One of the bigger and more epic surprises to come out of Gamescom’s Opening Night Live was Where Winds Meet. The open-world RPG, set in medieval-era China, looks set to be one of the event’s breakout hits, despite there being no release window on the cards just yet. Whilst currently still in development, the trailer and most recent news on the game has us wondering if it could just be the ultimate in open-world experiences.
The game was introduced with a suitably incredible trailer during the Opening Night Live showcase. It definitely did a fantastic job of introducing viewers to the mystical world of Ten Kingdoms-era China. The action takes place during the decline of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Now, the developers at Everstone Studios have spoken to IGN to shed some more light on what players can expect from Where Winds Meet.
Amongst the blood, conflict and magic, the game has been created to evoke a sense of genuine player freedom. Given the scale and immersion of the game world as presented in the trailer, it’s easy to see how this is the case. Check out this extended gameplay trailer right here for a reminder of the game’s gorgeous graphics and exciting premise.
Everstone Studios also elaborate on the various roles and jobs players can take on in Where Winds Meet. These professions can act as complementary components to the adventure-based gameplay too. For example, those with a love of healing could opt to train as a doctor. As a martial arts-based culture, the likelihood of injury is pretty high in this game’s world. Outside of this being the player’s job, their newly-learned medicinal and therapeutic skills can then be used to heal themselves, other online players and even other NPCs.
Other professions players could choose to take up include that of a bodyguard who protects NPCs or other players from assassination. If construction’s your thing, there’s a career path for potential architects. Those who enjoy working in the great outdoors can traverse the rivers of China as a ferryman. Or, if you’re the type to make the most of your charisma, you could become an orator and learn how to convince everyone to follow your sage advice and instructions.
The game’s huge open-world setting is designed to replicate both the naturally expansive and lush terrain of its historically-inspired world. In effect, players will have a lot of agency when it comes to exploring, upskilling and making use of both martial arts and magic-based combat. Where Winds Meet could be one of the most ambitious new open-world RPGs to emerge in years, and we’re excited to see what comes next from the title.
While there’s no release window as yet, we do know that Where Winds Meet is being developed exclusively for PC. For more on the newest games revealed at this year’s Gamescom, check out this list of 10 of the ones we’re most excited about so far.