Listen to the Wind

Listen to the Wind is set during the Ming dynasty’s Jiajing era, when government corruption and poor border management leave China’s south-east coast vulnerable to Japanese pirate attacks. You play a former mountain hermit tasked with supporting soldiers against the pirates. As you fight, you uncover a deeper story behind the invasion and can choose whether to investigate who is manipulating the government or return to your secluded life after the quest.

Story and choices

Historical figures including Qi Jiguang, Wang Zhi, Xu Hai and Matsura Takanobu appear in the story, alongside Chinese generals, royal members, Japanese pirates and a resistance leader. Your choices lead to different scenarios and branch the story, which has multiple endings. You and your apprentice can become entangled in a conflict, and dozens of plotlines can be replayed to learn more about the characters and their relationships.

Combat and cooking

You face enemies including renegades, evil monks and your own apprentices. Combat centers on reading each opponent’s moves, waiting for an opening in their defense and responding with precise attacks; chasing enemies is not the best way to win. A parry-like mechanic lets you turn a parry into an attack.

Outside battle, you can cook using a range of ingredients. The game also uses Chinese art styles including freehand brushwork, watercolor and oil painting, with cutscenes presented in a Chinese comic style.