Project Nine Tails is a third-person action RPG set in a world drawn from Chinese mythology. Players take control of the nine-tailed fox spirit across multiple lifetimes, accumulating power and identities while navigating divine mandates and historical upheaval. The game centers on the fox's long existence, with the current chapter focusing on possession of Daji during the fall of the Shang dynasty.
Gameplay
The core loop revolves around third-person combat and exploration using sword strikes enhanced by fox-fire channeled through the Qianyuan Jian. Players defeat enemies to collect soul residue, which grants access to new forms and abilities. These absorbed identities allow the fox to bypass certain barriers or employ unique skills tied to the original soul's authority.
Transformation into fox form provides access to narrow passages and hidden routes unavailable in human shape. A separate copying mechanic lets the player assume the appearance and active skills of unaware enemies, storing up to two human forms and one non-human form for later use. Combat emphasizes direct engagement rather than souls-like difficulty spikes, with the fox's accumulated experiences influencing available options across chapters.
Jiang Ziya serves as a recurring presence rather than a standard boss. His divine hook pulls hidden truths to the surface during encounters, tying into the narrative of broken mandates and accumulated centuries. The sword itself carries lingering divine commission, creating tension between the fox's actions and its original purpose.
Game Modes
The experience is built around single-player progression through narrative chapters. Each chapter places the fox in a new historical vessel with fresh mandates, while retained souls and forms carry forward from prior sections. No separate multiplayer or competitive modes have been detailed in available information.
Exploration and combat blend within linear story sequences, with opportunities to experiment with copied skills and fox transformations to reach alternate paths or resolve encounters differently. The structure supports accumulation of power over multiple chapters without resetting the fox's core identity.
Narrative and Themes
The story draws from Fengshen Yanyi and fox spirit traditions, framing the nine-tailed being as neither demon nor goddess but an ancient entity shaped by nine centuries of cultivation. Players witness the weight of choices across lifetimes, including possession, manipulation, and the consumption of spiritual energy. Jiang Ziya's patient pursuit underscores questions of survival and transformation under heavenly oversight.
Content warnings note frequent violence in combat without gore or dismemberment, along with themes of possession and psychological manipulation presented through dialogue and mechanics rather than explicit depictions. No sexual content or substance use appears in the described systems.
Is It Worth Playing?
Project Nine Tails remains in development with a planned release date listed as to be announced on its Steam page. A prototype shown at IGDX 2026 demonstrated the transformation and copying systems in a raw state, highlighting creative potential in an action RPG framework. Single-player focus and controller support are confirmed features.
Those interested in mythology-driven narratives with identity mechanics and sword-based combat may find the premise compelling once released. Without completed reviews or final balance data, any assessment depends on how the prototype elements expand in the finished product. The game targets players who value accumulation of abilities over repeated playthroughs in a single fixed character.