The most talked-about Chinese video game this year is undoubtedly Black Myth: Wukong, China’s first AAA game that has sold over 20 million copies worldwide since its release in late August. Earlier this month, the game made history by winning the Best Action and Player’s Voice awards at The Game Awards 2024. However, beyond the Journey to the West-inspired hit, there are many more exciting gaming worlds to explore in 2024, especially from China’s small yet vibrant indie game scene. Here’s our roundup of the best Chinese video games released in 2024.
Strinova 卡拉彼丘 (iDreamSky, November 22)
A third-person shooting game developed by Shenzhen developer iDreamSky, Strinova stands out for its finely crafted Japanese anime art style and unique ability to seamlessly switch between 3D and 2D forms. The game quickly rose to the top of the New Releases and Popular Free Games charts on Steam on its release day. Its peak concurrent player count has surpassed 30,000, making it the top new shooting game of the week. This achievement marks the best performance of any Chinese domestic competitive shooting game in the international market.
Zero-Sum Heart 零和之心 (Citreat Studio, November 1)
Developed by Citreat Studio, an all-female studio founded in May, Zero-Sum Heart is a visual novel that tells the coming-of-age story of an 18-year-old girl navigating love and sacrifice. The studio’s debut title, this two-hour narrative features multiple endings, blending romance, teen drama, horror, and magical realism. Created in just 150 days by the two founders, the game currently holds a 95 percent positive rating on Steam as of the time of publishing.
Read more about gaming in China:
- China’s Winding Path to Gaming Literacy
- Lost in Translation: The Localization Challenge of “Black Myth: Wukong”
- What Video Games (Don’t) Teach Us About China
Minds Beneath Us 沉没意志 (BearBone Studio, July 31)
Trapped in a foreign body in a futuristic city where society is fully controlled by advanced AI, players must navigate and survive in Minds Beneath Us. In this chaotic world, a new industry has risen, replacing the hardware needed for AI systems with human brains, forcing people to become the very machines that power the future. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam, with players praising its vast amount of text, which makes them feel as though they are reading a Chinese sci-fi novel.
Exhausted Man 累趴侠 (Candleman Games, July 25)
The Exhausted Man by critically acclaimed Chinese indie developer Candleman Games offers a quirky take on the physics genre. Players need to make it through a work overnighter of crucial importance, helping the protagonist—who is so fatigued they can only crawl—manage various work-related tasks. The gameplay is straightforward yet unique. Players control the character’s limbs to interact with objects and maneuver them into position hilariously. However, the lack of variation in core mechanics can make gameplay feel a bit monotonous at times—not unlike the grind of modern white-collar work culture the game cleverly satirizes.
KAKU: Ancient Seal 卡库远古封印 (Bingobell, July 12)
KAKU: Ancient Seal delivers an expansive open-world action adventure with an interesting blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and dynamic combat. Players step into the boots of a young adventurer named Kaku, who traverses four elemental regions with the flying companion Piggy to restore balance to a beautifully crafted ancient fantasy world. The game shines with its vibrant color palette and diverse environments—from icy expanses to murky swamps—each filled with unique challenges and creatively designed foes.
Laughing to Die 喜丧 (Gamera Games, April 11)
The distinctly Chinese side-scrolling puzzle game Laughing to Die presents a haunting exploration of traditional funeral customs with eerily beautiful hand-drawn visuals. Players follow a young girl named Nannan as she returns to her hometown for her grandmother’s funeral—only to stumble upon dark family secrets and the grim realities of a rural community. The game is devoid of cheap jump scares, and instills a creeping sense of dread through its atmosphere and story-driven gameplay, racking up more than 2,000 overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam. However, the game is currently only available in Chinese.
The Hungry Lamb: Traveling in the Late Ming Dynasty 饿殍：明末千里行 (Zerocreation Games, April 23)
Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the late Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644), The Hungry Lamb is a haunting visual novel that blends dark themes with historical authenticity. Players take on the role of Liang, a disillusioned bandit-turned-unwilling hero, as he escorts four girls to the supposed safety of Luoyang. The story challenges the player’s morality and decision-making through a complex web of choices that influence the game’s nine different endings.
Outpost: Infinity Siege 重装前哨 (Team Ranger, March 26)
An ambitious blend of first-person shooter, tower defense, and base-building, Outpost: Infinity Siege sees players command a futuristic mobile outpost and fight off massive waves of robots. The game features smooth satisfying combat and cooperative gameplay but was released with an incomplete main campaign. Players have expressed frustration with an inconsistent loot system and a steep difficulty curve that disrupts progression, marring the overall experience of an otherwise promising game.
Yi Xian: The Cultivation Card Game 弈仙牌 (Darksun Studio, January 22)
In the deck-building game Yi Xian, players craft their strategies by selecting from a vast array of cards, each offering unique combat abilities to play with. Cards are drawn in the order set by the players, challenging them to master card synergies and anticipate their opponent’s card sequence. Despite some concerns over progression and optional in-game purchases, the gameplay remains largely accessible and rewarding. Yi Xian has been praised for its depth, even drawing comparisons to genre greats like Slay the Spire from some reviewers on Steam.
Love and Deepspace 恋与深空 (InFold, January 18)
This dating simulator features a unique mix of romance and combat set in outer space. Praised for its 3D visuals, the game excels in offering players deep customization options for their avatars and a compelling storyline. It features a small cast of male characters, each with a distinct backstory and personality, though more variety in appearances and inclusivity for all player identities would enhance its appeal. The progression system motivates daily play through manageable tasks, making it accessible for those with limited gaming time. However, the restriction of story progression to daily achievements has drawn some criticism for hindering continuous play.
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