Blood Message, developed by 24 Entertainment Lin’an and NetEase Games, is a bold new game set during the historical Shazhou uprising in ancient China’s Tang Empire. Instead of relying on fantasy elements common in games, it focuses on a realistic and down-to-earth story inspired by the lives of real people whose deeds had a significant impact on history.
During Summer Game Fest 2026, ComicBook played a demo of Blood Message that showcased its story, visuals, and gameplay. We were particularly impressed with the combat system, which revitalized the often-overused parrying mechanic. While many players, including myself, are usually tired of parrying, Blood Message made it feel impactful, useful, and genuinely exciting again. The demo, offered to media at SGF, proved this.
Blood Message’s Combat Is Absolutely Brutal
I was really impressed by the beautiful graphics of Blood Message when I played the demo at Summer Game Fest. The game takes place in China during the Tang Dynasty and does a great job of bringing that time period to life through the story of Pei Changguan. You play as Pei, an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary events, and the game starts with him and his brother surviving a town-wide massacre. This leads to several action-packed combat scenes that show off the gameplay. The controls feel good and work seamlessly with the visuals, making chases exciting and exploration fun. My only complaint was the quick time events (QTEs) in the demo, which required rapidly pressing buttons to avoid attacks or escape danger.
The game looks absolutely stunning, but I started to worry it would end up feeling like just another third-person action game when I got to the combat. It seemed like I’d be constantly swarmed, needing to dodge and block to create openings. But honestly, once the fighting started, I was really surprised! It’s so visceral and brutal, but in a way that feels grounded and realistic, not over-the-top or just trying to be shocking. It’s genuinely gruesome when it needs to be.
Unlike some games filled with fast-paced combos and predictable attacks, Blood Message feels deliberate and realistic, mirroring its serious story. Successfully blocking an attack allowed for a couple of quick strikes, making enemies vulnerable to a final, impactful blow. However, mistiming a dodge or block quickly led to being overwhelmed. Blood Message makes skillful blocking incredibly important, creating a tense and strategic experience that fits the game’s gritty realism.
Blood Message’s Grounded Approach To Combat Won Me Over On Parrying
Parrying—blocking an attack at the last moment—has become incredibly common in action games, largely thanks to the popularity of games like the Souls series. Many recent titles, including Sekiro, Wo-Long: Fallen Dynasty, Lies of P, God of War, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, heavily feature this mechanic. Honestly, I’ve started to feel like it’s overused. I prefer combat systems that offer more variety, like the counter-focused gameplay of the Batman: Arkham games or the fast-paced, combo-driven action in Control Resonant.
While parrying can be enjoyable, it’s become overused in games lately, which is often more annoying than fun—especially when simple dodges or healing items make it feel unnecessary. I’m hoping Blood Message will change that by focusing on a more realistic and impactful combat system. The game presents parrying as a decisive, quick action: a moment of careful timing to swiftly defeat enemies. The recent demo showcased this well. Instead of fighting a large, imposing boss, we experienced battles against skilled swordsmen who patiently waited for openings and delivered quick, deadly strikes.
The game creates real tension because one mistimed block can leave your character vulnerable and likely defeated. It successfully blends historical authenticity with exciting, classic video game challenges. What impressed me most was how the game made blocking feel impactful and rewarding. I’ve grown tired of overly strict timing windows in other games, but Blood Message seems to have found a way to make parrying work perfectly.
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2026-06-10 21:10