Kingdom: The Blood, an upcoming game based on Netflix's hit series Kingdom, is looking quite promising judging by its gameplay trailer. First announced in July 2022, Kingdom: The Blood will see players slashing zombies after zombies in ancient Korea. The game is currently being developed by Action Square, the Korean studio responsible for 2021's sci-fi top-down shooter ANVIL.
Netflix's Kingdom is a Korean period horror drama set in the 16th century. The series plot centers around Lee Chang, the Crown Prince of the Joseon Dynasty, who stumbles across an unnatural plague that resurrects the dead, not unlike many other zombie flicks out there. Being the first Korean original Netflix show, Kingdom has seen quite the success, producing two seasons and a feature-length spin-off focusing on one of the supporting characters.
Kingdom: The Blood's gameplay trailer comes with a detailed commentary from its developer, highlighting several unique aspects that the game will feature. One area of focus that developer Action Square wants people to notice is the game's authenticity to Korean culture, and not just the country's penchant for producing solid horror shows. Kingdom is known for its faithfulness toward Korean heritage, in clothing, architecture, and combat, and Action Square promises the game to do the same.
"We are especially focusing on bringing out the beauty of 'hanbok' in the action by making sure even the smallest details, like the fluttering of the tips of the dopo (overcoat), looks natural," says game producer Kang Hyungseok in the trailer. Obsession over characters' looks isn't something new in the Korean game development scene, and Action Square seems to be taking the same approach in Kingdom: The Blood, albeit with the intent of introducing ancient Korean customs.
The gameplay trailer for Kingdom: The Blood also showcases a lot of its combat scenes, which are actually based on traditional Korean martial arts. Just like many modern games, combat animations in Kingdom: The Blood are looking lifelike with the help of motion capture, even though the zombies' movement may look a little clunky at times. Some boss battles are shown as well, with Hyungseok saying that players should find a lot of fun in overcoming these difficult encounters.
One thing that the trailer doesn't mention is the release date. Kingdom: The Blood currently doesn't have any release window, but the game is said to be available on both PC and mobile devices, with cross-platform support coming as a standard from day one. Progression will also carry between platforms, with the hope that players can get into the game's action anytime, and anywhere they want, something that is currently lacking in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge following its mobile release via Netflix.
Kingdom: The Blood is currently under development for PC and mobile devices.