The video game landscape has been taken over by fantasy action such as Stellar Blade, Black Myth: Wukong, and Elden Ring. Even the latest Assassin’s Creed games have added more fantastical elements to their action. After seeing the announcement trailer for Blood Message, I’m ready for more realistic and brutal combat in video games.

The announcement trailer has been released for Blood Message, described as a cinematic, single-player, linear story-driven action-adventure. From NetEase Games and 24 Entertainment Studio, the third-person game powered by Unreal Engine 5 will be headed to PC and consoles. We get a taste of the brutal melee action that looks like you’re watching a historical epic.

The addition to the combat, there will be stealth and survival mechanics. The cinematic storytelling feels like it’s going to deliver an emotional journey. What makes the game truly unique is that you play as ordinary people wanting to rise to the occasion.

Synopsis: Blood Message introduces a forgotten odyssey of loyalty and survival where players join Dunhuang’s uprising, taking control of a nameless messenger and his young son in this immersive third-person action-adventure. Caught in the crossfire of a righteous uprising and driven by loyalty to both family and country, players will embark on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of their war-torn homeland. Amidst the shifting sands of history, they will etch a final tale of loyalty.

The game is set during the final years of the Tang Dynasty, and players will be able to travel around 1,000 miles to Chang-an, the center of the Tang Empire. The game will feature East and Central Asia deserts and wilderness, sieges, deadly terrain, and more. Players will be immersed in a historical China during the Tang Dynasty.

“We are ushering players into a new generation of high adventure with Blood Message,” said Zhipeng Hu, Lead Producer and NetEase Executive Vice President. “As our first completely single-player focused experience from NetEase Games, after two decades of deep dedication to the gaming industry, we are prepared to deliver a truly epic and cinematic experience for players around the world.”