The Legend of Tianding

The Legend of Tianding is a short game, but it provides such a memorable experience that makes it difficult to wait for the next title from the team behind it.

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The Legend of Tianding is a 2D sidescrolling action-adventure game set in 1920s Taiwan. You play as Liao Tianding, a legendary hero fighting against colonial rule and corruption. Utilize Tianding's acrobatic abilities, martial arts prowess, and stealth skills to outwit your foes in this thrilling historical journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 432 reviews

story89 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful comic book art style that enhances the storytelling experience.
Combat mechanics are fluid and satisfying, allowing for creative combos and weapon stealing from enemies.
The game provides an interesting historical context, showcasing Taiwanese culture and folklore during the Japanese occupation.

The story can feel predictable and lacks depth, with some characters being one-dimensional.
Side quests often involve tedious fetch tasks that can disrupt the pacing of the game.
The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content and exploration.

story
277 mentions
32 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it engaging yet predictable, often likening it to a classic Robin Hood tale set in colonial Taiwan. While the comic book-style presentation and charming characters are praised, the narrative suffers from pacing issues due to tedious fetch quests and lengthy dialogue that detracts from the overall experience. Despite its shortcomings, the story is appreciated for its cultural context and lighthearted charm, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate straightforward storytelling.
- “The story is fun and shows off the difficulties of the imperial Japanese rule over Taiwan.”
- “The developers crafted this game with care by telling a legend story of a Taiwanese Robin Hood, Liao Tian Ding, in a comic-styled graphical presentation on top of a good set of characters that speak both Japanese and Chinese, portraying some historical accuracy and in consequence giving a more immersive experience.”
- “Greatly enjoyed the presentation in between the art style, stylized comic storytelling, voice acting, and music.”
- “The story is completely stale, and the combat is just okay.”
- “It almost works, but it's buried under painfully tedious fetch quests and long, boring stretches where nothing happens—segments that could have had more action instead of empty running around.”
- “The story failed to grab my attention and it didn't get any better with all the fetch type quests where you went to point A, was told to go to point B, and then return.”
gameplay
159 mentions
38 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally praised for its fluidity, engaging combat mechanics, and unique features like weapon stealing, which add depth to the experience. However, some players noted issues with repetitive elements, janky hitboxes, and excessive exposition that can detract from the overall enjoyment. While the game draws inspiration from titles like Guacamelee, it successfully combines action and platforming in a visually appealing setting, though some feel it lacks innovation and can become tedious over time.
- “I really love the core gameplay, which is to say the combat and exploration aspect of the game.”
- “The gameplay is fun and varied with a multitude of weapons to choose from, and the storytelling is very well done.”
- “The mechanics are slick (especially the sash, it's so much fun using it), the art style is very cool, and the bosses are challenging without being overly infuriating.”
- “While the historical background is fascinating, the gameplay itself is very repetitive.”
- “The game is way too much uninteresting exposition and too little actual gameplay.”
- “Clearly a lot of effort was put into it but the gameplay just isn't fun.”
graphics
130 mentions
63 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Legend of Tianding" are widely praised for their stunning comic book art style, vibrant colors, and smooth animations, which effectively enhance the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the game's unique 2.5D visuals, reminiscent of classic Hong Kong comics and 90s manga, creating an immersive experience that complements its engaging gameplay. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous; the hand-drawn 2D style is incredible, and other aspects look comic book and even watercolor-esque.”
- “The comic book style graphics are superb, and the animation is smooth throughout.”
- “The game utilizes a vibrant comic book art style, reminiscent of classic Hong Kong action movies.”
- “The graphics and music?”
- “Graphics cons:”
- “Even then, the comic-style visuals are remarkable and really help convey the story which, by the way, can sometimes get politically spicy and feel like propaganda, even if it doesn't really make the game less enjoyable.”
music
78 mentions
45 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its delightful blend of traditional Taiwanese instruments and modern electronic elements, enhancing the overall atmosphere and storytelling. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack's ability to complement the gameplay, with standout tracks that energize combat and evoke the feel of classic kung fu films. While some found the music memorable and engaging, a few noted that certain tracks were less impactful, suggesting a varied reception among players.
- “The soundtrack of 'The Legend of Tianding' is a delightful blend of traditional Chinese instruments and modern electronic music.”
- “The music gets your adrenaline pumping with a mixture of rock with traditional Taiwanese tunes.”
- “Great art and love the soundtrack.”
- “The music is fairly forgettable and not a single track comes to mind when I think back on the game, aside from two of the boss themes.”
- “Oh, and you can also get an achievement for listening through the most tedious song in all of gaming.”
- “It's like the video game version of Christian rock songs where they take a classic pop song and just replace every other word with 'Lord' or 'Jesus.'”
grinding
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
-15 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as tedious and often involves repetitive fetch quests and backtracking, which detracts from the overall experience. While some players found the grind for collectibles manageable, others noted that it can become frustrating, especially when it requires redoing levels or engaging in unskippable cutscenes. Overall, while there are opportunities for grinding, they are often seen as unnecessary padding rather than enjoyable gameplay.
- “The game offers a variety of side missions and collectibles that aren't too grindy, making it enjoyable to explore and complete tasks without feeling overwhelmed.”
- “I appreciate that the grinding elements are balanced; I was able to almost 100% the game in just 7 hours without feeling like I was stuck in a repetitive loop.”
- “The card mini-game adds an interesting layer, but I found the side missions and collectibles to be more engaging and less tedious.”
