Myth, Mechanics, and Misconceptions: The Realities of Tides of Annihilation
The upcoming action-adventure title Tides of Annihilation has quickly become one of those games where the community is eager to fill in the blanks. With its striking Arthurian imagery, a setting caught between a crumbling London and the realm of Avalon, and high-octane boss fights, it is easy for observers to make assumptions about what Eclipse Glow Games is building. Some assume it will be a grueling, hardcore soulslike; others wonder if the adaptation will be faithful to the original legend.
In our interview with Game Director Ary Chen (seen on the right) and Producer Kun Fu (seen on the left), we were able to clear up some of these speculations. While careful not to expose anything that may spoil the game, their comments (further supported by our recent hands-on gameplay experiences) reveal a studio with a very specific, carefully constructed vision that prioritizes player flow and narrative substance over arbitrary difficulty.
Balancing Difficulty and Accessibility
Given the fast-paced nature of the combat shown in early trailers, many have assumed Tides of Annihilation is a soulslike, or at least designed specifically for hardcore action enthusiasts. It's very clear now that it's not at all a soulslike, where combat is deliberate and methodical with a focus on stamina management, but rather a character action game, where combat prioritizes speed, agility, and the stylish execution of complex combos.
Seeing all of that speedy combat, genre newcomers may feel intimidated to jump in. However, Fu was clear that the development team is prioritizing a "step-by-step" onboarding process to ensure the game remains accessible.
"In terms of our game's system design and level flow, we have adopted an approach that takes care of the player," said Fu. "So, when players first start, they learn slowly, step-by-step, and only then do we increase the difficulty. For novice players or first time players, we give them plenty of time and care, allowing them to play at their own pace. For our hardcore players, the barrier to entry is relatively low; they’ll intuitively understand the mechanics."
They clarified that making it accessible doesn't mean making it pointlessly easy. "To make sure the game appeals to as many users as possible, we do maintain a certain level of difficulty."
Our recent hands-on preview corroborates this, showing that the game rewards practice. It is fundamentally an action RPG with difficult boss battles that avoids being needlessly punishing, with generous parry windows and growth systems that allow players to fine-tune the experience.
The Folded Realms: Environmental Mechanics
In the gameplay reveals, we noticed that the environment shifts sometimes; a landmark that would look battered but intact would show up completely destroyed in another scene. We asked if this implied that the world map would constantly be changing as you continued through the game. Chen explained that these environmental shifts are actually a core mechanical feature of the game’s progression, tied to the interaction between the real world and the realm of Avalon.
"Rather than having something that can't be used or broken after a certain scene, it's actually about switching back and forth between two worlds, which is why the environment changes," said Chen.
"One side is the real world, and the other side is the otherworld of Avalon. The interaction zone between them, or the overlapping zone, the gap in the middle, is called the Folding Realm," added Fu. "Inside the Folded Realm, there will be massive changes, like leaves dancing and gathering; these elements will all take place within the Folded Realm."
These "Folded Realms," then, won't necessarily change as the game continues, but will rather show two versions of the same place as an in-between space. This is something that was seen during our hands-on, where the Russell Museum's Folded Realm seemed to be a mirrored version of the original.
Cultural Synthesis and the "Russell Museum"
Because Tides of Annihilation draws heavily on the legend of King Arthur, the game's character roster has sparked significant curiosity. Why is Mordred female? Why are figures like Anubis or Guan Yu appearing alongside the Knights of the Round Table? While some fans were hoping for a faithful adaptation, others have been eager to debate the merits of these creative deviations.
Chen was firm in his response: the studio is not making a history textbook. "It's not for historical accuracy. Most of it is to serve the game's mechanics."
"The original works don't limit us; they provide inspiration. We build on the foundation of the Arthurian myth but make the necessary changes." Fu explained. "For example, Lamorak is one of the three lions of the Round Table, so we mainly chose him for the lion image he represents."
They also never even entertained the idea of having the Mordred be male as the original character was. "It's mostly to serve our narrative and gameplay. It's more about the image during combat and wanting the visual presentation to match."
The logic behind the broader cultural mash-up is anchored in the game’s setting. Fu explained that the studio uses the "Russell Museum," based on the real-world the British Museum, as a narrative justification for an eclectic cast.
"The museum contains different cultures: Western, Eastern, Egyptian, and so on" said Fu. "This 'Russell Museum' design gave us great creative space. We wanted to have more diverse cultural expressions in the game and to bring different changes to the player in the levels, rather than just doing the same thing. We thought just using local knights might not be enough, so we added some things, like the Egyptian knight Anubis or the Chinese warrior Guan Yu. We think these are consistent with our theme in the museum section."
Addressing Game Length and Side Quests
As players speculate about the final scope of the project, reports regarding a "20 to 30-hour" playtime have circulated online. Fu addressed these reports, clarifying that they are not official numbers from the studio.
"I'd like to clarify that we've never stated this officially," disputed Chen. "These are just rumors. We haven't said whether the game is specifically 20 or 30 hours."
"One thing I can say is that our team is currently focusing on creating more interesting content for the game, so we don't have an accurate answer for the total length yet."
Regarding the density of the game world, Chen confirmed that side content will be present, though he shied away from defining a specific quantity. "It's hard to define if it's 'large,' but there are definitely side quests. They complement the main storyline and enrich the story and gameplay experience."
"We're focusing more on the richness and diversity of these side quests to ensure each one feels unique," Fu added.
Pricing Strategy
With global economic shifts impacting hardware and software prices, affordability has become a major conversation, especially in the gaming industry. When asked about their pricing strategy with that in mind, Fu emphasized that the team is still evaluating their options.
"Honestly, our pricing isn't finalized, and I can't announce it yet," said Chen. "But we attach great importance to the global user demand and pricing, so we will definitely provide a relatively suitable and reasonable price when it officially launches."
Sustainability and the Road Ahead
Ultimately, Tides of Annihilation is the product of a new studio finding its footing. The team has faced real-world challenges, including the difficult decision to replace their original voice actor, Jennifer English, due to health concerns, a move that both Chen and Fu treated with visible respect.
"We were very fortunate to work with Jennifer before, but we respect her decision due to health reasons as we believe health is the most important thing," said Chen. "Even just on a personal basis, we want for her to focus on recovering."
"Although Jennifer withdrew from the Gwendolyn voice role, she acts as an English dubbing consultant for the project. We have a good relationship," Chen continues. "She is also actively helping us promote the selection and recommendation of new voice actors."
Noting that given their willingness to add characters from different regions and that the concept lends itself for expansion, the question of whether they're hoping to further build on Tides of Annihilation as an IP arises. Chen said that while it's their wish to make it a series, he expressed a more grounded perspective.
"Since the release of 'Black Myth,' global attention has been focused on Chinese developers, which is very favorable," said Chen. "But what's more important is making our first work solid so that players truly like it. That is our main goal: first complete it, then perfect it."
By avoiding the trap of making overblown promises about game length or series potential, and instead focusing on the quality of the immediate experience, Eclipse Glow Games is setting expectations that are as measured as they are lofty. Tides of Annihilation is shaping up to be a game defined not by its labels, but by a specific, and ambitious, creative vision.
