Tianji: Shadow of the Ancients, Coming 2027 to Multiple Global Platforms

Grand Tang–Era Fantasy RPG Unveiled: Justdan International Announces Tianji: Shadow of the Ancients, Coming 2027 to Multiple Global Platforms

Justdan International Co., Ltd. officially reveals Tianji: Shadow of the Ancients, its first self-developed single-player role-playing game. Led by Hong-Ming Tsai, widely known as “the father of Xuanyuan Sword”, this hand-painted turn-based RPG is rooted in China’s prosperous Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty. Slated for global release in 2027, the title will launch on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Its Steam store page is now live, allowing players to add the game to their wishlists.

Official Trailer:

Official Website: https://www.tian-ji-game.com

Steam Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4080250

Project Background

Tianji: Shadow of the Ancients marks Justdan International’s major entry into self-developed premium single-player games. It is a completely original independent IP with no direct story connection to the Xuanyuan Sword franchise. Still, it inherits Hong-Ming Tsai’s signature creative philosophy: weaving real-world historical settings, folk legends and supernatural fantasy elements into a cohesive narrative that explores human nature, fate and grand conspiracies in ancient China. The game aims to respect classic turn-based-RPG nostalgia while modernizing combat and exploration mechanics. Built for a worldwide audience, it offers multi-language subtitles plus dual-audio voice acting.

Story Synopsis: An Amnesiac Tianji Guard in Chaotic Tianbao–Era Tang China

The narrative unfolds during the turbulent Tianbao reign of the Tang Dynasty. Tianji Guard, a secret imperial intelligence unit, is dispatched deep into Bashu to investigate an ancient millennium-old ruin. When the unit’s commanding general puts on a mysterious bronze mask, he descends into violent madness, shattering the Tianji Guard and rendering the organization functionally defunct.

Months later, a new cult known as the Xuanxin Order rapidly gains power across Bashu, wielding the strange bronze mask alongside arcane spiritual arts. Protagonist Shangguan Shuo awakens inside a Xuanxin Order stronghold with no memories of his past life. His only clues are two relics: a fish-shaped token identifying him as a Tianji Guard, and the enigmatic bronze mask. To recover his identity and lost memories, Shangguan Shuo journeys across Bashu’s mountain wilderness and forgotten underground ancient cities. He gradually uncovers the vast conspiracy behind the Xuanxin Order, and learns that his own fate is inextricably intertwined with the cult’s secrets.

The main campaign runs an estimated 20-30 hours and features multiple distinct endings. Players can reload save files to experience alternate narrative paths without needing to replay the full game from the beginning.

Combat System: Fast–Paced Combo Gameplay within Turn–Based Framework

While built upon classic turn-based RPG foundations, Tianji: Shadow of the Ancients centers its combat design around combo–chain mechanics, balancing tactical depth with fluid, satisfying action-style feedback. Up to three characters can participate in battle. Players can trigger linked abilities, exploit enemy elemental/weakness breaks, follow-up pursuit strikes, perform parry-and-counter responses, and earn bonus rewards for flawless encounters. Gear, skills and “Spirit Core” equipment enable extensive build diversity. Gamers may engage in careful tactical planning while also enjoying satisfying cascading combo sequences.

Enemies are visible on-map with a visible “overworld enemy” system. Players can choose whether to initiate combat. They may also leverage level advantages to quickly clear weaker foes, streamlining exploration and cutting down repetitive random battles. The title includes adjustable difficulty settings, full anytime saving, and no mandatory quick-time-events, welcoming both casual and hardcore audiences.

Hand–Painted 2D Artwork & Multi–Dimensional Exploration

Visually, the game features fully hand–drawn 2D artwork, drawing aesthetic inspiration from traditional Chinese shanshan (mountain-water) ink painting. Environments meticulously recreate Tang-era Bashu architecture, folk costumes, landscapes and wildlife, preserving the unique artistic texture of hand-crafted illustration.

Exploration goes beyond simple dialogue and random encounters, incorporating action-oriented mechanics: players can climb terrain, swim across water, and solve environmental puzzles to give maps greater dimensionality. Towns feature a dynamic day–night cycle. Different hidden quests, NPC interactions and exclusive collectible items are only accessible during daytime or nighttime hours, encouraging players to revisit locations at different times of day.

Companion Bonds & Multi–Faceted Progression System

Throughout Shangguan Shuo’s adventure, he will recruit a diverse cast of playable companions with distinct backgrounds and personalities. Beyond fighting alongside the player in turn-based battles, every companion possesses unique non-combat livelihood proficiencies: cooking meals, refining equipment, upgrading Spirit Cores, and trading for rare specialty goods.

As players unlock each character’s dedicated side story arcs, they learn the companions’ personal histories, while their livelihood skills grow more powerful to deliver valuable logistical support for expeditions. Companion narratives interweave with the main conspiracy plot to flesh out the game’s ensemble cast and world-building.

Full Product Specifications

• Developer / Publisher: Justdan International Co., Ltd.
• Genre: Single-Player Turn-Based Role-Playing Game (RPG)
• Expected Release Window: 2027
• Platforms: Steam (PC), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
• Subtitles: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese
• Voice-Over: Chinese (AudioX Studio), Japanese
• Storage Requirement: 20 GB available space
• Extra Features: Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud Saves, Family Sharing, Full Controller Support.