RPGs used to be relegated to a small niche of hardcore gamers but in the past 20 years, they’ve become mainstream. Titles like Tales of Arise sell a million copies in their first week now and a solid JRPG will make millions for the company that releases it. But even so, some series have still not received widespread acclaim or distribution, and some simply haven’t been released in the West. The perfect example of this is Xuan Yuan Sword, a Taiwanese action/RPG series that has a storied 25 year history but has never been brought to the West. Xuan Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament saw an Asian English release on the PS4 and came to Steam, but even then, it went largely unnoticed. Now however, the latest entry in the franchise has finally been officially ported to Western consoles and we get to start off the series with Xuan Yuan Sword 7 on the Xbox and PS4! There’s no name recognition for this series in the West though, and developer Softstar has partnered with Eastasiasoft to bring us this unique RPG based in dynastic China.
The first thing you’ll notice about Xuan Yuan Sword 7 (let’s abbreviate that to Xuan Yuan, shall we?) is that it feels different somehow. There’s a fundamental difference in how the controls feel for Xuan Yuan at first that reinforces that it’s a Taiwanese RPG and not a North American or Japanese one. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just different. Confirmation buttons and run options are in different places. Default attack controls are mapped to shoulder buttons (thank goodness there’s a 2nd controller setting that maps combat to face buttons) and dialogue isn’t skippable, even if you can read fast. But those things are minor. What’s important in Xuan Yuan is the plot.
You play Taishi Zhao, a young nobleman living in dynastic China. It would be a shame to give away the story here, since this is a heavily story-based game and not particularly long, but suffice it to say that Taishi and his sister end up on the run and embroiled in the worlds of both Chinese politics and mythology. Magic is everywhere, demons abound, and people’s souls can even be ripped from their bodies with magic. The world established in Xuan Yuan is excellent and deep and the dialogue and character-building is well thought out and well-translated to English. There’s no dub, so get used to reading quickly here unless you speak Chinese!
In addition to the fascinating plot which takes you on a wild ride through Chinese culture, the meat of Xuan Yuan is quite well-done. This is an action/RPG so you’ll be upgrading equipment and managing items in menus and quick menus on the D-pad. You can change character outfits, weapons and accessories, and there’s a substantial modification menu called Elysium which allows you to boost stats, forge weapons to strengthen them, fuse items into new items and even demon souls, and use those souls to power up your strength. You can upgrade the different sections of the Elysium as well, levelling up your abilities and powering characters further, if you take the time to find the right items to do it. There’s a Talent menu too, allowing you to slot learned martial arts abilities into your characters and varying their attacks, leading to a wide array of fighting styles. You can map up to two styles at once to the left trigger, switching between them on the fly and changing up your attacks for different enemies.
Whew. That’s just a taste of the menu screens! There’s a lot more to Xuan Yuan than that though. In addition to the depth of customization and excellent plot, there’s a fairly robust action element to Xuan Yuan. You wouldn’t know it at first though, since the first hour is primarily exposition and cinema sequences with only a smattering of action. In fact, that’s one of the things that makes Xuan Yuan fresh and interesting, the blending of a wide variety of disparate gaming elements from various genres that are not usually combined. Some of the notable inclusions are Quick Time Events (don’t worry, they’re forgiving ones and pretty cool!), Uncharted-style climbing sequences (though you can’t really fall), and Demon’s Souls-style boss fights. Somehow, Xuan Yuan seamlessly blends all these disparate elements into a complex action/RPG that ends up sucking you in within an hour or so and doesn’t let up for its entire 15 or so hour length. Yes, it’s a short game, but honestly, that’s kind of what gaming needs now. A short, well-designed, intense gaming experience that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and leaves you with a solid sense of enjoyment and resolution.
Combat in Xuan Yuan is interesting but not as complex as you might expect when someone mentions ‘Souls-like’. Taishi has a heavy attack, a light attack, a dodge, defense, and martial arts. That being said, dodge pretty much makes you invulnerable and spamming it makes combat fairly easy. Some enemies take more damage from different styles but there’s not a lot of overall complexity to the fighting and there’s no need to parry and riposte like other games with this combat style. Boss battles are interesting, with wild and unique creatures derived from Chinese mythology. They’re also vicious and close-range so you’ll have to b e daring to survive. The first boss takes a few tries until suddenly you realize how easy it is to dodge even though you’re being crowded by the boss and it’s over in a matter of moments. It sure is intimidating at first though! Once you get a feel for the combat, it slowly smooths out over the course of the game and becomes more enjoyable. The creature design is excellent and while the controls don’t break new ground, they’re more up to the game’s expectations.
Those expectations are high too, since along with Xuan Yuan’s plot and complex melding of disparate game styles, the game looks fantastic. Visuals here are AAA for the most part with crisp cinemas, detailed renderings, and creative backgrounds. The majesty of dynastic China is on full display and screen captures in some parts of Xuan Yuan would make excellent desktops! This is a game that oozes charm and culture out of every pore and leaves you wanting more. There are the occasional jagged renders on even the main character, especially in hair details, but for the most part, this is a simply stunning game to look at from the fields to the boss battles to the ancient ruins you’ll traipse through. Not only does it look great, it sounds great too and the soft strains of traditional Chinese music filter through towns and villages along with the heavier darker sounds of combat background music. The soundtrack is well-designed and flows smoothly with the gameplay in an excellent complement to a well-crafted look.
Whether you’re in it for the action, the plot, the upgrades, or the visuals, there’s a bit of something for everyone in Xuan Yuan Sword 7. Taking some of the best mechanics from some of the best games out there is definitely a solid step here and the synthesis of genres really works well. While the short length of the game might not appeal to all RPG fans, the focused experience is excellent and once you get used to the nuances of subtly different menu systems and button configurations, the game is incredibly enjoyable. At $50, you’re spending a fair bit for Xuan Yuan Sword 7 but it’s a polished and solid experience. Is $50 worth 10-15 hours? Some gamers judge value based on length, but many just want to play and enjoy. We spend that much at the theater for a movie and popcorn, and honestly, this is a fresh and enjoyable game that definitely deserved to be ported, even if it isn’t for every single player. Simply put, Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is absolutely worth your time and it’s an excellent title to jump into cold, even if you have no experience with the series. Don’t hesitate, check it out!
This review was based on a digital copy of of Xuan Yuan Sword 7 provided by the publisher. It was played on an Xbox Series X. Xuan Yuan Sword 7 is also available for PS4/5 and PC on Steam.
