Chinese developer Eclipse Glow Games returned to the spotlight during the Xbox Partner Preview on November 20, 2025, with an extended gameplay trailer for Tides of Annihilation that finally delivers on the cinematic action promised in February’s announcement. The new footage showcases a complete boss fight against the shape-shifting witch Tyronoe, revealing the game’s innovative Dual Frontline Battle System where players control both protagonist Gwendolyn and spectral Knight Sir Lamorak simultaneously across fractured mirror dimensions. Set in a shattered modern-day London invaded by Arthurian mythology, this fast-paced action-adventure blends Bayonetta-style combat with Knights of the Round Table companions players summon, customize, and command in real-time battles that shift between realities. No release date was announced, but the game targets PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store with Xbox Play Anywhere support confirmed.
The Dual Frontline Battle System
Tides of Annihilation’s signature mechanic allows Gwendolyn to summon and control spectral forms of the Knights of the Round Table, transforming solo combat into coordinated assault with AI companions. Players can configure two sets of spectral knights, meaning four total knights active simultaneously during battles. Each knight possesses unique weapons, abilities, and combat roles ranging from aggressive offense to defensive support to combo extension specialists.
The system emphasizes flexibility and player expression. Knights can be switched freely during combat, even mid-combo, allowing players to extend attack chains by seamlessly transitioning between different fighting styles. One knight might launch enemies into the air, then you switch to another knight specialized in aerial juggles before finishing with a third knight’s devastating ground slam. This creates depth where mastering individual knights matters less than understanding how their abilities synergize.
Customization extends beyond simply choosing which knights to summon. Players can allocate attribute points, modify abilities, and configure equipment loadouts for each knight, creating personalized versions that emphasize different strengths. Two players might both use Sir Lamorak but build him completely differently based on preferred tactics, one focusing on defensive time-stop shields while another maximizes spear damage output.
Eclipse Glow Games producer emphasized that knights function as more than combat tools, they’re companions assisting Gwendolyn’s quest with distinct personalities and narrative roles. This suggests deeper integration between combat mechanics and storytelling compared to games where summons exist purely as disposable abilities.
The Tyronoe Boss Fight
The extended trailer builds toward an epic confrontation with Tyronoe, a shape-shifting witch who commands reality-bending powers. The battle progresses through multiple phases demonstrating the Dual Frontline Battle System’s full potential. Initially, Tyronoe fights in humanoid form, teleporting around the arena and launching magical projectiles while Gwendolyn responds with fast-paced melee combos enhanced by spectral knight assists.
When damaged sufficiently, Tyronoe transforms into a massive bird-beast and spawns mirror clones that attack simultaneously from multiple angles. This forces players to manage crowd control while tracking the real Tyronoe among duplicates. The visual spectacle intensifies as attack effects fill the screen with particle explosions, energy blasts, and reality distortions.
The climax introduces the Mirror Space Folded Realm, a fractured dimension created by Tyronoe that separates combatants across parallel realities. Gwendolyn becomes trapped outside the mirror unable to reach Tyronoe directly. This is when Sir Lamorak appears inside the mirror dimension, interfering with Tyronoe’s attack and throwing his spear through the barrier for Gwendolyn to catch.
At this moment, players gain control of both Gwendolyn and Lamorak simultaneously. Gwendolyn fights outside the mirror using Lamorak’s spear to shatter the barrier, while Lamorak battles Tyronoe directly inside the mirror dimension. Coordinating attacks between both characters becomes essential, timing Gwendolyn’s barrier-breaking strikes with Lamorak’s offensive pressure to create openings for devastating combination attacks.
The dimension-shifting combat sequences were inspired by iconic action movie scenes where characters fight across folded realities, creating visual spectacle as the camera switches between inside and outside the mirror while both battlefields occur simultaneously. Eclipse Glow described their team as huge cinema fans who wanted to capture that cinematic action feeling through gameplay mechanics.
The Setting and Story
Tides of Annihilation takes place after an otherworldly invasion fractured modern-day London, merging it with Avalon and unleashing Arthurian mythology into contemporary reality. The attack killed everyone except Gwendolyn, who discovered mysterious powers allowing her to summon Knights of the Round Table as spectral allies.
Gwendolyn embarks on a quest to find the Holy Grail, hoping its power can rescue her sister, restore the world to normalcy, and exact vengeance on the demi-gods of Avalon responsible for the catastrophe. This revenge-driven narrative provides emotional stakes beyond simple world-saving heroics, personalizing the conflict through family bonds threatened by cosmic forces.
The juxtaposition of modern London landmarks with Arthurian fantasy creates visual distinctiveness. Expect shattered versions of famous locations like Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye reimagined through mystical corruption. The February announcement trailer showed vibrant neon-lit streets contrasting with medieval castle architecture, blending contemporary urban aesthetics with ancient magical elements.
The developer describes the game as action-adventure rather than pure character action, suggesting exploration and narrative progression complement the combat focus. Players will likely navigate interconnected zones, discover secrets, interact with NPCs, and gradually unlock new knights and abilities through story progression.
Sir Lamorak and Other Knights
The trailer featured Sir Lamorak prominently, establishing him as one of the key Knights players can summon. In Arthurian legend, Lamorak was among the strongest Knights of the Round Table, second only to Lancelot and Tristram in prowess. The game portrays him wielding a spear with exceptional skill, performing rapid thrust attacks, sweeping area strikes, and powerful lunging techniques.
