Eclipse Glow Games has the chance to make itself a household name with Tides of Annihilation. It’s the team’s first official game, and the powerful-sounding name (Tides of Annihilation) is more than just a flex; it’s a signifier of what’s to come. This is a desolate and stricken alternate London, overrun by monsters and tough bosses, and I enjoyed every minute.
Heading into my Tides of Annihilation preview, Insider Gaming’s own Grant Taylor-Hill had already previewed it and declared it “a stunning and stylish game with immense production value,” which immediately filled my head with lofty expectations. Thankfully, Tides of Annihilation comfortably blew them away, and this is a phenomenal game on paper.
Good Knight
Gwendolyn is our plucky protagonist I guided around Tides of Annihilation, and you wouldn’t even notice Angela Sant’Albano was the new ‘Gwendolyn,’ because the performance is so natural and evocative that I don’t think twice that she had replaced Jennifer English. She glides around London with almost ethereal grace, although the same can’t be said of the shopkeeper(s), Mercury.
If you’ve caught up on the new gameplay footage, you might have spotted two large metal arms arguing and fighting with each other in comedic fashion. I won’t lie, I was surrounded by many professionals and streamers for my demo, and I was doing my best not to burst out laughing at this comedy relief duo who are reminiscent of a live puppet show.
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This isn’t a criticism; I’m saying I love them. Eastern action games are usually beautiful and bold, but, for my tastes, super-seriousness can bog them down, and stuff like this already tells me there’s a fun and healthy balance. Grant also carried out an excellent interview recently with the devs who commented on this:
“Although the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, we don’t want players to feel tense or emotionally weighed down throughout the entire experience. Small moments of humor can provide breathing room and help vary the emotional rhythm as players progress through the story.”
Once I left them, I got to it: Meaty combat, learning combos and how the Knight-summoning ability works, the best attacks, and it wasn’t long before I felt I had a solid grasp of the mechanics. I actually felt very dominant very quickly, as the Knight attacks are big, blockbuster offensive moves, with each Knight offering something unique to create your playstyle. I knew this self-assertive confidence was a facade, naturally.
Tides of Annihilation wants you to feel powerful, and an experienced head such as myself knew this false dawn was going to come crashing down…and it did.
Whimsical and Warring
Eclipse Glow Games has stressed that this is not a Soulslike, just as S-GAME has done with Phantom Blade Zero. I can tell you this is correct, and it’s definitely more along the lines of a classic action game than a punishing slog. There are plenty of secrets and hidden areas tucked away behind tight corners, claustrophobic spaces, and up high: You just have to look around.
You need to, as treasure chests provide new weapons and armor, and you’re rewarded for going off the beaten path.
Gwendolyn has plenty of attacks and special abilities at her disposal, and if you can master parrying and dodging, then you’ll stay alive much longer. Battles are frantic, and I love the juxtaposition of carefree exploration to the heat of battle. One thing consistent throughout my demo is the graphics and music: They’re unbelievable.
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I would go as far as comparing the motifs and cadence of the music to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (which scooped up multiple awards in this area), and the visuals are simply ravishing. Then you’ve got the boss battles; these are special. I fought a strong mini-boss and an optional side one, but my Tides of Annihilation preview wrapped up and crescendoed in explosive fashion with the Anubis encounter.
You can check it out below, courtesy of NewDengs, but it’s mind-blowing. The spectacle, the grandeur, and the challenge!
Bookmark this if you want, but Tides of Annihilation will be a BIG hit. It was easily one of the most impressive games of the event, and its release information can’t come soon enough.
Are you excited for it? Did you enjoy this special Tides of Annihilation preview? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
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Andy is Insider Gaming's Senior Evergreen Editor and has been in the games journalism sphere in one way or another for over 7 years. His video game taste is as…
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