Marvel Rivals dev reveals gorgeous new Chinese set action RPG Blood Message

If you'd asked us who was going to make the next big single-player hack and slash, we'd never in a million years have guessed NetEase Games, developer of Marvel Rivals. And yet, NetEase has just revealed Blood Message, an 'AAA' action game based on Chinese history. It features a father/son dynamic not a million miles away from God of War and it's looking absolutely gorgeous.

As Blood Message's title suggests, combat figures heavily into this upcoming action-adventure game, but it's not about one man's gory quest for revenge. Instead, it features a nameless father and son, whose dynamic would have God of War's Kratos stroking his beard in silent approval.

Set in ancient China, during the final years of the Tang Dynasty, Blood Message sees the pair caught up in the Dunhuang rising. That places the game in around 848 AD, though our heroes' only real drive is to make it home.

That won't be an easy task, however. While NetEase hasn't specifically called Blood Message open world, the game will see you "Cross lethal landscapes including desolate deserts and the vast wilderness of East and Central Asia to survive brutal sieges, unforgiving terrain, and overwhelming odds."

Swordplay aside, stealth will also figure into Blood Message's gameplay, as well as survival mechanics. We're hoping the game doesn't lean too heavily into crafting, or that you'll have to fill your pockets with grindstones to stop your sword blunting after five slashes. Just let us get on with the serious business of separating people's heads from their shoulders before they can blink.

Speaking of blinking, we had to rub our eyes a few times to make sure we weren't watching a CGI trailer. But, powered by Unreal Engine 5, Blood Message really does look that gorgeous. The downside is that you can expect it to require a reasonably meaty PC to run.

Blood Message doesn't have a release date as yet, but if you love games that tap into actual history, or just have a taste for swordplay, this could be one to watch. In the meantime, why not test your blade skills with the best sword games and the best hack and slash games.

You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We've also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.