Every single panel is wonderfully drawn and it’s always a treat when they’re on screen, whether it’s to being used during the in-between narrations or popped in during the regular in-engine cutscenes to add just a little bit of flair and focus. Initially, it’s noticed through the comic-book panel cutscenes that take a heavy influence from traditional Chinese manga. When done right it can give a lot of character to a game and this is certainly one of those cases. Plenty of games have been stylized to emulate comics, from the cell-shading in each Borderlands game to the comic book panel cutscenes throughout the Max Payne series. Of course, the comic-book visuals help a ton too. Even though it doesn’t serve a purpose besides being immersively charming, it really stuck with me. It’s treated like a radio drama narrator that’s bringing listeners up to speed on what’s happened, complete with “what will the hero do now” hook lines. Admittedly, the latter doesn’t seem necessary given the simplicity of the story, but it was always something I thoroughly enjoyed. The Japanese police meanwhile see you as a wanted thief and troublemaker.Īside from the gameplay, The Legend of Tianding also presents the story through cutscenes and in-between chapter narration. All of them love Liao Tianding for being a charming hero that steals from the rich and gives to the poor (something you are encouraged to do and are rewarded for). Rebels want to show off the strength of the Taiwanese people. The townsfolk are distrusting of the Japanese police. This theme, along with the general story beats, is constantly reflected in the gameplay. Although it’s not the basis for the main plot and events that Liao Tianding goes through, it is a vital theme for the character and the setting. It’s simply treated as the way things were. ![]() This obvious divide is not presented as a problem that needs to be fixed or solved by the player. ![]() Conversely, most Japanese characters look down harshly on the Taiwanese as lesser than and even call them Qing Slaves. The Japanese people in this story are rebuked as terrorizing colonizers from the Taiwanese point of view and any Taiwanese that help them in any way are traitors. The setting is 20th century Taiwan after being ceded from the Qing Dynasty to Japan in the aftermath of the First Sino-Japanese War. ![]() While it isn’t a complicated story, it isn’t one you’ll see often in Western media. Whereas most games in the genre have a simple premise (such as saving a loved one) that’s stretched out across a whole campaign to justify your need to beat up every enemy in your way, there’s an ongoing narrative here that’s built with each chapter. In fact, I’d say the story is one of the most important parts of the experience.
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