Summary
One of the most beautiful things about gaming is that the market is a big enough cake that almost anyone with a vision and enough money for development can have a slice and present something new to the public. While Western companies with multi-billion dollar budgets mainly dominate the market, lately, other countries' developers have also been able to take a crack at presenting new stories to players worldwide.
It’s undeniable that Asian developers,with their countries' folkloreand rich history, have created many of the most memorable games to date, widening the market for non-Western studios, and showing the gaming community what they’re capable of. To showcase this, here arethe best games made by Chinese developers.
To be clear, the focus is on games developed by companies stationed in China.
Ever since it was first announced way back in February 2020,Black Myth: Wukongcaught the attention of Asian and Western players alike. Even in the earlier stages of development, it showcasedvisually stunning graphics, an interesting original concept, and fast-paced combat that resembled Soulsborne games. While the game takes its liberties, the Chinese cultural and mythological influences imprinted on it are evident.
Based on the Chinese novel “Journey to the West”,Black Myth: Wukongwill have players take on the role of the Destined One, a monkey protagonist based on Sun Wukong, from the previously mentioned novel. Equipped with a magical staff that can quickly change in size as the situation demands it, the Destined One will have to overcome several challenges to emerge victorious over the numerous enemies in its path.
While some people might complain regarding the level design in the early stages of the game and the lack of variety in combat, the consensus is thatBlack Myth: Wukongis very enjoyable to play, even with many of its flaws and technical problems, most of which might be solved with patches.
AsBlack Myth: Wukongjust released, it is too early to rank it any higher. That said, the game warrants a mention.
To kick things off, there’sNaraka:Bladepoint,one of the greatest Battle Royalesmade by a Chinese developer. Initially released in 2021, the game immediately became a favorite of many players, conquering not only its large Asian market but also a considerable chunk of the Western one. At first, the concept sounds like it wouldn’t work as well as it does. After all, most Battle Royales are based on firearms and long-distance combat, not melee weapons.
However, when developed right, the game proved that even this uncommon take on the genre can work wonders and keep players interested for weeks on end. One of the few “bad” things about Naraka: Bladepoint is that some microtransactions are involved when it comes to getting certain items in the game.
When it was first released in China in 2015, there was a certain degree of uncertainty around how bigHonor of Kingswould be, or even if it would make any profits in an uncertain market. Luckily, the developers quickly saw their hard work pay off, and it’s now one of the biggest andmost relevant MOBAsin the country. However, the developers didn’t stop there, as a new version, called, “Arena of Valor” was later released with greatly modified user interface designs to accommodate the Western market, garnering a much wider international fanbase.
As opposed toNaraka: Bladepoint,Honor of Kingsdoes not primarily focus on combat against other human players, but rather against bot enemies. To win, players must destroy enemy structures called turrets, achieving victory only after destroying the enemy’s base crystal.
F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torchis mainly a Metroidvania game, but there’s so much more to it than initially meets the eye. Years after theMachine Legioninvaded and conquered Torch City, a war veteran must take up arms once again after his best friend is taken away by force by the tyrannical leaders of the occupation.
With several weapons, such as “Fist”, “Drill”, and “Whip” at Rayon’s (the main character) disposal, players will have to choose their fighting style carefully to make their way through a world full of merciless enemies. To win the game, players will have to solve puzzles, beat difficult challenges, and defeat monstrous bosses that will stop at nothing to end Rayton’s journey prematurely and frustrate his efforts to rescue his dear friend.
The game is mostly based on a Dieselpunk art style that complements the game mechanics and overall story very well. An all-around impressive side-scrolling Metroidvania,F.I.S.T.has great visuals, art design, environments, and combat. While not re-inventing the genre, it shows a mastery of its core tenets.
As opposed to other Chinese games,Genshin Impactneeds no introduction, as it’s one of the most critically acclaimed and popular titles of the last few years, and this is true both for the Asian and Western markets. Set in Teyvat and focusing on the story of an interstellar traveler who has just woken up 500 years after being separated from his twin sister, Genshin Impact will have players traverse the 7 nations in the area looking for answers.
Combat is strongly based on an element system including those such as wind, fire, thunder, water, ice, plant, and rock.Depending on players' builds, they’ll be able to harness one of many of these elements freely, creating attack combinations to deal damage to any enemies they encounter along their journey. One of the greatest aspects ofGenshin Impactis that enemies level up along with the player, so there’s always fun and a challenge to be found. Constantly evolving through updates and new characters,Genshin Impactis ambitious, extensive, and addictive.
