ChinaJoy 2019 begins today, and with it comes a whole host of titles from China-based developers as the country’s biggest gaming expo runs the whole weekend. There are tons of games that are featured, so be sure to stick around for our coverage of everything announced at this event, especially seeing as China is starting to gain footing in video game development – and that means more great games for everyone.
There’s something for everyone at ChinaJoy, and this holds particularly true for Convallaria, a third-person shooter being developed by Loong Force for PlayStation's China Hero Project. The title is not just a third-person shooter, however, as evidenced by the trailer released for the event. It’s also an online shooter with quite the large number of players in one instance, and – like many Chinese developments – takes inspiration from other shooters before it. It’s going to have an extensive showcase for the event, with a playable build available for attendees from August 2 to 5. Check out the trailer below and see for yourself just what it’s looking to be modeled after.
If you thought that the character models and the way the camera centers, zooms and moves with character looks a lot like Fortnite, then you’re not the only one. Instead of fighting different players in a battle royale though, Convallaria sees you clash with elemental monsters while other players fight by your side. The gameplay loop at one point reminded me of Earth Defense Force, given that there’s a ton of monsters on the screen during one section. There also seems to be some form of ability system involved, as some of the players can throw down shields or utilize area-of-effect shock attacks, but most of the combat boils down to dashing around with a jetpack and shooting.
As it stands, Convallaria is looking to fill a niche of multiplayer shooters like Destiny, but packaged in a third-person POV. We’ll just have to see if the idea catches on – although I find myself jarred by how the animations look a lot like Fortnite.
Convallaria is currently in development for the PlayStation 4, but a release date has yet to be announced.
ChinaJoy 2019 will run from August 2 to August 5. Expect more coverage from us as soon as any news is announced.
