Wandering Sword - Octopath Traveler-like Wuxia-Style Open-World Pixel RPG

[cyborgboy95]

Spoiler

Spoiler

Open World with a Lively Map

A huge open world, including areas such as the Central Plains, Jiangnan, the Western Regions, Nanjiang, Tianshan Mountain, and more. The player can explore the prosperous towns, secret caves, forts and strongholds, and other unique scenic places.

Unique pixel style rendered in Unreal Engine

With Unreal Engine 4, a new pixel style is created in the game: it switches PixelArt games to a 3D environment, giving a new blend of retro pixels and 3D reality. The game not only harks back to the pixelated Wuxia games of the MS-DOS era, but also brings us modernized visual effects and a better game experience.

Choose the Combat Mode You Like

If you are a fan of strategy games, you can select the traditional turn-based combat mode and outmaneuver your enemies. If you want to take things into your own hands, you can select the real-time combat mode to have an exciting battle and defeat enemies through precise action inputs.

Hundreds of Martial Arts Moves and Supporting Meridians

All the powerful abilities and moves are yours to pick. You can equip different types of weapons and join various sects. Learning cultivation methods can earn you Meridian Points, and practicing both internally and externally makes you a true martial arts master.

Travel the World and Make Friends

Most NPCs in the game have a friendship system. You can increase a NPC’s affinity towards you by interacting with them via gift giving, sparring, talking, etc. You can also recruit them to your party and travel the world together. NPCs of different sects have different Jianghu abilities. When you have a good relationship with them, they will even give you their weapons and secret manuals to help you dominate the martial arts world and excel in all aspects.

Multiple Endings and Freedom of Taking Side Quests

The different choices the player makes in the game lead to different endings. Other than the main story, there are a great number of side quests for the player to explore, with hidden unexpected adventures.

Dynamic NPCs

Most NPCs in the game have their own behavioral AI. They will get themselves martial arts manuals and grow their power, weaving their own unique stories."

 

[Abu Antar]

A few tweets.

Spoiler

 

[abnaxus]

I want to believe.

 

[jungl]

well they do not have to try hard if they want to make a better game then octopath traveler. The gameplay in octopath is trash and the story is comatose patient level boring.

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

What is up with the dislikes?

 

[Abu Antar]

What is up with the dislikes?

My uneducated guess is that people are unhappy with the fact that it looks VERY similar to Octopath. I couldn't care less on a personal level.

 

[Abu Antar]

I'll be taking part in the beta. Depending on the NDA, I may or may not be sharing impressions. That is, if I get my new PC in time.

 

[Lyre Mors]

Hope to read good things about this one. Seems too good to be true. Not sure why people are upset about the presentation. It looks beautiful.

 

[Grauken]

Hope to read good things about this one. Seems too good to be true. Not sure why people are upset about the presentation. It looks beautiful.

some people are stupid, best to ignore them

 

[Stoned Ape]

What is up with the dislikes?

My uneducated guess is that people are unhappy with the fact that it looks VERY similar to Octopath. I couldn't care less on a personal level.

Octopath Traveler had two things going for it: How it looked and the score. Everything else about it was a tedious mess.

If they can make a game that looks this nice and have good gameplay, I'm interested. I'm not going to be holding my breath waiting for it, though.

 

[Abu Antar]

A demo will be available during Steam Fest in February.

 

[Abu Antar]

They tweet a lot of GIFs of the game, now. I won't be reposting most of it, but here's the latest one.

 

[Infinitron]

Demo available for Steam Next Fest:

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Downloaded the demo and it seems to be pretty cool.

Easy peasy though. Abu Antar suggest to dev to make difficulty options maybe?

 

[Abu Antar]

Downloaded the demo and it seems to be pretty cool.

Easy peasy though. Abu Antar suggest to dev to make difficulty options maybe?

I can do that.

 

[abnaxus]

It's a casual game.

 

[Grauken]

It's a casual game.

Is it fun though, that's more important

 

[InD_ImaginE]

Finished the main story part of the demo, there are still some side quests, but I think I can have a clear feedback.

