Why Taishi Zhao embarks on this adventure as a hero has a simple reason: his sister was seriously wounded and although her spirit continues to accompany Taishi, her body is in bad shape. So he moves into the area to not only find a cure but soon to encounter a calamity much greater than his family's fate.
The introduction does drag on for a while and, just like the rest of the narrative, is largely conveyed via sometimes tedious conversations. In return, the developers combine historical events, legends, and a touch of steampunk in a fantastic story, which of course also lives from the exotic flair in our latitudes. In Taiwan or old China, the local video game is rarely on the road; especially since in Xuan-Yuan Sword 7, only Chinese is spoken - optionally with English subtitles.
In general, it's mainly the characters through which one builds a connection to the inviting setting. After all, Taishi is rarely alone on the road. Rather, an old friend soon accompanies him alongside his sister, and the travelers talk about current events, comment on events from side missions, or talk to each other when resting at campfires to restore their health.
You have to leave the church in the village: This isn't a big role-playing game with elaborate production values, which is why many animations look bulky and the graphics suffer from a constant as well as very annoying stuttering when reloading new objects. On top of that, companions are teleported right next to Taishi, even though he just left them in front of an obstacle that he has to laboriously overcome himself. Despite a graphical day and night change, towns are also always busy areas, whose inhabitants, on top of that, stay in one spot almost all the time and don't care that you smash their clay pots for a few found objects.
But it's also an adventure made with a sense of detail, and you can see the dedication to all its parts. Many villages and paths are picturesquely beautiful, for example, quite a few landscape shots could be wonderful postcard motifs, the soundtrack underpins the journey with an enchanting melancholy, and in front of closed doors and paths, you solve small puzzles that are reminiscent of Tomb Raider in a successful way. You can even play a fictional and in its simple way noble chess variant with a clever set of rules. Admittedly, this isn't a Gwent, but it's certainly a stylish alternative.
Conclusion
So there are little things where you'll notice again and again: The bottom line is that Xuan-Yuan Sword 7 is a very manageable adventure. The constantly stuttering graphics are one thing - completely unvoiced villagers, strange actions in the battle system, and some dull side missions are another. And yet the action-packed role-playing game exerts a fascination that sets it apart from many others. This has to do with the unusual scenario, but also with the loving storytelling as well as many little things that the developers attach great importance to. Picturesque backdrops are just as much a part of it as the numerous conversations of the hero group.