- “It almost works, but it's buried under painfully tedious fetch quests and long, boring stretches where nothing happens—segments that could have had more action instead of empty running around.”
- “On the bad side, there are a couple periods in between levels that have a bunch of padding involving running back and forth talking to people. There are a couple talismans that took a bit of grinding post-game to get despite robbing every single enemy I ran into through my playtime.”
- “Just requires re-doing some levels for side quests and money grinding.”
humor
11 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of charming characters, witty dialogue, and lighthearted moments, often infused with modern political memes and references to Taiwanese folklore. While the overall story may not be deeply emotional or consistently laugh-out-loud funny, it effectively balances humor with serious themes, particularly through engaging combat mechanics and memorable, over-the-top boss fights. The humor ranges from childlike to clever, appealing to a wide audience while enhancing the game's narrative and character dynamics.
- “The dialogue and humor are surprisingly witty and interesting.”
- “The game is based on Taiwanese folklore and there are lots of very modern political memes inserted in between, humorous if you get it; otherwise, still excellent in dialogue and voice acting.”
- “The enemies are all distinctive, and the bosses are particularly memorable and hilariously over-the-top.”
atmosphere
8 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its stunning art style, immersive setting, and evocative music, which together create a captivating experience reminiscent of colonial Taiwan and 90s Hong Kong cinema. Reviewers highlight the effective use of soundtracks to enhance tension and exploration, as well as the developers' commitment to delivering an engaging and culturally rich environment. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both nostalgic and educational, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “What I loved most about this game is the amazing art style, the setting, the atmosphere, and the music.”
- “The score perfectly complements the action, building tension during intense fights and creating a sense of atmosphere during exploration.”
- “The game does a fantastic job of recreating the atmosphere of colonial Taiwan, showcasing the cultural clashes and tensions of the time period.”
- “The only reason I bought this game was that it gave me mad nostalgia because of its atmosphere straight from the 90s Hong Kong movies I grew up watching.”
optimization
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with solid performance achieving 60fps at 1080p on capable systems. However, some users expressed frustration with the lack of options to disable voice acting during lengthy cutscenes, which detracted from the experience for those who found the performances unappealing.
- “Performance: Excellent (solid 60fps at 1080p. My system: i5 11th gen, RTX 3060 mobile).”
- “The voice acting, available in both English and Mandarin, is commendable, bringing the characters to life with believable performances.”
- “Great music with one standout folk performance.”
- “The voice acting is not in English, which I'm neutral about in general, but there's no option to turn off the voices, which made the long, unskippable cutscenes more annoying and tedious with the 'radio broadcaster' style performance - I literally took off my headphones because of it.”
- “Probably just a weird optimization bug.”
character development
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, with some reviewers noting that the main character, Tianding, does not undergo significant growth or transformation. While the character designs are praised for their artistic quality and diversity, many supporting characters are criticized for having minimal depth and serving limited roles in the narrative. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics and gameplay rather than on meaningful character arcs.
- “Great art style, lovely music, smooth combat, and wonderful character design.”
- “The character designs are equally impressive, capturing the essence of the time period and the diverse cast of characters, from the stoic Tianding to the flamboyant opera singer, A-GU.”
- “The plot may seem cheesy, but I invite new players to recognize that The Legend of Tianding is not a story about how Tianding becomes a hero.”
- “There's no character development, no arc, and most of the supporting characters serve only 1 or 2 functions.”
- “The plot may seem cheesy and Tianding may lack character development, but I invite new players to recognize that the legend of Tianding is not a story about how Tianding becomes a hero.”
- “I really liked the backdrops and scenery, not so much the character designs and some of the animations.”
stability
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report mixed experiences with stability, noting some persistent bugs and glitches, particularly in specific quests and the train map. While many enjoy the game's aesthetics, the presence of these issues has led to an average experience for some users, despite the game's overall positive reception.
- “There was one quest in particular which seemed buggy; in the end, I still finished it somehow, but this problem seemed to persist for many players.”
- “The train map was kind of buggy.”
- “This game has overwhelmingly positive reviews right now, but I've kind of had an average and buggy experience overall.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a heartfelt yet dark narrative that delves into serious themes such as socioeconomic issues, racism, and discrimination. While the story may lack flashy elements, it resonates deeply, evoking a complex mix of hope and danger, particularly in its portrayal of cultural tensions. Overall, players find the emotional depth impactful, enhancing their connection to the game's historical context.
- “The historical story is less flashy, but just as heartfelt.”
- “The story can get dark; it has depth, touching on socioeconomic problems, racism, and discrimination.”
replayability
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through collectible items that enhance stats and engaging boss fights, which players wish could be more interactive. However, the short story length limits overall replay value, making it less compelling for multiple playthroughs.
- “There's some replay value as you try to collect collectibles that improve your stats and abilities slightly.”
- “The boss fights, in particular, are both fun and challenging; I found myself wishing these bosses were playable in some way.”
- “There's some replay value as you try to collect collectibles which improve your stats and abilities slightly.”
- “But the story is a bit short, and replayability is not good.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is viewed positively, as it goes beyond being a simple cash grab by incorporating a unique steal mechanic that adds depth to the experience.
- “It isn't just a mindless cash grab.”
- “It also adds its own unique flair, in the form of a steal mechanic.”