System: it is kinda similar with HTLS in some way, you find some Skill Manual and everybody can learn from the books so long they are capable of equipping associated weapon. MC can use all weapon, NPC is limited to their weapon of choice. There are 4 tier of attacks (normal, advanced, rare?, unique), mobility, and inner power (total 6 "type" of skills) of each you can equip 4 to combat. Every time you win a battle you will get certain amount of combat EXP which you can freely distribute to said skills. Stronger skills consumes more EXP. Most of the skills has certain passive only unlocked at certain skill level (similar to Tale of Wuxia/Path of Wuxia). Leveling inner power skills provides Meridian Point, basically points you can spend to increase attributes in attributes tree (there are 6 trees, each focusing on different stuff, imagine HTLS skill tree but for attributes). This means in some way build should be fairly limited to these attributes tree as there are only limited amount of Inner Power books theoretically.

Combat is pretty similar with Heluo games but use square instead of hexagon. You can't use item in battle so you need to actually play. Healing consumables are outside of battle only. There are some healing skills tho which are very OP. They need to tone down healing in general. Combat is very JRPGish in the sense that this a number game. Moving smartly will allow you to win battle easier but at certain point you won't be able to bridge the stats gap through tactic(which is fine really).

There are crafting system like HTLS. You find stuff in the overworld, then you go to NPC to craft some stuff. The problem is that... random drop from enemies and some item from chest outclass anything you can craft in the game. Demo has a demo special merchant selling all blueprint and mats but even then I don't see any reason to engage with the system right now. Crafting item has chance to get 3 different tier of weapons (lowest one has no affix, medium has 1 - 2 affixes, rare has 2 - 3) but the amount of time to gather the ingredients are way too long to make this meaningful. There should be cooking and medicine making as well although I haven't found the system (the materials are there). Currently there is virtually no difference between food and potions, it would be great if the dev change food to attribute bonus and potion for healing.

There are certain sandbox element as well (wouldn't be a modern indie Chinese RPG otherwise). Most NPC has sort of small background and you can build relationship with them. At 60 relation you can invite them to party (the game give you 1 free party member, max combat party size is MC + 4). You raise relation mainly through gifting items, the higher the relationship the more expensive your bribe needs to be. You can also Spar with these NPCs and there are chance they drop something after sparring (like HTLS but consensual instead of you beating the shit out of people). Sometimes story NPC joins as well for duration of a quest.

The problem with the system right now is that... it encourages grinding. In some way HTLS also has this issue but the world of HTLS is expansive fairly early so you are not really feeling it sometimes. This game start pretty constrained in area you can access (because well it's a demo, tbf) thus the grind feels kinda real. And as grinding is fairly open it means that any problem can be grinded out. Now as I said, there is limit to this because how much attributes you have is limited by Inner Power training. This is fairly important because just leveling weapon skills, you will reach a cap on how strong you can be. This is a good thing. The dev need to be careful in distributing Inner Power skills so that the game has certain narrative - mechanical difficulty curve to keep the game entertaining.

Writing is serviceable, there is main quest with OK enough hook. Not sure how open will it be because the demo is fairly linear, but I don't think we can judge at this time. Side quests though are way too much "find me 5 bear asses" style. Now, HTLS and Tale of Wuxia Presquel, and a lot of western RPG are also guilty of this so it is unfair to punish this game solely for that. I hope side content can be more interesting in the released game.

Overall, I am cautiously optimistic. Certainly the game is not really designed around muh hardcore experience, but it is fun enough so far. If they can have good amount of skill variety + have good difficulty curve + more lively open world I can see liking the game. They really should implement simple difficulty option as well.

 

[cyborgboy95]

Wandering Sword - Development Progress & Update #1!
Controller Integration + UI Improvements + More Endings!

Hey Swordsmen, welcome back to the world of Wandering Sword!

Over the past few months, we have received a ton of great feedback and suggestions from all of you. Today, we would like to share some of the development progress and updates we have made with Wandering Sword!

Controller Support

Testing out our controller configuration!


Controller support was one of the highest requested features that we received when we released our demo in February. Since then, we have been hard at work optimizing the control layout based on your feedback, and we are happy to announce that we have recently completed our initial gamepad configuration!

Our priority is to ensure that you have a satisfying gaming experience, and that starts with providing intuitive control schemes that take full advantage of each gamepad's unique capabilities! And yes, we are including compatibility with popular gamepad options such as Playstation and Xbox controllers, so that you can choose your preferred controllers to use!

