In an engaging interview with Wccftech, the developers at Eclipse Glow Games, responsible for the upcoming game Tides of Annihilation, delved into the fascinating reasons behind their choice of Arthurian myths and the setting of London. Here's a deeper look into the game's concept and what players can anticipate.
Tides of Annihilation Aims For A Western Audience
The Central Concept Of Arthurian Myths And Knights
At Gamescom 2024, the Tides of Annihilation team from Eclipse Glow Games sat down with Wccftech to discuss the game's concept, its innovative gameplay mechanics, and the potential for an anthology series. As a China-based studio, Eclipse Glow Games made a deliberate choice to target a Western audience for this project, influenced by their financial backer, Tencent. "This game and Black Myth: Wukong are two projects invested in by Tencent, and there were different expectations set on these two projects. Black Myth: Wukong targeted the Chinese market, but for this project, we targeted a Western audience, so we chose the Arthurian legends," explained the game’s producer. This led to the central theme revolving around knights, which evolved into a narrative centered on King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Tides of Annihilation unfolds in a post-apocalyptic modern-day London, devastated by an Outworld invasion, with the protagonist, Gwendolyn, seemingly the only human survivor. The game merges an alternate modern setting with rich fantasy elements, drawing inspiration directly from Arthurian myths.
Devil May Cry-inspired Combat And Over 30 Bosses
Action-RPG enthusiasts will notice that Tides of Annihilation's combat system bears a strong resemblance to the iconic Devil May Cry series. The developers have openly acknowledged this influence, stating, "It's definitely more like Devil May Cry," while also incorporating a difficulty selection feature. This design choice aims to make the game accessible to a broader audience, with simpler controls for those who enjoy action games but aren't necessarily hardcore gamers.
Players can customize their combat style through various playstyles, choosing from four weapons and over ten different Knights to accompany them as sidekicks. In the game, Gwendolyn discovers her ability to command the legendary Knights of the Round Table, who join her in battling through a ravaged London to uncover the mystery behind the invasion. With over 30 bosses, each possessing unique abilities, players are promised a challenging and engaging gameplay experience. "Players will have to prepare for very challenging boss fights," the developers emphasized.
Plans Of Creating An Anthology
Eclipse Glow Games also expressed their ambition to expand the Tides of Annihilation franchise into an anthology, potentially exploring different settings and mythologies with a new protagonist for each installment. "But we would still want to use the Outworld invasion concept that we're using for Tides of Annihilation," they mentioned, indicating that this theme would be the unifying thread across the series. The team is optimistic about the success of the first title, hoping it will pave the way for more games within this intriguing universe.
Currently in its beta phase, Tides of Annihilation is set to launch in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players will follow Gwendolyn on her journey as she battles against fate to save not only London but also the mystical realm of Avalon, which intertwines with the real world in this captivating narrative.
