Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 201 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament Game Cover
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In "Xuan Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament," a direct connection between heaven and earth has been established, causing chaos in the mortal realm. Players must stop forces of evil and prevent wars in this action-packed RPG based on ancient Chinese mythology. Help Emperor Zhuanxu and the Queen of Huaxu protect the realm from the demon Chiyou, using powerful divine weapons and skills.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 201 reviews
story92 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with rich character development and emotional depth.
  • The graphics and art design are visually appealing, creating an immersive atmosphere.
  • The soundtrack is beautiful and enhances the overall experience of the game.
  • The English translation is poorly executed, with numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing.
  • The combat system can feel repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a grindy experience.
  • Cutscenes are excessively long, which may disrupt the pacing and engagement for some players.
  • story287 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players praising its rich narrative rooted in Chinese mythology and character development, while others criticize its pacing, translation issues, and predictability. Many reviews highlight the emotional depth and engaging plot twists, but note that the lengthy cutscenes and convoluted quest design can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point for those who appreciate narrative-driven RPGs, despite its flaws.

    • “The story is based on characters from Chinese myth and takes place in the Shang dynasty, over 3000 years ago, in a world where the gods participate in events as much as the historical figures themselves.”
    • “Our heroes are very different characters (a man who only wants to keep his village safe, a priestess looking for her betrothed, a nobleman who wants to save the kingdom, and a mysterious woman who may have fallen from the sky...) who, over the course of the story, come together as a team as events test their endurance, their trust in each other and their principles.”
    • “The story has twists and turns, surprising discoveries, tragedy, and love.”
    • “The story just never gets anywhere, so I'm pretty sure all the good stuff will happen exactly by the end of the game, and I do not have the patience.”
    • “Worst of all, the story/ending was kinda crappy, and the characters lack depth and are not memorable at all.”
    • “The story is extremely hard to follow in the very beginning considering all the non-connecting information presented.”
  • music91 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beautiful orchestration and effective synchronization with the game's atmosphere, often described as a standout feature that enhances the storytelling experience. While many praise the traditional Chinese influences in the soundtrack, some note a slight deviation towards Western styles in certain tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, with memorable themes and a rich soundscape that elevates the gameplay.

    • “The soundscape is also enhanced by the excellent music, which helps set the mood and has lots of catchy tunes.”
    • “The music and voice acting, in particular, feel like home runs and deserving of higher production values across the board.”
    • “The music is simply beautiful.”
    • “However, I find that some (but not all) of the background music in the Gate of Firmament has a bit of a Western style, which unfortunately steers away from the overall authentic Chinese feel of the game.”
    • “For example, during events, the music often changes abruptly, with no transitions or fades.”
    • “Another example is that the field/city music is sometimes louder than the battle music, which works against the desired effect.”
  • graphics77 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are decent and feature beautiful artwork and vibrant environments, they feel somewhat outdated compared to modern standards, particularly for a game released in 2015. Some players appreciate the unique aesthetic and lighting effects, while others criticize the character models and animations as stiff and lacking detail. Overall, the visuals are considered good for their time but may not meet the expectations of those seeking cutting-edge graphics.

    • “Just from the preliminary hours I have played, I can tell the game has a large amount of both depth and scale to its world building, sort of melding of Chinese aesthetic with high fantasy.”
    • “The artwork, costumes, backgrounds, and character graphics are all fantastic.”
    • “The graphics in this game are really interesting and vivid.”
    • “The graphics are a bit outdated for a 2015/2016 game.”
    • “The graphics are middling to bad in terms of texture and model quality (PS2 era at its worst).”
    • “While the rough looking graphics mix with poorly localized UI to make the game rather confusing in some areas, the plot is both linear and cohesive.”
  • gameplay64 mentions

    The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its user-friendly mechanics and depth through crafting and skill trees, while others criticize its repetitive combat and linear structure. Although the game offers a rich narrative and beautiful visuals, some find the gameplay grindy and lacking in innovation compared to other RPGs. Overall, it seems to appeal more to those invested in the story rather than those seeking a robust gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay is pretty interesting; it has many locations, quests, equipment, forging, enemies, and so many easter eggs hidden inside.”
    • “Overall, the story is nice with likeable and memorable characters you can relate to, a decent gameplay system (for a 2015 game), graphics are nice for 2015 standards, and the game as a whole is well-polished and refined.”
    • “Gameplay has some degree of depth with the capturing and crafting system.”
    • “The problem is it doesn't do anything better than these respective series, and it doesn't even do any of it particularly well either on a mechanical level.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, the maps are very corridor-like and fairly linear, as with most games of this style.”
    • “The gameplay is grindy and devolves into musou-style button mashing the majority of the time.”
  • character development13 mentions

    The character development in the game is highly praised, with players appreciating the rich storytelling, intricate world-building, and well-designed characters that evoke strong emotional connections. The contrast between beautifully designed human characters and unique monsters adds depth, while the interactions among characters enhance their development throughout the narrative. Overall, the game successfully combines fantasy elements with realistic character growth, making it a standout feature.

