While it's sadly not playable at Tokyo Game Show 2023, Everstone Studios' ambitious open-world action RPG was highlighted today in a special IGN Japan livestream, and we've got the full 18 minutes of gameplay footage here for you to check out in stunning 4K.
The action starts with a fiery assault on horseback through fields of flowers highly reminiscent of Ghost of Tsushima's gorgeous vistas, before crashing straight into a boss fight. When he went hands on with it back at Gamescom 2023 in August, Matt Purslow suggested that the boss encounter in Where Winds Meet wasn't exactly Dark Souls-level in difficulty, but its fast-paced slashing and parrying would suggest that it isn't exactly for babies either (despite the fact the main character has an infant strapped to his chest for some reason).
With the hulking boss down for the count, we then get a look at Where Winds Meet's staggeringly detailed character customisation. A simple set of base presets soon gives way to a dizzying array of feature sliders - if you're the type to obsess over the size and shape of your avatar's glabella or philtrum then fear not since Where Winds Meet has got you covered. Brow arches, lip sizes, nose tips - Where Winds Meet's character customisation seemingly offers more conceivable nips and tucks than a plastic surgeon on a Kardashian's speed dial.
Next up we see Where Winds Meet's unusual skill attributes. On one page it shows Drinker, Witty, Whimsical, and Poet, which is incidentally the four stages this writer progresses through on an average night out. But elsewhere we see attribute tags like Mountain Lifter, Moon Gazer, and Dreamer. There appears to be around 27 different unique traits like these, suggesting that Where Winds Meet is doing things a little differently to the action RPG norm.
We next see the main character explore a small village, interacting with locals and even petting a friendly cat, before another combat sequence highlights how battles will play out against foes in greater numbers. Here the hero displays an impressive ability to strike each enemy in rapid succession to stun them, allowing him to isolate them one-on-one and take them down uninterupted. The ability to leap off a rooftop and fire arrows from his bow in slow-motion a la Link in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild also shows alternate ways to take attackers down from a distance.
Lastly, we see the hero take to the skies for a flight ability that appears to be tied to a stamina guage, before indulging in a battle with an angry bear - suggesting that there'll be plenty of wildlife to contend with in addition to Where Winds Meet's human enemies.
Where Winds Meet still doesn't have a release date, and it remains to be seen as to whether developer Everstone Studios can keep the game's ambitious size and scope in check in order to provide a cohesive experience. Here's hoping the team can pull it all together, because Where Winds Meet could be very special if so.
Tristan Ogilvie is a Senior Video Editor at IGN AU. He's currently attending Tokyo Game Show 2023.
