The Legend of Tianding Review (PC)

excellent
key review info
  • Game: The Legend of Tianding
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
The Legend of Tianding keyart

The most important moment of any fight is the one when the hero decides which weapon to steal and use. A slow and heavy ax or a pistol? Should I try to get the shield or is it alright to settle for the first baton that the sash throws into my hands? Once I have a weapon it gets easier to deal with groups of opponents and to isolate the more powerful ones. And it’s actually funny to see the Japanese killed by their own katanas or struck by their rockets.

The Legend of Tianding was put together by Creative Games & Computer Graphics Corporation and published by Neon Doctrine. I played it on the PC using Steam and it is also available on the Nintendo Switch. It mixes side scrolling action with a unique historical setting.

The story is focused on Liao Tianding, a Robin Hood-like character from the history of Taiwan. He was an outlaw, active when the island was under the occupation of the Japanese and gained renown for taking on the police forces of the occupiers and for distributing resources to the poor.

The game follows his exploits and offers plenty of detail about life during the complicated period. The story is beautifully told via comic book panels and well-designed cutscenes. The life of Tianding also serves as a good jumping-off point to learn more about Taiwan and its complex history.

The Legend of Tianding
The Legend of Tianding
The Legend of Tianding
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While the video game has plenty of narrative and dialogue the most interesting part is the actual gameplay. The Legend of Tianding is a side-scroller with plenty of combat and some platforming. The main character needs to navigate the city and its outlying areas to reach locations for missions. Once there he must battle enemies and get over environmental challenges to reach his objective. Levels end with a final boss fight that’s pretty challenging and asks gamers to use their entire arsenal of ideas and tricks to succeed.

And Tianding has quite the array of options for traversal. He can double jump, which is a pretty classic move for the genre, but can also use spiderwire to use points in the environment to propel himself around. Sometimes actual combat moves are required to reach some locations.

And the list of moves gets even bigger when it comes to combat. He can simply mix punches, jumps, and dodges to take down opponents, which works for a while. But to deal with big groups of mixed opponents and more powerful mini bosses he needs to reach into his bag of tricks. One very important tool is the sash. It can be used to steal the weapon from one enemy, to then wield for a while. A ground stomp, a soaring dragon, and more can also be used to deal with tougher opponents and control groups. On the Wanted Outlaw difficulty level battles are tight, complex affairs filled with acrobatics and massive strikes. An easier difficulty is also offered for anyone who wants to progress through the game easier, though the boss encounters remain difficult.

The Legend of Tianding doesn’t introduce any big innovation to the genre. But all its components are carefully constructed and fit together well. There are a few platforming moments that feel unfair, but it is worth learning the combat system and finding cool ways to deal with enemies. And make sure to give as much money away as possible during the exploratory sections of the game to gain a range of random upgrades. They might not turn the tide of a difficult battle but the act of giving away what enemies drop fits the tone of the game perfectly.

The Legend of Tianding is an impressive-looking video game. The developers use a classic manga look to create an early 20’s version of Taiwan that is a joy to explore. Meanwhile, Tianding himself moves quickly and smoothly and each combat encounter is great to experience. I would have appreciated a faster animation for beggar exchanges but the effect on gameplay is small. The game also sounds solid, with voice acting that adds to the immersion and music that underlines the sense of adventure and mystery.

The Legend of Tianding
The Legend of Tianding
The Legend of Tianding
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The Good

  • Action mechanics
  • Comic book presentation
  • Historical setting

The Bad

  • Some backtracking
  • Needs more voice work
  • Some platforming sections

Conclusion

The Legend of Tianding shows how indie developers can mix solid mechanics and cool history-based protagonists to deliver a fresh take on the classic side-scrolling brawler experience. The game is tough but fair, asking players to master a series of moves and constantly finding new ways to test their skills. I would have liked less backtracking and, maybe, more meaningful side quests but simply engaging with the core missions is very fun.

The Taiwan historical setting mixes very well with the presentation. More developers should try to use universes that have not been previously explored to add another dimension to their titles. And all fans of the genre should play The Legend of Tianding to enjoy its many good ideas and great execution.

Review code provided by the publisher.

story 9
gameplay 9
concept 10
graphics 9
audio 9
multiplayer 0
final rating 9.5
Editor's review
excellent
 

The Legend of Tianding screenshots (21 Images)

The Legend of Tianding keyart
The Legend of TiandingThe Legend of TiandingThe Legend of TiandingThe Legend of Tianding
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