When Square Enix first showed off Octopath Traveler, its art style was an immediate hit. HD-2D, as the look is called, has been used to put a fresh coat of paint on a number of remakes. Dragon Quest III and Live A Live are just two examples, and Square says that more classic RPGs could get the HD-2D treatment. Of course, there’s nothing stopping other developers from getting in on the trend too. That’s exactly what Chinese developer Xiameng Studio is doing with Codename: Wandering Sword.
The game’s teaser video provides a good idea of what to expect. Its description gives us the story setup: “a young man from Liao City in the Outer Land is accidentally involved in a feud between two rival sects and poisoned with the Frozen Toad.” It also mentions that decision-making will play a big role in the narrative, with “choices [that] will change the entire story of the martial arts world.”
In terms of gameplay, the teaser shows the party venturing through a variety of beautiful locations, from villages to fields to cities in both the day and nighttime. We also get a sample of combat, which leans heavily into the wuxia genre — a term for martial arts media that features ancient Chinese characters and settings. Elemental magic and sword attacks can be seen on the game’s battle grid, which brings Triangle Strategy (another Square title) to mind.
Codename: Wandering Sword has no set release date right now, but the teaser description says it “will soon be available on Steam.” The game page is live now, so you can add Wandering Sword to your personal wishlist. The page also provides more information about what the wuxia RPG entails. Combat can be carried out in real-time or with turn-based mechanics, and multiple side quests and endings are promised. You can find the game’s minimum and recommended PC specs too. Codename: Wandering Sword isn’t currently announced for any other platforms.
