Hello everyone, I am the observer who stays in KPL and LPL all year round. Today I want to talk about a game that seems to have nothing to do with e-sports - "Eternal Life Ritual", a Chinese-style suspense puzzle mobile game. Some people may ask, how can a puzzle game talk about competition? Don't worry, let me break down its competitive possibilities.
Let's talk about the game itself first. The background of "The Ritual of Immortality" is set in the Tianbao period. The player plays the role of the detective Pei Siyuan, trying to solve a complicated and confusing murder case. From the gloomy yamen to the government house to the terrifying underground palace, the whole process is full of clue collection, puzzle solving and plot twists. This type of game usually emphasizes immersion, but what if it is approached from a competitive perspective? I noticed several characteristics of it: First, the puzzle design has gradients. It is not a simple click to find objects, but requires observation, reasoning and combination, which itself has the basis of "problem-solving speed" confrontation; second, the scene mechanism is interactive, such as operating the mechanism in sequence and cracking the password. These operations require accuracy and reaction.
If "The Ritual of Immortality" is made into a racing mode, such as a limited-time clearance ranking list, and players compete on puzzle solving efficiency, decision-making speed and path optimization, then it can be included in subdivided events such as "Intelligence Racing" or "Speed Pass Challenge". Imagine that players are fighting against the psychological pressure brought by the terrifying atmosphere in a gloomy underground palace while quickly sorting out clues. This is no worse than MOBA teamwork, but more of a test of personal concentration and calm judgment. Moreover, the duration of this single round is controllable, and it can easily be made into a knockout format.
In addition, the developer Chengdu Ranjin Network has obviously worked hard on the plot reversal and puzzle logic. The multiple decryption points of the case will be very enjoyable in a multi-player live broadcast scenario. If a confrontation mechanism for online synchronous puzzle solving is added, such as two teams entering the same map at the same time, whoever completes all the puzzles or collects key evidence first wins; or if a "misleading" element is added so that players can interfere with each other's clue progress, it will be closer to the now popular "asymmetric confrontation" type.
Of course, at present, "Eternal Life Ritual" is still purely a stand-alone purchase system. The price is 0 yuan. It is most likely a free experience plus in-app purchases? I'm not sure. But judging from the experience, its art and atmosphere creation can fully support a branch of competitive content. It is hoped that subsequent versions can add features such as rankings, limited-time activities, and even custom puzzle challenges, so that puzzle solving can also provide a sense of operation and gaming. After all, in the e-sports ecosystem dominated by MOBA and FPS, we need a more diverse stage for displaying our capabilities, and the highly intelligent level design of "The Ritual of Immortality" is a good entry point.
Finally, as a digression, if there is a game of "The Ritual of Immortality", I will definitely be the first to sign up to watch the game. I want to see the players quickly cracking the trap in the windy yamen. It will definitely be more exciting than watching a team battle. 😎