Developer(s) Shanghai Aurogon Artist(s) Zheng Wen (郑雯) Initial release date 10 July 2010 Mode Single-player video game | Designer(s) Shao Yun Writer(s) Shao Yun (邵芸) Genre Role-playing video game | |
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Publisher(s) Gamebar
Typhoon Games
Interwise Composer(s) Lo Chi-Yi (骆集益)
Zhou Zhihua (周志华) Platforms Xbox One, Microsoft Windows Similar The Legend of Sword an, The Legend of Sword an, The Legend of Sword an, Chinese Paladin 3, The Legend of Sword an | ||
Gu Jian Qi Tan (simplified Chinese: 古剑奇谭 琴心剑魄今何在; traditional Chinese: 古劍奇譚 琴心劍魄今何在, "The tale of ancient swords: the story of a guqin and an ancient sword") is a 3D role-playing video game developed by Shanghai Aurogon with the Gamebryo engine and published by Gamebar. The first installment of the Gu Jian Qi Tan series, it was originally released in China on July 10, 2010 for Microsoft Windows. An Xbox One port of the game was announced in 2014.
Contents
It is the first Chinese video game with fully voiced main characters. Since August 10, 2011, Shanghai Aurogon had released 7 pieces of downloadable content. Many traditional Chinese culture elements were added, including myths, food, clothing, architecture and Taoism; the main characters' names are derived from names of ancient Chinese alcoholic beverages. The game's monsters were inspired by Chinese mythology, and its cities and mazes were based on photos and history records. Gu Jian Qi Tan contains many examples of Chinese cuisine.
The game borrows gameplay elements, including quick time events and core worlds, from other genres. Although its cutscenes have been called visually exciting and beautiful, Gu Jian Qi Tan's optimization has triggered complaints about gameplay lag.
Gameplay
Players control the main characters as they travel around ancient China and complete missions. The game has a main storyline and side quests, which tell stories about non-player characters and provide information about skills. When characters fight, they are taken to a separate combat screen and stand face-to-face. Each action has a number of action points, from one to five.
Shanghai Aurogon describes the game's theme as reincarnation. Set in an alternative, ancient China, it is based on wuxia with elements of fantasy. Gu Jian Qi Tan features the Seven Ancient Cursed Powerful Swords, which were sealed by the goddess Nüwa.
Players can collect food from monsters and buy recipes from shopkeepers. The prepared dishes and their leftovers can be used for recovery or attack.
Downloadable content
Since August 11, 2011 Shanghai Aurogon has released seven items of downloadable content, including costumes, weapons, sub-quests and stories.
Plot
The game's protagonist is young Baili Tusu (百里屠苏), sole survivor of the massacre of his village when he was a little boy. Since then, he has lost some memory and experiences mysterious pains from. Baili meets Ziyin (紫胤), a celestial being who brings him to the Tianyongcheng sect; Ziyin teaches him sword fighting, and Baili becomes his second disciple.
Baili leaves Tianyong for the outside world. When he rescues men kidnapped by bandits he meets Ouyang Shaogong (欧阳少恭), a young man working on a medicine to revive the dead. Ouyang says that there is a special jade which can absorb human souls; the jade is broken into pieces, which are used for evil. He asks Baili to help him assemble the fragments (which will make it harmless), so he can finish the medicine. Wanting to resurrect his mother, Baili agrees to help Ouyang assemble the fragments. He meets Feng Qingxue (风晴雪—a strange, attractive girl who is looking for her brother), Fang Lansheng (方兰生—a talkative young student), Xiang Ling (襄铃—an elf-girl who falls in love with Baili), Hong Yu (红玉—a brilliant, elegant woman) and Yin Qianshang (尹千觞—a drunk).
Characters
Voice acting
The dubbing group Jingcheng zhi sheng (京诚之声) voiced the game.
Music
Gu Jian Qi Tan's score was composed by Lo Chi-Yi (骆集益) and Zhou Zhihua (周志华) of the Musit Music Studio, and its 101-track CD was released on March 18, 2011. Shanghai Aurogon and Gamebar released "Gu Jian Qing Yun" (古剑情韵) from the Xiaoxu Music Studio, sung by Dong Zhen (董贞), during the summer of 2011 with the game's second ending.
Legacy
An animated film and television series based on Gu Jian Qi Tan are being produced. According to Shanghai Aurogon, three novels set in the Gu Jian universe are planned; the first was scheduled for publication in the summer of 2012. An MMORPG and a sequel are in development.
In 2014, there is a television adaption of the game, titled Swords of Legends, which stars Li Yifeng as the titular protagonist.