User Interface Improvements

We believe that having an easy to use and visually pleasing user interface (UI) is a crucial aspect of game development, as it can greatly enhance your gameplay experience. Therefore, one of our priorities was improving on the feedback that we received from our demo, where some players found the UI colors to be too muted which made the text difficult to read. To address this concern, we decided to conduct a major overhaul and redesign of our UI!

Old User Interface

New User Interface (Work in Progress!)


To make our new UI more visually appealing and easy to navigate, we paid attention to every detail in the design process, from selecting new color palettes to rethinking the placement of icons and text boxes. As a result, our new UI has more vibrant colors which helps to give contrast to the text and improves readability. This is still a work in progress and we would love to hear your thoughts on our new UI, so please do share your feedback in the comments below!

Addition of New Storyline Endings

Where will your choices in Wandering Sword take you?


One of our primary goals in developing Wandering Sword’s story was to provide a unique experience with each playthrough. As such, we have added more endings to our main storyline, providing players with even more paths to explore and outcomes to uncover! We want players to feel as though their choices in the game have real consequences, and that they can alter the outcome of the story. These new endings will not only enhance the replayability of the game, but they also add depth and complexity to the overall narrative.

In addition, we are currently working on exclusive side quests for party members, for you to engage with and learn more about their backstories and martial arts journey! We want to avoid having party members feel like generic fighting characters, as our goal is to make each party member feel like a unique character for players to form an emotional connection with as you make your way through the story.

We recently expanded our team to develop these exciting new features and complete the development of Wandering Sword. The team is extremely passionate about the game, and we are always discussing new ways to improve the game to give you a great experience.

Thank you for joining this behind-the-scenes glimpse of Wandering Sword's development journey! Stay tuned for more updates in the coming months and get ready to embark on your epic martial arts adventure across ancient China!

 

[cyborgboy95]

Wandering Sword - Introducing The Main Characters!
Greetings Swordsmen!

In this post, we would like to introduce you to the main characters from Wandering Sword, each with their own unique personalities, backgrounds, and martial arts abilities. Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey alongside these captivating characters and witness their stories unfold!

Yuwen Yi

First up is Yuwen Yi, our optimistic, cheerful, and righteous protagonist, reminiscent of the legendary Guo Jing from Jinyong’s epic novel - Legends of the Condor Heroes. Hailing from Liao City in the Outer Lands, Yuwen Yi has always been known for his unwavering moral compass. Tragedy struck when he and his friends were poisoned during a battle between rival sects. Only Yuwen Yi survived, thanks to the timely intervention of Master Qingxu, the leader of Wudang Sect.

Determined to protect the ones he loves, Yuwen Yi's story revolves around his transformation from an ordinary peasant to a skilled Wuxia master. With multiple endings to discover, such as exploring the world alongside your trusted companions, facing epic battles together, or ascending to lead the prestigious Wudang Sect, every choice you make will shape Yuwen's story. As the only playable character capable of mastering all weapons, the possibilities are endless and the excitement never ends. Experience the thrill of forging your own destiny in Wandering Sword as you guide Yuwen Yi on his journey!

Jiang Yinfeng

Next we have Master Jiang Yinfeng, a complex man who carries a strong sense of justice who plays a supporting role in the game. As the direct lineal disciple of Wudang's late sect leader, Master Jiang was once a revered figure in the martial arts world. However, due to some unknown reasons, he mysteriously left the sect, choosing a life of seclusion with his daughter, Jiang Xiaotong.

Master Jiang is a master swordsman, and his years of intense training show in his swift and elegant moves. As you progress through the game, you'll peel back the layers of his intriguing backstory, uncovering the reasons behind his departure.

Girl in Red

Meet the Girl in Red, whose background is shrouded in mystery. Hailing from the elusive Xuanhuo Cult, her true identity remains unknown. She is a formidable force on the battlefield, and wields her sabre with unrivaled skill and precision, using it to deliver devastating blows to her enemies in battle. As you progress through the game, you'll piece together the puzzle of her origins and discover her true motivations.

