Anonymous ME - Early Access Watcher -
0Disclosure: This game copy was bought by the reviewer.
Forced from retirement as a member of the now defunct Seven Steps, Mang must utilize her skills to trade three lives and the fabled Blood Seal for her husband. Her father's request must be upheld, however, which would mean keeping the seal out of another hand and preventing its' influence from harming the decaying Qin Dynasty. Determined to maintain her happy life, she humors the mysterious man forcing the exchange and ventures forth into a nation torn by strife and rebellious intentions.
The moment I noticed the mixed reviews cluttering the Steam page, I realize most of them were in a foreign language. I didn't notice any "English Not Supported" stamp present, so I decided to take a swing and see if I would hit something worth recording. By the time I finished the second hour (video shows my first), I saw a few critical issues in terms of the translation/localization that made most of the text awkward to read. The story is still understandable and tutorials remain coherent enough to grasp the key concepts, but the majority of conversational text is going to look weird to anyone playing in English.
On the other hand, the visuals are beautifully made with the backgrounds stealing the show. Character models are just as good, made better by crisp battle animations that follow through whether in a sword combo or dashing forward. The enemy variety does get old pretty quickly, even with the different environments they inhabit. Music is also a plus when it has the opportunity to trigger.
Combat is solid for the most part. While the controls are responsive, the lack of rebinding or controller support makes the layout hit or miss depending on how accustom one is to using only a keyboard. At the time of this post I have spent a good three hours and know I still have a bit more to go. This is more of a first impression for that reason. Once I finish the current content, I will reflect it in the curation I plan to put out for it, but so far I can say I am enjoying it for the combat and style.