For the very first time, a game from one of China’s most celebrated video game franchises will launch simultaneously in both the East and the West. Announced during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live, Swords of Legends is a brand-new single-player action RPG deeply inspired by Chinese mythology. While the name may sound familiar—perhaps reminding players of Swords of Legends Online released in 2021—this upcoming title is a completely fresh experience designed for a global audience.
A Fresh Take on the Gujian Franchise
The connection between Swords of Legends and its MMO counterpart is not accidental. Both titles are developed by Aurogon, the same studio behind the long-running Gujian series, which first debuted in 2010 and quickly grew into one of the most beloved RPG franchises in China.
However, unlike the expansive open-world structure of Swords of Legends Online, this new entry is described as a “wide linear” experience. The approach aims to balance focused storytelling with freedom of exploration. Players will follow a structured narrative journey but still have the opportunity to make meaningful choices and engage in side activities that enrich the adventure.
This design choice highlights Aurogon’s ambition to merge cinematic storytelling with interactive gameplay while avoiding the overwhelming sprawl of a fully open-world format.
The Story: Life, Death, and the Underworld
In Swords of Legends, players will step into the shoes of Si Pan, an “underworld enforcer” tasked with guiding unwilling souls from the living world to the afterlife. Far from a peaceful job, this role throws players into constant conflict with supernatural entities that resist their fate.
Combat revolves around mystical abilities, divine artifacts, and powerful weapons that help Si Pan subdue spirits and enforce cosmic balance. Instead of lengthy dialogues or negotiation, most encounters require intense action as you battle nightmarish creatures that blur the line between folklore and fantasy.
Gameplay: Not Another Soulslike
At first glance, the combat of Swords of Legends may remind some of a Soulslike due to its deliberate, one-on-one duels against monstrous opponents. However, Aurogon has clarified that this is not a punishing Soulslike clone. Instead, the studio emphasizes giving the game its own distinct identity through a flexible combat system that rewards strategy and accessibility.
Key features include:
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Soul Capturing Mechanic: This system is central to both gameplay and story. Certain enemies can have their souls captured and later summoned in battle, offering cooperative combo attacks or special abilities.
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Strategic Flexibility: Players can switch between different weapon skills and combat styles to adapt to enemy weaknesses, ensuring no single strategy dominates the game.
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Accessibility for All Skill Levels: Unlike games designed around brutal difficulty, Swords of Legends aims to make combat rewarding without being discouraging, welcoming both RPG newcomers and veteran players.
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Exploration Rewards: Venturing into the game’s semi-linear environments will provide useful tools and items, encouraging exploration while enhancing combat options.
This careful balance between depth and accessibility positions Swords of Legends as a game that can appeal to both hardcore action fans and casual RPG players.
Built for a Global Audience
One of the most notable aspects of Swords of Legends is its worldwide launch. This marks a milestone for the Gujian franchise, which has traditionally reached Western players much later.
For example:
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Swords of Legends Online had been available in China long before it was adapted for international release.
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Gujian 3, launched in 2018 on Steam, didn’t receive official English subtitles until a year later, and even then, the localization was plagued with awkward phrasing and grammatical errors.
In contrast, Swords of Legends has been developed with a global audience in mind from day one. Inspired in part by the rising popularity of other Chinese action RPGs like Black Myth: Wukong and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Aurogon is ensuring that localization, accessibility, and storytelling are polished enough to resonate worldwide.
The Rising Influence of Chinese Games
The international gaming market has seen a surge of interest in titles based on Chinese mythology and history. With the global success of games such as Black Myth: Wukong, players in the West are showing a growing appetite for experiences that combine epic storytelling, mythical settings, and cinematic gameplay.
Swords of Legends appears positioned to ride this wave of enthusiasm, offering both longtime fans of the Gujian series and newcomers an authentic yet globally accessible journey through Chinese folklore.
Why This Matters
The release of Swords of Legends as a simultaneous global launch represents more than just another RPG hitting the shelves. It highlights a shift in the Chinese gaming industry, which is increasingly looking beyond domestic audiences to compete on the world stage.
If successful, this could open the door for more Chinese studios to bring their flagship franchises overseas without long delays or subpar translations. For gamers, this means richer cultural diversity in the types of stories and worlds they can explore.
Final Thoughts
Swords of Legends is shaping up to be one of the most exciting action RPGs of the near future. With its mythological roots, strategic combat system, and commitment to global accessibility, the game stands out as a bold step forward for both Aurogon and the Gujian franchise.
The fact that it will release worldwide at the same time ensures that Western audiences will no longer have to wait months—or even years—for a polished, localized version. Instead, players everywhere can dive into the mystical world of Si Pan together, experiencing the same story and gameplay on day one.
As anticipation builds ahead of its launch, one thing is clear: Swords of Legends is not only a milestone for the franchise but also a sign of how Chinese game developers are increasingly shaping the future of global gaming.
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