Mowen

Mowen, a senior disciple of the "Mo" generation of Wudang Sect, is an indispensable ally. Raised by Wudang Sect’s leader Master Qingxu, Mowen is well-versed in martial arts and literature, making him both a skilled and wise companion. His calm demeanor and insightful observations provide guidance to those around him.

Mowen's unwavering dedication to his disciples and strong martial arts skills will make him a favorite among players. As you delve deeper into his background, you'll learn about the personal sacrifices he has made to uphold his principles.

Ouyang Xue

Last but not least is Ouyang Xue, a kind and gentle young lady who captivates with her grace and poise, and is reminiscent of the enigmatic Xiaolongnü from Legends of the Condor Heroes. Although her delicate demeanor and preference for peace might suggest otherwise, she's a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield due to her exceptional swordplay.

As you unravel Ouyang Xue's backstory, you'll discover her motivations and the challenges she faces in her life. The intricate layers of her character make her a fascinating companion throughout the game, and her martial arts prowess makes her an invaluable teammate.

Throughout your journey in Wandering Sword, you'll have the opportunity to uncover each character's unique backstory and motivation. Help them master their techniques to better face the game's powerful adversaries. But the adventure doesn't stop with just these characters! You'll also encounter a colorful cast of recruitable characters, each with their martial arts specialty, adding richness and depth to the world of Wandering Sword.

We're eager to share the incredible stories of these characters with you and hope you're just as excited to meet them. Thank you for your support, and we can't wait for you to immerse yourself in the enthralling world of Wandering Sword!

 

[cyborgboy95]

Wandering Sword - Development Progress & Update #2!
Greetings, Swordsmen!

We hope you are all doing well. We’re thrilled to bring you Issue #2 of our Development Progress & Update series. In this post, we will be sharing with you the significant story milestones we've made in the past weeks, along with character art portraits and gameplay tweaks.

Completion of Main Storyline & Cutscenes

The heart of Wandering Sword lies in its storyline, and we're excited to announce that we have completed all the main story content and cutscenes! This means that the backbone of the Wuxia adventure is fully formed and playable from start to finish.

But we want to make it better.

We are now working on creating more side quests and events to provide a more robust adventuring experience. Expect more engaging narrative and meeting more interesting characters in your Wuxia journey!

Character Art Portraits

Next, we have designed a series of character art portraits, each encapsulating the various characters that you will encounter on your Wandering Sword adventure. Here's a small sample of what's to come!

Improved Tutorials and Gameplay Tweaks

In addition to enriching the narrative and characters you will be meeting, we're also fine-tuning gameplay elements.

First, we are introducing a new set of skills designed to accentuate the unique traits of each martial arts school. This involves adjusting the game's balance through the meridian system, fostering a more strategic and engaging combat experience.

Implementing side (Left) and back attacks (Right)!
Secondly, we are developing more combat strategies with the implementation of side and back attacks, injecting a dynamic layer of combat mechanics to the gameplay.

Color-coded enemy difficulty: Green is easy, red is hard.

Lastly, we've improved our tutorial system, introducing enemy difficulty indicators and NPC interaction hints, making gameplay more intuitive for new players.

This concludes Issue #2 of our Development Progress & Update series! We are eager to share even more of our progress with you in forthcoming updates. We're looking forward to the journey ahead, the adventures to be had, and the companionship to share in Wandering Sword!

 

[cyborgboy95]

Introducing Wandering Sword’s Diverse Martial Arts Sects!
Greetings Swordsmen!

In this article, we would like to introduce you to the diverse martial arts sects that form the backbone of Wandering Sword's rich storyline. Amongst the numerous sects each with its own unique charm, we will be focusing on four main sects today: Wudang Sect, Shaolin Monastery, Xuanhuo Cult, and Mingjian Manor. Get ready to set foot on a fascinating journey as you discover the history behind these sects!

Wudang Sect

Firstly, we invite you to the serene mountain peaks of Wudang, a sect revered for its esteemed reputation in the martial arts world. Wudang Sect embodies the principles of Tai Chi and Yin Yang in their martial arts, crafting an aura of tranquility amidst strength. Such principles are reflected in their swordplay techniques, which strike a perfect balance of grace and power. As you embark on your martial arts adventure in Wandering Sword, the opportunity to ascend and lead this prestigious sect might just be around the corner!

