Our preview of Blood Message NetEase Games is venturing into a purely single-player experience for the first time. The title is being developed by the newly founded studio 24 Entertainment Lin'an, a subsidiary of Thunder Fire Studio. The game is currently in development for PC and unspecified consoles, but no release date has been set.
But what is known about the project so far sounds like an ambitious step: a linear, story-driven action-adventure set in the final years of the Tang Dynasty, emphasizing cinematic presentation, realistic combat, and emotional storytelling. NetEase confidently speaks of the beginning of a new era for its portfolio – clearly positioning itself against Western blockbuster productions.
Between rebellion and fatherhood
The story centers on an unnamed messenger and his young son. Amidst the Dunhuang uprising, they fight their way eastward through over 3.000 li (approximately 1.000 miles) to deliver an important message to Chang'an, the capital of the once-mighty Tang Dynasty. It is a journey through deserts, battlefields, and the moral dilemma between familial responsibility and civic duty.
Blood Message It doesn't want to tell heroic myths about generals or emperors. Instead, the developers put the "little people" in the foreground – people whose actions take place in the shadow of grand history. It's about loyalty, survival, and how even those often overlooked by history can leave their mark.
Linear gameplay and cinematic presentation
The narrative is further enhanced by linear gameplay, which, according to the developers, is based on “cinematic storytelling“This is combined with brutal melee combat, survival elements, and stealth mechanics. Technically, the game is based on Unreal Engine 5 and uses additional in-house tools to create a believable, historically inspired world.”
What Blood Message Exactly what distinguishes it in terms of gameplay remains somewhat vague so far. NetEase It promises realistic combat, strong emotions, and impressive landscapes. But is that enough to stand out between...? Ghost of Yotei or Assassin's Creed Shadows Only time will tell if this holds true. In any case, NetEase is pursuing a new direction with this project – away from a multiplayer focus and towards high-quality single-player storytelling. And all this in a cultural setting that has been largely unexplored in the West.
What do you think of the concept? Too much pathos or a real opportunity for more cultural diversity in AAA games? Let us know your opinion in the comments!
Linear is crap. That's just my opinion.
Although something like Indiana Jones was also very good.
All I can say is Mindseye! It all looks too good again, let's wait and see...
Well, compared to Mindseye, the Chinese have better graphics (see Wu Kong).