Prince of Qin Demo

Although the gaming industry seems to be fixated on Tolkien-esque fantasy worlds filled with dwarves, dragons and orcs when it comes to role-playing games, there are many other interesting settings that could be used to create fascinating stories and characters. Ancient China can serve as quite the inspiration in cases like this, given its history and the copious amounts of legends surrounding the dynasties that ruled the lands a very long time ago.

Prince of Qin is an action RPG in which you get to explore a magic-infused version of ancient China and be a part of historical events during the Qin dynasty. Obviously, while the characters and the premise are pulled from the history books and a lot of research went into carefully designing the game world, the actual plot is but an ‘what if’ twist on real events, in order to make the experience more exciting.

The main character is called Fu Su and he happens to be a prince, although his father exiles him after he dares to speak up against the crown. After he receives a letter from him in which he is ordered to commit suicide, Fu Su decides to check up on whether his father would really do this, only to find out that he is actually dead. Thus, a great adventure begins, one that takes Fu Su and you along with him throughout the land, fighting everything from soldiers, to beasts and magical beings.

When you get down to the actual gameplay, you find out that it is more or less standard for the genre, in the sense that you have to use your party to battle foes, cast spells, gather items and level-up after you gain enough experience. The difference is that you can pause the combat at any time and give out specific orders to your characters, as you would in a typical D&D-based RPG. This is obviously a very useful feature, especially since you normally have to deal with many enemies at once.

Moreover, you can also craft armor pieces and swords from materials you find along the way, which makes it easier and cheaper to keep your party fully equipped at all times. There are multiple classes and you can customize the abilities of your companions as you see fit, by spending the appropriate number of skill points every time they level up.

All things considered, Prince of Qin does come with its fair share of flaws, but the overall experience is well worth the minor inconveniences. There are many twists and turns waiting for you along the way, not to mention the powerful foes you have to battle and the fascinating landscapes of ancient China.