Blood Message, a single player narrative action game, has just been revealed by Netease Games.
The game is coming to PC and consoles, though no release date has been announced.
Developed by 24 Entertainment, the studio responsible for melee battle royale Naraka: Bladepoint, the new trailer introduces the Dunhuang’s Uprising as Blood Message’s setting, where your character must make a 1,000 mile trek with a crucial message in hand.
The trailer – which you can watch above – is a visually impressive display, showcasing plenty of third-person action across various distinct locations. While 24 Entertainment does have action experience courtesy of Naraka, this looks to be a much slower, cinematic affair.
An accompanying press release states Blood Message will feature: “Visceral, realistic combat blending stealth and survival mechanics”, as well as “expansive landscapes inspired by the diverse terrains of East and Central Asia”. In terms of gameplay comparisons, think something along the lines of The Last of Us, albeit with a close-quarters, historical focus.
“We are ushering players a new generation of high adventure with Blood Message,” said Zhipeng Hu, lead producer and NetEase executive vice president. “As our first completely single-player focused experience from NetEase Games, after two decades of deep dedication to the gaming industry, we are prepared to deliver a truly epic and cinematic experience for players around the world.”
We’re seeing a lot of these big budget action games come from China as of late, as the success of Black Myth: Wukong changed the game for the country’s developers. Prior to Blood Message, Phantom Blade Zero, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Lost Soul Aside, and Tides of Annihilation are just a handful of examples of interesting titles following the path Wukong first tread.
These examples have yet to release, and as such whether or not the financial and critical success of Wukong can be replicated by its contemporaries remains to be seen. Nonetheless, this wave of interesting looking games coming to the West from a historically under-represented part of the video game industry (at least as far as big budget AAA is concerned) certainly offers another avenue for exciting games to reach the hands of curious players.