NetEase Games, a heavyweight behind multiplayer smashes like Marvel Rivals and Naraka: Bladepoint, just announced a surprise with Blood Message, their debut AAA single-player action-adventure game. This cinematic ride plunges into the twilight of China’s Tang Dynasty, mixing raw combat with a story tied to historical chaos.
Set in the fading days of the Tang Dynasty, around 848 AD, Blood Message pulls from the Dunhuang Uprising, a rebellion to wrest the city of Shazhou (today’s Dunhuang) from the Tibetan Empire. Players step into the boots of a solitary warrior trekking through a world of fading imperial splendor, where staying alive calls for both muscle and sneaky moves. Instead of the vast open worlds ruling today’s games, this one goes linear, focusing on a tight, story-driven thread over free-roam chaos. NetEase calls it “a story-driven action-adventure game” aiming to serve up “a powerful and cinematic narrative.”
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The combat in Blood Message looks like a lesson in intensity, merging Sekiro’s sharp precision with God of War’s dramatic flair. The trailer teases at a system that rewards fast reflexes and smart tactics. One standout moment shows the hero scaling a cliff amid enemy shots, then cutting down foes with a dance of strikes that feels both gritty and graceful. NetEase highlights “visceral, realistic combat” mixed with “a blend of stealth and survival.”
From Dunhuang’s wind-swept dunes to the fine details of ancient Chinese structures, every frame in the trailer radiates next-gen shine. NetEase’s custom tech paired with Unreal Engine 5 ensures Blood Message isn’t just pretty—it feels alive. The settings, from bleak battlegrounds to lavish temples, thrum with historical weight, their textures and light hinting at a Tang Dynasty teetering on the edge. “We want players to feel immersed in a world where history and heroism collide,” NetEase shared in their reveal.
NetEase frames the game as a break from the usual “emperors and generals” sagas, shining a light on the unsung warriors who shaped history’s sidelines. “The world has heard enough of emperors and generals,” the official announcement states. “Blood Message is about the warriors who history forgot but who never stopped fighting.”
Slated for PC and consoles, Blood Message lacks a firm release date, but the hype is already there. NetEase’s solid rep with immensely popular multiplayer games builds trust in the tech side, though the big test is pulling off the story and emotional punch of a single-player ride. If the trailer’s any clue, they’re off to a strong start.
