Tencent’s new survival game leans heavily on Horizon Zero Dawn aesthetics

On November 28, Tencent’s Polaris Quest officially revealed its latest game, Light of Motiram, on the Steam platform, with the launch date soon to be announced. The game, Tencent’s second foray into the open-world survival genre, follows its receipt of a game license earlier this year in February.

According to its Steam page, the game combines open-world exploration, survival crafting, battles against colossal beasts, and the training of mechanical creatures. Early promotional material showcased some gameplay elements that bear similarities to popular titles like Monster Hunter and Palworld, giving the game a somewhat derivative feel.

Official trailer for Light of Motiram. Video and header image source: Polaris Quest.

What strikes players as particularly familiar is the game’s promotional art, which closely mirrors the visual style of Sony’s Horizon Zero Dawn. Additionally, the debut trailer showcases mechanical mounts and boss battles against giant robotic monsters, drawing further comparisons to Horizon Zero Dawn’s design aesthetic.

Survival gameplay has long been a favorite among console and PC gamers. Tencent’s Arena Breakout and NetEase subsidiary ThunderFire’s LifeAfter are popular examples of this genre in the Chinese market. On the console side, titles like 7 Days to Die, Ark: Survival Evolved, and Rust are staples on bestseller lists.

Polaris Quest aims to differentiate Light of Motiram through advanced building mechanics powered by a realistic physics engine, making the building mechanics richer and more engaging. Whether constructing fortified strongholds or crafting ingenious shelters, every beam and brick reportedly adheres to authentic physical rules, balancing aesthetic appeal with functional resilience against environmental challenges.

The game’s enhanced visuals and advanced engine technology come with a cost—high hardware requirements, which may alienate some players. Ensuring smooth cross-platform play, particularly for mobile devices, will also require significant development efforts to maintain a polished experience at launch.

The breakout success of Black Myth: Wukong has galvanized Chinese developers, both large and small, to stake their claim in the gaming market. While many of these titles remain years away from completion, the domestic market’s confidence in developing Chinese AAA games has reached new heights.

Polaris Quest, established in 2008, is one of Tencent Games’ four main development teams, known for delivering a variety of classic titles such as Moonlight Blade and Light and Night. It is regarded as one of the top-tier studios in China.

It’s worth noting that Polaris Quest previously released the battle royale game Ring of Elysium in 2018. Built on the QuicksilverX Engine, it was widely seen as Tencent’s first major entry into Steam’s competitive gaming categories. However, Ring of Elysium failed to significantly challenge contemporary hits like PUBG: Battlegrounds and was discontinued in late 2023.

Judging by the promotional material, Light of Motiram is not only Polaris Quest’s most ambitious and feature-rich project to date but also serves as Tencent’s flagship effort at breaking into the console gaming market.

Last year, Tencent Interactive Entertainment’s CEO for international gaming, Liu Ming, said that the company was committed to advancing its games-as-a-service (GaaS) strategy. The game is expected to adopt a free-to-play model, signaling its intent to build a sustainable, long-term player base.

However, breaking into the crowded international survival game market will be no small feat. The overseas market is already crowded with highly acclaimed games of similar genres, making it challenging to stand out. In the near term, Light of Motiram’s breakthrough may hinge on its potential in the mobile platform space, capitalizing on untapped domestic opportunities within the cross-platform survival genre.

If Light of Motiram delivers top-notch quality, optimized gameplay, and exceptional localization, it has the potential to become another breakout hit.

KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Liu Shiwu for 36Kr.