After completing both endings at around the 50-hour mark and now aiming for 100% achievements, I can confidently say that this game is a true masterpiece.

The combat system is stellar, offering a dynamic and engaging experience. While I did encounter some minor issues, such as input lag during the fourth chapter where dodging seemed unresponsive in the face of enemy attacks, everything else about the combat is exceptional. The variety of builds is impressive, allowing players to freely experiment and respec skill points at any time. The progression system offers plenty of ways to enhance your character, from permanent celestial medicines that boost stats, to unique armor sets and upgradeable weapons that provide powerful bonuses.

I appreciated the fair difficulty balance for each boss. The game strikes a perfect blend of challenge and forgiveness, where boss fights feel intense but never -too- punishing. You can jump into them stress-free, as death only costs a bit of sanity instead of hard-earned progress.

This is not an open-world game, and at times it can feel restrictive with invisible walls blocking paths where you expect freedom. However, the game’s linear progression still provides plenty of exploration, especially as the world opens up the deeper you go. One of my favorite aspects of the game is how it introduces its mechanics gradually, never overwhelming players from the start.

There’s a great sense of learning and mastery as you progress, and the quest structure provides plenty of variety without feeling convoluted.

As someone with a budding interest in Asian mythology, I found the storytelling here captivating. The narrative is steeped in mythological themes, and while it can feel vague at times, each chapter brings clarity through lore-filled animations. The game is inspired by the classic novel Journey to the West, but diverges into its own darker, more atmospheric take on the source material. The characters and world draw you in, and after experiencing both endings, I’m left with a bittersweet feeling—both fulfilled and wanting more.

While I loved much of the game, a few things did stand out as frustrating. Achievements that require multiple playthroughs, or lock you out of quests based on progression, can feel restrictive. The RNG-based achievements, like gathering all 15 seeds, can be particularly tedious. For example, the celestial pear tree only spawns 4 trees on the map with a 30-minute real-life respawn time, and there’s only a slim chance of getting the seeds you need. It feels like unnecessary padding for completionists.

As someone new to the souls-like genre, this game hit all the right notes for me. While it leans more toward the action-RPG side, it incorporates enough souls-like mechanics to satisfy fans of both genres. The visuals are stunning, showcasing the power of Unreal Engine, although the downside is that even small patches can result in massive updates (the last one was 65GB).

Overall, this game is an unforgettable experience, and I highly recommend it to fans of action-RPGs and mythological storytelling alike.

[h1]A Masterpiece of Action-RPG Storytelling and Combat[/h1] After completing both endings at around the 50-hour mark and now aiming for 100% achievements, I can confidently say that this game is a true masterpiece. [h2]Combat[/h2] The combat system is stellar, offering a dynamic and engaging experience. While I did encounter some minor issues, such as input lag during the fourth chapter where dodging seemed unresponsive in the face of enemy attacks, everything else about the combat is exceptional. The variety of builds is impressive, allowing players to freely experiment and respec skill points at any time. The progression system offers plenty of ways to enhance your character, from permanent celestial medicines that boost stats, to unique armor sets and upgradeable weapons that provide powerful bonuses. I appreciated the fair difficulty balance for each boss. The game strikes a perfect blend of challenge and forgiveness, where boss fights feel intense but never -too- punishing. You can jump into them stress-free, as death only costs a bit of sanity instead of hard-earned progress. [h2]Exploration and Game Design[/h2] This is not an open-world game, and at times it can feel restrictive with invisible walls blocking paths where you expect freedom. However, the game’s linear progression still provides plenty of exploration, especially as the world opens up the deeper you go. One of my favorite aspects of the game is how it introduces its mechanics gradually, never overwhelming players from the start. There’s a great sense of learning and mastery as you progress, and the quest structure provides plenty of variety without feeling convoluted. [h2]Story and Atmosphere[/h2] As someone with a budding interest in Asian mythology, I found the storytelling here captivating. The narrative is steeped in mythological themes, and while it can feel vague at times, each chapter brings clarity through lore-filled animations. The game is inspired by the classic novel Journey to the West, but diverges into its own darker, more atmospheric take on the source material. The characters and world draw you in, and after experiencing both endings, I’m left with a bittersweet feeling—both fulfilled and wanting more. [h2]Downsides[/h2] While I loved much of the game, a few things did stand out as frustrating. Achievements that require multiple playthroughs, or lock you out of quests based on progression, can feel restrictive. The RNG-based achievements, like gathering all 15 seeds, can be particularly tedious. For example, the celestial pear tree only spawns 4 trees on the map with a 30-minute real-life respawn time, and there’s only a slim chance of getting the seeds you need. It feels like unnecessary padding for completionists. [h2]Final Thoughts[/h2] As someone new to the souls-like genre, this game hit all the right notes for me. While it leans more toward the action-RPG side, it incorporates enough souls-like mechanics to satisfy fans of both genres. The visuals are stunning, showcasing the power of Unreal Engine, although the downside is that even small patches can result in massive updates (the last one was 65GB). Overall, this game is an unforgettable experience, and I highly recommend it to fans of action-RPGs and mythological storytelling alike.