It’s been all uphill for projects developed in China over the past several years, partly thanks to initiatives like the China Hero project and the success of Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong, which went on to sell tens of millions of copies. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, despite its performance woes, is another notable title that brings some much-needed refinements to the traditional Souls-like formula. And while Phantom Blade Zero looks like the next big hit, another title has been garnering attention recently: Everstone’s Where Winds Meet.
Developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase Games, it’s a free-to-play open-world action RPG set during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The former consisted of relatively short-lived reigns in North China, each quickly succeeding the other, while the latter comprised ten kingdoms that mostly co-existed with each other in the south. While the economy was thriving and art saw several innovations, it was also a period of cruelty where officials would torture and even kill civilians without due process.
In the midst of all this, you control a sword master named Jiang Yan who is on the run. The closed beta begins with Chen Zixi, Yushan, meeting the protagonist, and while seemingly tasked with killing him, they subsequently team up. It’s far from an uneventful journey as soldiers quickly attack the two, seeking to retrieve the Zhenguan Jade. What follows is a desperate chase on horseback where you snipe foes with a bow and arrow, eventually culminating in a boss fight against the Formless.
After a series of events (including glimpses of a mysterious white-hair individual with a panther), players can create their own character, complete with a choice of starting perks or Aspiration Talents. Thus begins their journey through this gorgeous world, starting in the homely Qinghe. And make no mistake, Where Winds Meet offers some truly expansive environments to explore, teeming with different activities and quests.
Though the exploration and atmospherics may call Ghost of Tsushima to mind, the core theme of Where Winds Meet, which pervades every single aspect, is Wuxia. Martial arts are revered, and events tread a thin line between the real and the fantastical. Heroes, including the player character, are capable of superhuman feats like quickly scaling structures, dashing through the air, and deftly taking on multiple enemies at once. Such acts will be familiar to those who have seen classics like Hero.
There are also Mystic Arts like Still Waters, which briefly slows down everything around you while aiming with a bow and Tai Chi, used to redirect an enemy’s momentum and send them flying. The latter is one of many Mystic Arts that the player learns through Comprehension. In the case of Tai Chi, you’re watching a bear who’s desperately trying to gather some honey, and learning its movements before eventually taking it down. Combat will look familiar for action-adventure veterans, with the perfect dodges leaving afterimages, deflections which open up enemies to powerful counters, and stylish finishers. While something like Ghost of Tsushima is more methodical, this is definitely faster-paced in keeping with the Wuxia theme.
However, Where Winds Meet really stands out in how it channels Wuxia for its narrative and gameplay. Think of it as the equivalent of the hero’s journey, except the player hasn’t experienced tragedy from the outset so much as been raised without really knowing their purpose. While they could venture out and cement their legend by interacting with different factions, taking on quests and mastering various weapons and abilities, they could also take a more villainous path and even end up in jail for their troubles. Considering the systemic cruelty in this period, it may encourage you to go against authority figures more often than not. Regardless, Everstone wants to offer multiple paths through the story, from healing enemies and turning them into your allies to talking your way out of conflicts.
As you progress and unlock new Talent Points, you can unlock new abilities and Mystic Arts, from igniting your blade to deal more HP damage to charged and heavy attacks (the former sending slicing projectiles). You can even unlock more slots for equipping additional Mystic Arts and increase stats like your Critical Damage Bonus. There’s new gear to unlock as well, further enhancing your capabilities, though the various in-game currencies, resources and materials can feel overwhelming at first.
All of this is really only the beginning. Further exploration will take you to villages surrounded by beautiful trees and bustling cities where the environmental chatter peaks and side activities, including sumo wrestling, await. You can also gain a wanted level based on the number of infractions, which can become a problem if not cleared in time. In the worst instances, it can result in bounties that other powerful fighters will pursue to take your head.
It all goes back to the signature feel of Wuxia – playing as an up-and-coming warrior who ends up in larger-than-life scenarios on the journey to becoming stronger. It’s something the development team has worked hard to faithfully portray. Global version design lead Soul told TechRadar that instead of “expressing the culture in a verbal manner, we prefer to create this atmosphere in which you can just experience the whole wuxia spirit of martial justice.
“We let you experience the happiness, the sorrow, the excitement of that era in this wuxia world.” That commitment to its central theme ensures that Where Winds Meet is unlike any other action RPG out there. Of course, the scale is nothing to laugh at either. While Qingne returns from previous tests, the final closed beta offers a look at Kaifeng, which is 1.5 times larger and even busier.
In preparation for its global launch, Everstone is working to convey the game’s various terms to players outside of China (alongside full English voiceovers). As lead designer Chris Lyu told WCCFTech, it’s also streamlining the tutorial system and revamping the UI based on feedback from its tests. The team is also working to implement intricate details without compromising the core atmosphere.
Where Winds Meet has already been downloaded over 30 million times. It’s launching later this year worldwide for iOS, Android, PC and PS5, and will serve as a six-month timed exclusive for the latter. Everstone Studio promises 150 hours of single-player content and more than 20 different regions to explore. I’m curious to see how the full story plays out, especially with the developer promising to weave it “seamlessly into the world itself” without “ever breaking the core open-world experience.” This includes “carefully hidden narrative fragments,” which will see a “sweeping epic” gradually unfolding before the player (if you choose to pursue them, of course).
Four-player seamless co-op is also supported, including the option to summon other players if you’re struggling with a boss. However, it’s going even further beyond by implementing Guilds, which can engage in conflicts, multiplayer dungeons, raids and even duels. How much of this will work remains to be seen, but it’s still enticing.
If nothing else, this beta got us even more excited for the full global release. That feeling of exploring the world and making our own choices as a martial artist of yore, becoming either a famed hero or a despised outlaw, is beautifully realized, and I can’t wait to experience everything it has to offer.
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