Online players are buzzing with excitement over Three Kingdoms and JellyMan. In every corner of the exhibition, you can see players getting immersed in these two games.
Time passed, On the final day, the fifth, of the event.
In front of the Neon exhibition area, everyone is startled.
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"What's going on? How did the style change?" Wang Lifan asked.
"Whoa, is this some new announcement from Neon? Regarding JellyMan and Three Kingdoms!"
"Look" someone dumbfounded voice sounded.
"it' medieval-style game? That armor and two-handed sword look sick!"
"Finally! A female character! But... why is she blindfolded? Is this some SM play?" A Man, surrounded by two women exclaimed in excitement.
[The next moment a poor soul tripped on the ground... Nobody knew what happened to him after that.]
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The Neon Games booth, once filled with screens of Three Kingdoms & JellyMan, had undergone a dramatic transformation.
A black knight, cloaked in shadow, stands with a sword and shield. He wears a scarlet cloak whipping in the wind, an iron helmet atop his head, and a black leather vest reinforced with chain mail.
A warrior, armed with a spear designed for slaying dragons, sat atop an ancient dragon, radiating the majesty of a king.
Beside him stood a knight in armor shaped like an onion, holding a sword and shield.
A blind woman, her eyes concealed beneath a white crown, dressed in flowing black robes, held flames dancing in her hands.
Even the colorful cosplayers from earlier had transformed into armored beings, wielding swords and shields.
At the start of the exhibition, these cosplayers didn't stand out much, as many others were dressed in similar costumes. However, after four days of being surrounded by Jelly Bean characters, their sudden transformation sparked everyone's curiosity.
Some players who attended the exhibition since the beginning recalled, 'Chen Xu had hinted at big news, on the final day.'
So, Neon Games is unveiling, a masterpiece???
The crowd grew, some climbed the vending machine, eager to see what was next.
At that moment, Chen Xu finally took the stage. Smiling, he said, "I'm sure, you all have already guessed."
"Yes, Today, we're excited to announce a new project. That will be available exclusively on the PC platform."
"We're pushing our limits, to explore this unknown. During this period, The fire within us dwindled. But it razed when Neon remembered your face. This will be a story of flames and those who carry it forward."
"Please look forward to it."
As soon as I ended, the crowd erupted in cheers.
The media was pleasantly surprised.
'''Neon Games working on a PC masterpiece? AAA game? Are they ready for this jump? Is this some Monkey play?'''
This is the highlight of Neon Games' exhibition?
'''Three Kingdoms and JellyMan just appetizers?'''
Meanwhile, designers and developers from other booths watched awkwardly with animated faces that showed a range of expression.
['Some were awkward, some frustrated, others smiled, some stared while others slept with open eyes']
This is something special!
"This is supposed to be our exhibition?" Someone hysterically screamed. Alas nobody paid any attention to the man.
People from NetDragon and Tenghua, the usual industry heavyweights, were clearly paying attention.
Meng Zuo, in particular, still hadn't recovered from the surprise.
'It shouldn't be like this!'
'It was supposed to be different!'
'Where did things go wrong?'
'Everything should favor us!'
'Whether it was a big title or promotional work, why did the final outcome change?'
For the general public, JellyMan and Three Kingdoms over the past four days completely reignited their enthusiasm.
Had I announced the new project on the first day, it might have been discounted.
But now, everything has changed.
As applause, and cheers grew louder, the CG animation began to play on the massive LCD screen.
Unlike the hauntingly beautiful animated trailer of Dark Souls, this one has more details and is less concise. Though the core remained the same, the visuals were superior.
This time, I enlisted a top-tier CG company from the USA to bring this animation to life. Visually, it is up to the AAA standard. A single glance is enough.
Of course, this isn't cheap. The CG company worked overtime during the project, and the cost for this less-than-three-minute clip nearly equaled 1.5 million dollars.
Let's see the fruits of our labor on the screen...
The screen went dark, and then the voice of a woman echoed.
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Yes, indeed, it is called Lothric.
Where the transitory lands of the Lords of Cinder converge
In venturing North
The Pilgrims discover the truth of the Old Words.
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She continued, the screen revealed a desolate and crumbling royal city. Though in ruins now, the scent of its former grandeur remains.
Under the hazy light, a cold current swept flakes across the land.
A cover of murky dirt encased this immense city, and all was eerily still.
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So, they traveled north, in search.
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Under heavy snow, groups of drained figures with massive packs on their backs trudged forward with crutches, braving wind, old & cold.
Wrapped in Thin clothes, with exposed arms, dried like firewood, soiled blackened, and cracked, with faint fiery glows flickering across their veins.
Finally, one of us collapsed, still. The octaves began to rise.
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The fire fades
And the Lords go without thrones.
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The dull drum began to sound, matching the narration.
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When the link of Fire is threatened
The Bell tolls
Unearthing the old lords of cinder from their graves
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The bells tolled deeply, and a violin joined in, accompanied by the harmonized singing of soprano and tenor.
Suddenly, the camera switched.
The massive coffin creaked open, and from the depths, a black slime surged out, writhing and pulsing, with a crown faintly visible.
Aldritch, Saint of the Deep,
In a graveyard, corpses of soldiers in armor began to rise. Behind them, their dark red cloaks, soaked in blood, fluttered in the wind.
Farron's Undead Legion, the Abyss Watchers,
A colossal blade slammed into the ground, sending dust spiraling up. Slowly, a giant emerged its arms ablaze. The flames spit through its armor.
With an earth-shattering roar, the flames surrounding him rekindled.
And the reclusive lord of the profaned capital, Yhorm the Giant,
With the violin's crescendo. Suddenly, all sound ceased.
The screen went black, plunging the world into silence.
The women spoke once more.
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Only in truth, the Lords will abandon their thrones.
And the Unkindled will rise.
Nameless accursed undead, unfit even to be cinder,
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A pair of pale hands appeared, slowly lifting the blindfold. The camera zoomed out, revealing a woman rising gracefully.
Her long silver hair and robes framed a saintly figure.
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And so it is that ash seeketh embers.
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The flames danced in the darkness as the blindfolded woman, carrying a 'corpse' in her arms, moved forward with slow, purposeful steps.
The screen faded to black, and the game's title appeared: Dark Souls.
Below, the release date was marked: To Be Announced.