Shaolin Monastery

Next, we embark on a journey to the historical and influential Shaolin Monastery. As the leading institution of orthodox martial arts schools, Shaolin carries a profound history that spans a thousand years. The distinctive skills of Shaolin lie in their potent hand-to-hand combat and polearm techniques, making it the undisputed "North Star" of the martial arts world. As you venture deeper in your journey, mastering these techniques could lend you the strength of a thousand-year-old lineage, solid as the mountains and continuous as the rivers.

Xuanhuo Cult

Next, we venture beyond the frontier, delving into the mysterious Xuanhuo Cult. Known for its unrivaled sabreplay techniques and unconventional practices, Xuanhuo Cult has earned the label of a "demonic sect" by the Central Plains martial arts community. Despite their controversial reputation, Xuanhuo Cult provides a challenging path for those who aren't afraid to diverge from tradition. Here lies the opportunity to master the unique sabreplay techniques that have marked them as such an infamous presence in the world of Wandering Sword.

Mingjian Manor

Finally, we arrive at the esteemed Mingjian Manor, celebrated far and wide for their unparalleled swordsmanship and legendary sword forging techniques. Every legendary sword weapon that echoes in the tales of Wandering Sword has been crafted by the masters of this sect. Wielding a sword from Mingsword Manor opens up the exciting possibility of mastering these revered techniques, intertwining your path with the timeless art of swordplay that the sect is renowned for.

Throughout your journey across the lands in Wandering Sword, you’ll engage with these distinct sects, allowing you to master their unique weapons and skills. But the journey doesn’t end here. Beyond these four main sects, a wealth of other sects awaits your discovery, each with its own martial arts technique, captivating storyline and intriguing interactions!

We're thrilled to share the extraordinary lore of these sects with you and look forward to the adventures you'll undertake in their midst. Thank you for your unwavering support, and we look forward to seeing you immerse yourself in the fascinating martial arts world of Wandering Sword!

 

[cyborgboy95]

Wandering Sword - Development Progress & Update #3!
Greetings Swordsmen!

We hope that you have been well. We’re back with Issue #3 of our Development Progress & Update series! In this update, we’ll be sharing three new things: upgraded inventory sorting options, intuitive NPC icons and dynamic item gathering animations.

Upgraded Backpack Sorting Options

First off, we've upgraded the backpack sorting features. We know that as adventurers, your inventory can get cluttered after many battles and explorations. Previously, items could only be sorted based on rarity. Now, we've introduced two additional sorting methods – by time and by price. Whether you want to prioritize your newest loot or the most valuable pieces, the choice is yours! This would provide you with greater versatility and convenience when organizing your inventory.

Quests, Sparring, Party Icons For NPCs!

Next up, we've given NPCs a brand new look.

Quest Givers - Need a quest? Look out for the NPCs with a ‘scroll’ icon above their heads and get sent on petty errands or grand adventures.

Sparring Partners - If you are itching for a fighting match, simply look out for NPCs with a ‘saluting fist’ icon to find a sparring partner.

New Recruits - Looking to recruit new heroes to join your cause? Keep your eyes peeled for the distinctive ‘tiger talisman’ icon for potential martial artists ready to join you on your journey.

With these new icons, every opportunity to spar, recruit, and experience the multitude of side quests is now at your fingertips!

New Item Gathering Animations

Last but not least, we’ve introduced new gathering animation to liven up the item-collection experience. This subtle touch is aimed to inject a little realism and fun into these moments.

This concludes Issue #3 of our Development Progress & Update series! We can't wait to reveal more exciting updates to you in the coming weeks. Here's to many more shared adventures, thrilling journeys, and memorable camaraderie in the incredible world of Wandering Sword!

 

[Infinitron]

Coming September 15th:

 

[Modron]

This has got a pricetag now: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1876890/view/3675555405722822767

Greetings, Swordsmen!

In a few days time, Wandering Sword will be launching on Steam! To help you gear up and plan the start of your epic adventure, we have prepared a handy chart below showing the Global Release Times:

Launch Pricing
Wandering Sword will be priced at $24.99 USD. However, to celebrate the launch, you’ll be able to enjoy an exclusive 12% discount during the first week and grab the game for just $21.99 USD!