A couple of months ago, western gamers were introduced to Where Winds Meet, a multiplayer open world wuxia RPG developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase. Information on the game was mostly provided on its official site and Steam page with the promise of “an epic open-world action-adventure RPG” set in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history, with gameplay that lets players can customize their combat style, explore the open map, and either help people or become an agent of chaos. The release window was set for sometime this year.
Well, it would seem like that release window is getting just that little bit nearer, as Everstone has confirmed dates and times for its “final test” before launch. Testing will run between July 24th and 31st on the PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, which can be registered for this closed beta via a registration form between now and the 24th. Testing will not be under an NDA.
As for what this beta build will offer, that will feature the wilderness and rural areas from the previous test, but its centerpiece is new metropolis of Kaifeng. This new zone promises to be massive, with 10,000 NPCs milling about at any given time and lots of activities for players to get in to, including pickpocketing, brawling, questing and stories scattered around various locations in Kaifeng, and leisure activities such as enjoying time in a bath house or taking in an opera. Player actions and their effect on the game’s world is once again a hallmark for the game, as Everstone claims that the choices made by players have the power of helping abandoned wheat fields flourish or bring run-down neighborhoods back to life.
Whether this is multiplayer or a full-scale MMO is left as an exercise for the gamer thanks to NetEase’s confusing descriptions; it kinda sounds like players will be able to move among solo, small-scale co-op, and massively multiplayer modes:
“Embark on a rich, narrative-driven adventure with over 150 hours of solo gameplay, or open your world to up to 4 friends in seamless co-op. Build or join a Guild to unlock a wide range of group activities—from intense guild wars to challenging multiplayer dungeons and epic raids. Prove your might in competitive duels, or step into a shared, ever-evolving world with thousands of fellow adventurers.”
