- By Prateek Levi
- Sun, 16 Nov 2025 09:32 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
For the gaming industry, 2025 has turned into one of those rare years where surprises feel just as significant as long-awaited sequels. The release calendar has been packed, but what's stood out most is how often breakout titles—rather than established franchises—have dominated conversations.
A prime example came courtesy of Sandfall Interactive, taking gamers by storm when the studio launched its first title, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Its technical scope, unique art direction, and ingenious fighting style put this game top-notch in most publications, a realisation that new studios can still shake things up.
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That momentum hasn't slowed. Even as the year closes in, more titles are lined up with the potential to deliver the same shock factor – none more so than the highly anticipated action-adventure RPG Where Winds Meet, a game channelling the spirit of 10th-century China.
Developed by Everstone Studio, the game leans heavily into its Wuxia roots, placing players in the role of a young sword master who sets off on a personal journey of identity and allegiance. Its open world is one of the biggest talking points: a dynamic, reactive landscape where environmental changes, character decisions, weather, and time all shape moment-to-moment gameplay. It's the kind of worldbuilding many AAA studios aspire to but rarely execute with this level of fluidity.
Another significant attraction is combat. Where Winds Meet offers a broad suite of playstyles, each tied to the weapon you wield—be it sword, spear, dual blades, rope dart, bow, fan, or even umbrella. Every combat path can be adjusted to suit different strategies, opening the door to builds that feel personal and expressive.
The game has been out in China for a year, so there's plenty of confirmed gameplay to pore over. Western audiences also seem just as excited after extended clips are shown. "Can't wait for this. A few more days! Well, for my region at least! I talked my friend into trying to duo this game while taking separate paths for allegiances and affinities to good and bad," said one user. Another chimed in, "Where Winds Meet The closed beta made me put down my first-time playthrough of Ghost of Tsushima on PC. I never looked back.
Some games speak to you more than others."
The global release will also support multiple modes: players can tackle the whole story solo or bring along up to three friends in co-op, and for those wanting more, the game has larger community features such as guild wars, multiplayer dungeons, and raid-style encounters.
Where Winds Meet will launch worldwide on November 14th for Steam, PlayStation 5, and mobile. It originally launched in China towards the end of 2024, saw a mobile release shortly after, and its global beta programme started just a few months later.
But in a world where expansive open worlds are now the baseline, it's the game's AI-driven NPC system that's sparking conversation. With up to 20 square kilometres of fully playable terrain and a densely packed 10th-century setting, one core gameplay loop leans heavily on AI chatbot-style characters.
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While the feature is undeniably modern – and occasionally impressive – it leaves some players wishing for deeper, more handcrafted narrative interactions. Even so, with the date of release getting closer, Where Winds Meet stands out as one of 2025's most intriguing cross-platform releases, melding historical storytelling and cutting-edge design in ways few others have this year.