Zelda Meets Genshin Impact In Open-World RPG You Can Play Free Now

A new open-world RPG that seems like a mix between The Legend of Zelda and Genshin Impact can be played for free right now, ahead of its complete release next month. Plenty of new titles take inspiration from the two popular games. A new upcoming game blends Final Fantasy and Genshin Impact, for example, and it is also set to arrive in July. The RPGs serve as inspiration to new creations, not only because of their popularity, but because of the quality of gameplay they offer to players.

Now, a new title in that category is joining the fray. A new open-world RPG, set to be released on July 22, can be played for free, at least in part. A demo for the upcoming game is available on Steam right now, and it’s entirely free to grab and play if you find yourself interested. All you have to do is access the product page and download it, no strings attached. This is a demo of what will be a much larger game, but you’ll be able to get a sense of what it will have to offer.

The new open-world RPG on Steam is called DragonSword: Awakening. The anime-style game uses action-based tag-team combat, somewhat like in Genshin Impact, where you build team comps and change characters to execute combos and enhance the damage you deal to enemies. It is worth noting that the new RPG, however, is not a gacha game, but instead, a paid premium title, and you’ll collect all characters through regular gameplay.

In DragonSword: Awakening, you’ll explore the continent of Orbis, recruiting allies to save the world from the threat of a dragon who has awakened after 60 years. You’ll start off controlling a young boy by the name of Lute, who is soon joined by Johnny and Castella. There will be, however, more heroes to encounter throughout your journey. The tag-team elements feel like Genshin Impact, while the journey itself feels like a Zelda game.

Meanwhile, the combat may initially look inspired by Genshin Impact, but there is a lot more verticality, which makes it feel like a hack-and-slash title. The open-world game features a variety of biomes to explore, and there is even underwater exploration and aerial gameplay. DragonSword: Awakening feels promising, and if you enjoy the genre and style, I encourage you to at least check it out.

The free demo for the game offers access to an early portion of the game, as well as a demo-exclusive hero to control. The developers at Hound 13 Inc. inform that the progress obtained in the DragonSword: Awakening demo will not carry over to the final version of the game. Even so, it will let you better understand this new RPG.