Sony’s recent State of Play, which was held just a couple of days ago, left us with several exciting announcements, and one of them is precisely Tides of Annihilation, a product of Chinese studio Eclipse Glow Games. This is an action-packed adventure on an industrial scale, heavily inspired by the legends of King Arthur. This game will be released for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Although it does not yet have a confirmed release date, it is expected to be announced sometime in 2025.
Maybe the title of this article is a little presumptuous, and I swear, gamer, I am not one of the developers of this game, but I needed something catchy that fit my SEO limits XD. Either way, after watching the video and reading everything I will tell you below, I invite you to judge for yourself whether you agree with me that this could easily become the best hack n’ slash of the new era. So, to start off on the right foot and without further delay, here is the official Tides of Annihilation trailer, courtesy of IGN.
Ancient Legends and a Post-Apocalyptic London
During Sony’s State of Play, lead producer Kun Fu… Okay, jokes aside, my native language is Spanish, and even I had to read the name several times. Let’s move on. Kun Fu was thrilled to finally present the game to the public, making it clear that this trailer you see above is barely the first glimpse of something he himself defined as “an experience that blends courage, loyalty, and heroism into an epic story.” And well, after watching the trailer, I think I understand what he means, because personally, it only left me wanting more. Anxious Mode ON.
In Tides of Annihilation, modernity mixes with medieval mysticism in a post-apocalyptic setting that could easily be set in the near future. Due to an otherworldly invasion, London has been transformed into a battlefield where the ruins of its iconic monuments intertwine with supernatural structures and creatures, resulting in an environment as fascinating as it is lethal.
We will play as one of the few remaining survivors of the human race, a brave girl named Gwendolyn, who discovers an ancient power that allows her to summon the legendary Knights of the Round Table. With the city plunged into chaos, and her sister’s life at risk, her mission will be to defeat Avalon’s demigods and unravel a conspiracy that threatens to wipe out the remnants of both worlds.
One of the strongest points of this adventure, as you may have already noticed in the video, will be its combat system, whose main mechanic will be the innovative ability to summon the specters of the legendary knights of old. On top of that, our protagonist will have more than 10 different knights to assist her on the battlefield, each with their own unique abilities and characteristics, resulting in a dynamic gameplay experience that is fully adaptable to each player’s style.
And trust me, each of these formidable summoned allies will be more than just a simple aid, they will be absolutely essential. In this devastated version of London, you will see colossal knights freely wandering, sometimes fulfilling different roles, whether as part of the scenery, living structures that can be climbed and explored, or even enemies to face in battle. Speaking of which, the game will feature more than 30 unique bosses, each inspired by different characters related to the Knights of the Round Table.
What Does It Remind Me Of?
Well, I could name a lot, or maybe nothing at all. I mean, it is true that, at least aesthetically, I see quite a bit of influence from some recent and not-so-recent titles, like some of the classic FF entries, Stellar Blade, or other references that come to mind. Sure, “summons” are nothing new, but let’s remember that Final Fantasy still holds a special place in the heart of RPGs (or JRPGs, whatever category you prefer to put them in). So, in this context, and considering the genre differences, I do think it is innovative, visually striking, and dynamic in just the right way.
On the other hand, I think the other big reference that we can all clearly see, and which is obviously undeniable, is Shadow of the Colossus, for reasons that are way too obvious to even explain… right? …Right?
Okay, as I have said before, even with these distant or not-so-distant similarities, I believe this game will shine on its own, and, hopefully, I will not be wrong in saying that it has everything it needs to stand out among many, or maybe all.
Eclipse Glow Games, the developers of Tides of Annihilation, has the backing of Tencent, and their team is made up of more than 100 developers with extensive experience in the gaming industry. Many of them come from studios like Ubisoft, Gameloft, or SEGA, and several of them can list some of the biggest titles of recent years on their résumés, including Persona, Prince of Persia, Yakuza 0, For Honor, and Assassin’s Creed. If these are not good references, I do not know what would be 😉
For now, I will just leave you with the clarification that the title of this article was decided simply after watching the video, even before I dived into the project’s details. But even so, I still firmly believe that I am right XD.
And this is where I invite you to discuss so that we can both reach the conclusion that, obviously, I am right hahaha. Jokes aside, drop by the comments and tell me what you think about this game, okay? You know, gamer, I’ll be reading you! 😉
Info & Images Source: IGN Official YouTube Channel, Tides of Annihilation on Steam, VANDAL
