BODY: If the words "anime aesthetics," "open world," and "satisfying combo chains" make you sit up straight, HOUND13 has something for you—and you can play it right now, for free.
Dragonsword: Awakening is the studio's new open-world action RPG, set in a high-fantasy world rendered in a clean, cel-shaded anime style. A time-limited playable demo is live on Steam through June 23, giving players an early taste of the full game ahead of its planned July release.
The headline appeal is the combat. The demo leans hard into the rhythm of stringing attacks together, where well-timed inputs flow into extended combo chains that build into flashy, screen-filling finishers. It's the kind of system designed to reward both button-mashers looking for spectacle and players who want to learn the timing windows and optimize their damage.
Beyond the fighting, the demo offers a slice of the fantasy world players will explore at launch—an open map to roam, enemies to test your kit against, and a feel for how the studio is blending stylish action with RPG progression. With the full version only weeks away, the demo functions as both a hands-on preview and a low-stakes way to decide whether the combat loop clicks for you.
The insider take
HOUND13 is a Korean studio, but the "anime-style action RPG" lane is fiercely contested in Japan, where players have high expectations set by domestic giants and a deep appreciation for combat that feels responsive over one that merely looks good. The fact that 4Gamer is running this as PR coverage signals a serious push into the Japanese market—a smart move, since Japan's Steam audience has grown sharply and is hungry for stylish action that doesn't compromise on mechanical depth. Demos timed weeks before launch are a well-worn tactic here for building word-of-mouth, and a satisfying combat hook is exactly what tends to travel through Japanese gaming communities.
Originally reported by 4Gamer.net − 最新記事 (Japanese).