    • “I didn't mind it, in fact I liked it a lot because it was rich in story, world building, and character development with a lot of dialogues.”
    • “There's great character development as the story progresses, and you can't help but get attached to them as you watch them interact with each other and the world around them.”
    • “I would say this game has a fantasy-like world yet with realistic character development.”
  • optimization13 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements since its initial release, particularly with the June 23 patch addressing many previous issues. While some players report smooth performance on max settings, others experience framerate drops and stuttering, indicating that optimization is still inconsistent. Despite these concerns, many users find the performance adequate for an enjoyable experience, especially for fans of RPGs.

    • “Game runs smoothly with max settings.”
    • “2016-07-03 edit: the June 23 patch fixed many optimization and translation issues that I criticized below.”
    • “This game requires free disk space of approximately 15GB, made by U3D (have been optimized several times since its first release in February 2015 in China), this Steam version gladly has been given huge optimizations.”
    • “The performance is a bit wonky as the framerate drops frequently on my PC even though it doesn't look like a graphically-intensive game.”
    • “The CG and the video graphics have not been optimized.”
    • “However, the optimization leaves much to be desired.”
  • grinding11 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being repetitive and tedious, leading to a sense of boredom and wasted time. While some players appreciate the ability to avoid battles using a special skill and find the difficulty curve manageable, many feel that the combat becomes monotonous, especially after maxing out combos. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a mixed bag, with some tactical elements in boss fights but largely devolving into mindless button mashing.

    • “As long as you are not grinding excessively, the difficulty pleasantly increases as you move into the 6 to 7 hour mark.”
    • “The grinding in this game feels rewarding, as each session brings you closer to unlocking new abilities and gear.”
    • “I appreciate how the grinding is balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers a sense of progression.”
    • “The game is actually extremely repetitive and tedious to go through.”
    • “I just can't recommend it; it's too boring and tedious, and it feels like a waste of time.”
    • “The gameplay is grindy and devolves into musou style button mashing the majority of the time.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of funny moments, emotional storytelling, and unique NPC dialogues that often include cultural trivia and jokes. While some players find the characters' stiff animations and broken English translations amusing, the overall humor is described as off-beat and charming, contributing to a rich narrative experience. Despite some graphical limitations, the humor adds depth to the storyline, making it both entertaining and touching.

    • “All NPCs in towns have unique dialogue, occasionally explaining some history or cultural trivia, or just making jokes - a lot of detail and humor is in this game if you are willing to look for it.”
    • “I liked the characters, and the humor had a nice off-beat quality to it.”
    • “Translation wasn't a problem though you will find some humorous 'oops' moments.”
  • atmosphere8 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its diverse and immersive settings, each with unique charm and character, ranging from deserts to enchanted forests. The synchronization of the background music enhances the overall experience, complementing the rich Chinese mythology and personal growth of characters. Despite some criticisms of the graphics, the distinct cultural feel and vibrant environments contribute to a captivating atmosphere.

    • “Every setting (there are many) is different in its appearance and atmosphere (a desert, a snowy area, enchanted forests, a swamp that doesn't look muddy but colorful and very sunny, an area where you walk between high mountains, a bamboo grove, etc.).”
    • “A lot of time was placed in creating a good atmosphere that was not overly repetitive or generic.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game, the interactions of the different characters, the personal growth that each character experiences and presents, all come together to bring the player a unique perspective into Chinese mythology.”
    • “The pros is the Chinese feel and atmosphere of the game, even though the graphics are not that good and feels like an Asian MMO I enjoyed it.”
    • “Every village or town has its own atmosphere and charm.”
  • emotional8 mentions

    Players highlight the game's ability to evoke a wide range of emotions through its strong character development and impactful side quests, often describing the experience as an emotional rollercoaster. While some criticize the graphics and storyline, many appreciate the blend of humor and poignant moments that contribute to a touching narrative. Overall, the emotional depth of the characters and story resonates well with players, making it a memorable experience.

    • “Even regarding some side quests, you find sad or funny, often featuring strong emotional stories.”
    • “There are some real and emotional character growths in this game. I tried my best not to spoil it but still wanted to give you a general description of their growth.”
    • “Without getting too much into spoilers, this is my experience with the story: imagine yourself on an emotional rollercoaster, experiencing all the feels at the same time, while you decide to cut onions and rub them into your eyes while downing some strong alcohol.”
  • stability7 mentions

    The game exhibits notable stability issues, including frequent bugs such as characters falling through the map, getting stuck in walls, and experiencing graphic glitches. While some players find it functional despite these flaws, the overall experience is marred by inconsistencies like unsynchronized subtitles and untranslated content.

    • “The game can be a bit buggy with characters falling through the map and sometimes getting stuck.”
    • “It was not great; the game was buggy, the battle system is flawed and unfair, and the fusion system was overdone and over-complicated.”
    • “Only cons we have here are some graphic glitches with sudden character movements, some subtitles not in sync, and yet some untranslated portions (I had some monsters appearing without translation).”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game has limited replayability, as many players report completing a significant portion of achievements in their first playthrough, leading to a lack of incentive for subsequent runs.

    • “I was able to finish 90% of the achievements in my initial run through the game, and I probably will only play it once, so the replay value isn't much.”
    • “The game lacks variety, making it hard to justify playing through again after completing the main story.”
    • “Once you've seen everything the game has to offer, there's little incentive to return for a second playthrough.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

45hMedian play time
39hAverage play time
5-75hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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