Arthurian legends, modern London and mythological worlds collide in one of Gamescom’s most impressive action games
By Ivan Katić
Tides of Annihilation was easily one of the most visually impressive games I played at Gamescom. Still, it was not just the presentation that caught my attention. Its mixture of Arthurian legend, modern London and mythological worlds inspired by different cultures sounds like something that could quickly become messy. After playing it, however, I was surprised by how naturally everything came together.
My session included the opening tutorial and the Egyptian branch of the Great Russell Museum chapter. It was only a small part of the game, but I still got a good look at Gwendolyn’s combat, the spectral Knight system, exploration, puzzles and an excellent multi-stage boss fight against Anubis.
Fighting alongside the Knights of the Round Table
Gwendolyn begins the story as an ordinary woman who somehow survives the destruction of London after the Otherworld descends upon it. The city becomes twisted together with Avalon and several other mythological realities, while Gwendolyn discovers that she can control a mysterious power known as the Fog.
The tutorial introduced these abilities through a training battle with the Martial Saint. It was fairly simple, but I appreciated that it covered almost everything important without throwing too much information at me at once. I learned how to use light and heavy attacks, dodge, fight in the air, counter incoming attacks and summon Knights.
One of the first things I noticed was how readable the enemy attacks were. Animations and indicators made it clear how I was supposed to respond, while the counter timing felt forgiving enough that I could learn it without constantly being punished. Some attacks needed to be countered directly, while others encouraged me to jump or move out of the way.
The goal is not simply to reduce an enemy’s health. Constant pressure damages their stagger gauge and eventually leaves them open to an execution. Attacking enemies and using Knight abilities also builds energy for a powerful Burst Attack. These systems gave battles a satisfying flow as I moved between regular combinations, counters, Knight summons and finishing attacks.
While it shares a few ideas with Soulslikes, Tides of Annihilation did not feel like another brutally punishing attempt at the genre. Ordinary enemies were manageable even without mastering every mechanic, although stronger opponents clearly demanded more careful play.
The Knights feel like part of Gwendolyn’s moveset
The Knights of the Round Table were probably the most interesting part of the combat for me. They do not constantly follow Gwendolyn as AI-controlled companions. Instead, they briefly appear beside her whenever one of their abilities is activated.
I liked how smoothly this worked. The Knights appeared almost instantly, performed their attacks and disappeared without interrupting my movement. It made them feel less like separate characters I had to manage and more like an extension of Gwendolyn’s own combat style.
Four Knights can be equipped at once, divided into two pairs that can be swapped during battle. Their abilities serve different purposes: some launch enemies into the air, extend combos, protect Gwendolyn, control groups or attack from a distance. Others can manipulate positioning and even time.
Gwendolyn will also unlock several weapon categories. Four have been discussed so far, with swords, fists and bows already confirmed. Weapons are not limited to combat either. The magical bow, for example, can create ethereal ziplines with its arrows, giving it a practical role during exploration.
Exploring an Egyptian world hidden inside London
Gwendolyn eventually enters the Great Russell Museum alongside her shapeshifting companion Niniane while searching for a Grail Shard. The building is clearly inspired by the British Museum, but it becomes much more than a series of damaged galleries.
Each collection is transformed by the Otherworld into a new environment based on the culture it represents. The Egyptian, Chinese and Japanese sections all have their own locations, enemies, music and mythology. I was able to explore the Egyptian branch during my session.
It initially looked like a ruined museum exhibition, but that quickly changed. Before long, I was travelling through a huge sandy landscape filled with floating platforms, pyramids and enormous monuments. The Egyptian display had essentially broken free from the physical limits of the museum and become an entire world of its own.
The camera regularly pulled back to show the scale of the environment, and these moments gave the game a very cinematic feeling. I also found quieter sections with platforming, collectibles, equipment and environmental puzzles. The puzzles were not particularly difficult, usually involving obvious symbols or interactive objects, but I enjoyed having something calmer to do between combat encounters.
Oath Reforged thrones act as checkpoints where Gwendolyn can restore her health. In the complete game, they will also allow players to change Knights, manage equipment and fast travel. These thrones are perhaps the game’s most obvious Soulslike feature, even though the action itself feels much closer to a traditional character-action game.
There also seems to be more build customisation than I initially expected. Badges provide passive benefits, but the more powerful ones can come with significant drawbacks. One may provide life-steal while constantly draining health, while another automatically revives Gwendolyn but prevents her from healing normally. I did not get enough time to experiment properly, but these trade-offs could lead to some interesting builds.
Anubis stole the show
Before I was allowed to explore the Egyptian area freely, I was placed directly into a multi-stage fight against Anubis. Rather than attempting to recreate the Egyptian god accurately, the developers have reimagined him as something resembling an Egyptian deity transformed into an Arthurian fantasy Knight. This was easily my favourite part of the entire demo.
Anubis combined close-range attacks with magical projectiles, aerial strikes and barriers that restricted where I could safely stand. I could not simply stay beside him and repeat the same sword combination. Instead, I had to move through openings, recognise his attacks and decide when it was safe to summon a Knight or spend my energy on a Burst Attack.
The battle looked incredibly cinematic, but I was glad that it never turned into an extended cutscene or passive set piece. I still had to dodge, counter and control Gwendolyn throughout its different phases. The scale and spectacle reminded me of Final Fantasy XVI, while the combat itself felt closer to Devil May Cry or Bayonetta.
One of my Gamescom highlights
I went into Tides of Annihilation expecting it to look impressive, but I left much more interested in actually playing the complete game. Its combat felt responsive and approachable without immediately seeming shallow, while the Knights fitted naturally into Gwendolyn’s abilities instead of feeling like a separate gimmick.
The Gamescom build also ran well throughout my session. I did not encounter any major technical problems, although a short controlled demonstration obviously cannot tell us how the complete game will perform across every platform.
There is still a lot I was unable to judge. I did not see enough of the progression system, the wider version of London or the complete Knight roster. I am also particularly interested in the Colossal Knights, which are supposed to function as enormous moving environments and encounters.
Even with those unanswered questions, this was one of my strongest first impressions from Gamescom. Tides of Annihilation looks spectacular, but there also appears to be a genuinely enjoyable action game beneath all that visual ambition. If Eclipse Glow can maintain the same quality throughout the entire adventure, this could become something special.