Crimson Desert Meets Ghost of Tsushima In Action-Adventure With 'Amazing' Combat

Chinese conglomerate NetEase is slated to have a money pit deeper than any well, and its upcoming titles are some of the most mouth-watering prospects out there.

Blood Message is one of them.

An action-adventure title, straight out of the Ghost of Tsushima playbook, combines everything that you'd want to see from an East Asian game like Prince of Persia with the cutting-edge combat from the likes of Crimson Desert.

While the game was only announced last year, NetEase has now shared 19 minutes of its gameplay, and even on an early build, the combat is blowing people away.

Blood Message labeled GOTY contender after gameplay trailer

Having whetted the appetite of action-adventure lovers with its first cinematic reveal earlier this year, Blood Message has quickly attracted comparisons to the best games the genre has ever boasted.

Now, NetEase has teased fans further with a gameplay reveal that shows the protagonist bursting through cinematic cutscenes and getting handy with a sword in hand.

Immediately, the fighting was hailed on social media, as it offers a range of realistic blows and deadly finishers.

"Blood Message is probably one of the best looking games," one fan said on X (previously Twitter).

"I had my doubts before, but look at this gameplay video! Phantom Blade is not even out yet, and it already has competition."

Another fan added, "Here we finally have it, and it looks amazing. I can’t put it into words

Others went as far as to say, 'This is surely a GOTY contender,' despite steep competition coming in September and beyond.

Combat aside, Blood Message also promises an emotional and action-packed plot.

"Set in the late Tang Dynasty in 848 AD, players take on the role of a nameless messenger who embarks on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of his homeland," a press release revealed.

"The game’s setting in the last years of the Tang Dynasty provides a cultural landmark of Chinese history that frames the story with customs, culture, and the rich history of the era.

"Alongside his son, they must survive relentless enemy sieges and a treacherous 1,000-mile odyssey, fighting against impossible odds to return to the heart of the Tang Dynasty: Chang’an.

"When history forgets, warriors remember.”

Blood Message doesn't have a release date set yet, and its likely going to follow the suit of many others and give GTA 6's explosive entry window a wide berth.

But there's no denying that this gameplay reveal has rocketed Blood Message up to the top of my wishlist for 2027.

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