Where Winds Meet: Fancy a Stroll Through a City the Size of...Well, a City?
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
*Where Winds Meet*, the ambitious Wuxia RPG, is offering a limited-time playtest in a massive city filled with thousands of digital citizens; prepare for potential mayhem and possibly, angry geese.
Right, buckle up, because *Where Winds Meet*, the open-world Wuxia RPG that's been tickling our fancy since we saw those bonkers trailers, is about to unleash a city-sized playtest on us. We're talking Kaifeng, a digital metropolis boasting a million square meters ripe for exploration. A *million*, you say? That's a bloody big sandbox, even by modern gaming standards.
Now, the chaps over at Rock Paper Shotgun – big shout out to Ed Thorn (RIP) for his initial preview – already flagged this one as a potential "disjointed, overstretched mash," and, fair dinkum, the sheer scale of it does raise an eyebrow or two. Are we talking *Cyberpunk 2077* levels of promised potential? Or are they gonna pull it off?
But before we descend into cynicism (we're allowed, it's the internet), let's talk about what's on offer. Apparently, Kaifeng is home to 10,000 NPCs. Yes, you read that right. Ten. Thousand. Now, I'm immediately picturing an *Assassin's Creed* crowd simulator dialled up to eleven. Are they all unique? Are they all going to remember me kicking over their market stall? Unlikely, but the promise of that many digital faces is still pretty impressive. I reckon a good portion of them will be targets for a bit of light-fingered tomfoolery. You know, pickpocketing.
NetEase, the publishers, are painting a picture of a city of contrasts: luxury mingling with squalor, grand palaces overshadowed by mysterious ghost markets. Sounds like your typical RPG setting, really, but with a distinctly Chinese flavor. We're talking bathhouses, traditional opera – the works. And apparently, our actions will have consequences! Neglected wheat fields can flourish, rundown streets can become, well, less rundown. (Don't they always in video games?). I suspect it'll be more scripted quests than emergent gameplay, but who knows? Maybe I can accidentally trigger a city-wide economic collapse by selling too many cabbages.
The playtest kicks off on July 25th and runs until July 30th. If you fancy giving *Where Winds Meet* a whirl, you'll need to sign up via the Steam page. (link in the original article). Just be warned: you might encounter some angry geese. And, if you’re really lucky, you'll find out what this game is all about. Is it another over-hyped RPG? Or something special? Only time will tell, mate, but I'm ready for my bathhouse visit.
Tags: Open World, Wuxia, RPG, Playtest, NetEase
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun