Videogames have extensively covered many World War II campaigns, from the D-Day landings to the Battle of the Bulge. However, the conflict in China, specifically its War of Resistance against the Japanese invasion, has remained largely overlooked. Hangzhou Hoothanes Entertainment's upcoming title, The Defiant, aims to fill this gap by exploring this devastating period from the perspective of multiple Chinese soldiers.
Structured into four main chapters, The Defiant spans a significant portion of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Each chapter focuses on a different soldier and setting, promising contrasting gameplay styles. One segment will place players in the role of a Chinese spy navigating the neon-lit streets of Shanghai, emphasizing stealth and puzzle-solving. Another will involve sabotage missions to disrupt Japanese supply lines through explosive-based objectives.
While the characters are fictional, the game's battles are grounded in real historical encounters and set in meticulously researched locations. A hands-on demo transported players to the snowy mountains of China's northeast region, presenting a combat-heavy scenario. Players were tasked with defending against overwhelming waves of Japanese infantry through caves and trenches, armed with era-accurate weaponry like the Liao Type 13 rifle.
The game's arsenal, featuring rifles, pistols, and machine guns, is described as feeling fantastic to wield, enhanced by robust audio design and slick reload animations. The combat system is a standard shooter setup, allowing players to carry two weapons and grenades. Health is indicated by visual cues such as blood splatter and screen vignetting, prompting players to seek cover when near death.
Cinematic moments were present in the demo, including intense close-quarters combat, a quicktime event to fend off a knife-wielding assailant, and a bleak scene depicting the execution of squad mates. The game also features a shooting range where players can test a variety of weapons, from bolt-action rifles and submachine guns to sniper rifles and heavy machine guns, alongside grenades and even a broadsword for melee combat. The developers confirmed this is a partial representation of the full arsenal, which will expand throughout the game.
A key aspect of The Defiant is its focus on a solo experience. Unlike many modern shooters that treat single-player modes as secondary to multiplayer, The Defiant is designed around a substantial, approximately 15-hour campaign. This approach is seen as a throwback to an era when story-driven single-player shooters were more prevalent.
While primarily a single-player game, The Defiant will also include a separate co-op PvE mode at launch. This mode will feature maps and missions derived from the main campaign, though details on player count (estimated at four to eight) and match types are still being finalized. Co-op is positioned as an optional addition to the main narrative experience.
However, some fundamental aspects require further refinement. Current mobility options include running and sliding into cover, but lack jumping or vaulting over obstacles, leading to a feeling of sluggishness compared to contemporary shooters. The inability to go prone, despite the ability to crouch, can leave players vulnerable when seeking cover. Additionally, the preview build, while featuring various weapons, lacked deployable traps like landmines, a tactical element employed by Chinese forces historically.
Developers are reportedly addressing these issues, along with AI quirks and HUD clarity, based on player feedback. The Defiant is slated for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with a release date yet to be determined. While still potentially one to two years from completion, the game shows promise as a substantial single-player shooter that explores a unique and often-untold facet of World War II.