind of what I was referring to by “classic rpgs,” but literally just woke up and didn’t brain.

 

[altorn]

looks cool. the in-game face models/textures remind me of onimusha demon siege models.

 

[AlexMCS]

Most of the classic RPGs were open world games, they just don't have the tech to go wild, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, etc.

It was a masterpiece for the time, but only because those were dire times.

I gotta agree with Catboy. This new wave of samey looking/feeling Chinese games feel soulless.
If their games are as creative as their manhuas, most will suck or be a slightly different copy of one another.
Gotta be on the lookout for the hidden gems.

What I think gamers want, as I can't speak for anyone else but me, though I can estimate, is "substance over style".
We see a lot of work on 4k graphics with ultra shadows, effects, and UHD textures, paired with bad gameplay, weak storytelling or terrible characters. And a MUCH longer dev cycle.

Give me great looking 2D games with solid mechanics!
Give me OK looking 3D games with a focus on polish, not HD textures.
Make it 720p60-1080p120. Focus on refresh rate, fluidity, not resolution.
Opt for cell shading/simpler gfx if you must, but deliver a solid experience.

Stop trying to justify your laziness by choosing pixel art and calling it "a style".
Don't want to do sprite animations? Use 3D on a 2D plane.
Learn from ArcSys, or develop your own 2D faking tech.

"Open World" and "RPGs" are almost always a bad match.
You either tell a story or weave a world, you can't do both without forcing roadblocks, which will bring down the whole game.
Most open world RPGs want to tell a story, when they should be primarily about immersing the player into the world.

And finally, do not soil a series' legacy with huge gameplay changes.
Wanna experiment? Make a spin-off or a new IP.
Focus on evolving the formula on the main series, not on dumbing it down.
Again, calling out ArcSys, now negatively, for their GG Strive botch job.

 

[Skelletonike]

I'm a sucker for wuxia novels and manhua. While there are some pretty good ones like the Xuan Yuan series, most of them are left untranslated. Latest one I've played was Bloody Spell, pretty good souls like with wuxia vibes.

After googling a bit, this game will also have a building system so I'm all up for it. They mention releasing a beta this year so I'll definitely have to try it.