His special ability shown in the boss fight involves being absorbed by Gwendolyn temporarily, preparing him for future summoning while granting enhanced powers during the absorption period. This suggests strategic resource management where knights can’t simply be spammed endlessly but require cooldown periods or energy costs.
While Lamorak received spotlight treatment, the Dual Frontline Battle System accommodates multiple knights with different weapons and fighting styles. Expect familiar names from Arthurian mythology like Lancelot, Gawain, Galahad, Percival, and others, each representing distinct archetypes and tactical roles within Gwendolyn’s spectral army.
The Bayonetta Comparison
Multiple outlets compared Tides of Annihilation to Platinum Games’ Bayonetta series, and the similarities are deliberate. Both feature stylish over-the-top action emphasizing combos, dodge mechanics that trigger slow-motion counters, spectacular boss fights against reality-warping opponents, and confident female protagonists wielding supernatural powers.
The visual presentation embraces the same maximalist philosophy where more explosions, particle effects, and camera movements equal better. Combat prioritizes maintaining momentum through unbroken combo chains rather than methodical defensive play. Enemy encounters scale from manageable groups to overwhelming swarms requiring crowd control mastery.
However, Tides of Annihilation differentiates itself through the knight summoning system. Where Bayonetta fights solo with occasional demon summons as ultimate attacks, Gwendolyn constantly coordinates with spectral knights who function as persistent companions rather than limited-use abilities. This creates cooperative combat dynamics within a single-player framework.
The dimension-shifting mechanics also add strategic complexity absent from Bayonetta’s more straightforward arena battles. Managing characters across parallel realities while coordinating attacks between separated dimensions introduces puzzle-like elements to pure action scenarios.
Chinese Action Game Renaissance
Tides of Annihilation joins a growing wave of high-quality action games from Chinese developers. Black Myth: Wukong became 2024’s breakout hit, demonstrating global appetite for Chinese-developed single-player experiences with AAA production values. Phantom Blade Zero showcases cyberpunk martial arts combat with Devil May Cry influences. Lost Soul Aside promises Final Fantasy-inspired action RPG gameplay.
This renaissance reflects China’s maturing game development ecosystem where studios move beyond mobile free-to-play dominance toward competing with Japanese and Western developers in premium console experiences. Government support for cultural exports, growing talent pools from established studios, and access to Unreal Engine 5 technology enable Chinese teams to create visually stunning games rivaling global standards.
Eclipse Glow Games specifically cited inspiration from cinema alongside gaming influences, reflecting how Chinese developers often blend multiple artistic mediums. The Inception-esque mirror sequences demonstrate willingness to experiment with avant-garde concepts rather than simply copying existing game formulas.
Platform and Release Details
Tides of Annihilation launches for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. Xbox Play Anywhere support means purchasing digitally on Xbox console or Windows PC grants access on both platforms. No previous generation console versions are planned, allowing Eclipse Glow to fully leverage current hardware for visual fidelity and performance.
Despite the extended gameplay reveal, no release date or window was announced. The game was first revealed at PlayStation State of Play in February 2025, making this the second major showcase nine months later. Given typical development timelines and the polished state of trailer footage, late 2026 or 2027 seems realistic though purely speculative.
No pricing was discussed, though expect standard premium game pricing around sixty dollars given the production values and scope. Whether Eclipse Glow implements DLC, expansions, or live service elements remains unknown, though the single-player action-adventure framing suggests a complete package rather than ongoing content model.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Tides of Annihilation release?
No release date has been announced. Tides of Annihilation is in active development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, with more information expected in future showcases.
Who is developing Tides of Annihilation?
Eclipse Glow Games, a Chinese studio, is developing Tides of Annihilation using Unreal Engine 5 technology.
What is the Dual Frontline Battle System?
It’s a combat mechanic allowing players to summon and control spectral Knights of the Round Table alongside protagonist Gwendolyn, with up to four knights active simultaneously that can be switched mid-combo.
What platforms is Tides of Annihilation coming to?
Tides of Annihilation launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store with Xbox Play Anywhere support.
Is Tides of Annihilation like Bayonetta?
Yes, the game draws heavy inspiration from Bayonetta’s stylish action combat while adding unique knight summoning mechanics and dimension-shifting battles across mirror realities.
Who do you play as in Tides of Annihilation?
You play as Gwendolyn, the lone survivor of an otherworldly invasion that fractured London, who can summon spectral Knights of the Round Table to fight alongside her.
What is the story of Tides of Annihilation?
Gwendolyn quests for the Holy Grail to rescue her sister and restore London after Avalon’s demi-gods invaded, merging Arthurian mythology with modern reality.
Conclusion
Tides of Annihilation positions itself as China’s answer to Bayonetta with enough unique mechanics to justify its existence beyond derivative imitation. The Dual Frontline Battle System creates genuine innovation through simultaneous character control and knight customization that PlatinumGames hasn’t explored. Whether Eclipse Glow can deliver the responsive combat feel and spectacle pacing that defines genre classics won’t be clear until hands-on gameplay emerges. For now, the cinematic trailer footage promises visually stunning boss fights and ambitious dimension-splitting mechanics that could either elevate action gaming or collapse under their own complexity. Knights of the Round Table deserve better than mediocrity, so here’s hoping Gwendolyn’s quest ends in triumph rather than tragic defeat.