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Expert Reviews doesn’t typically cover video-game software, so when the stars align and I get the opportunity to test a piece of tech while playing an exciting new game, I grab the controller with both hands.
That happened at Gamescom last month. With half an hour before my interview with Side and Modl.ai, who announced an exciting new AI-QA partnership at the show, I wandered Hall 6, gawping at a Rayman statue almost as tall as the ceiling, a farting dragon, The Blood of Dawnwalker cosplayers and enormous farm vehicles at the Farming Simulator booth.
But one booth had a magnetic pull: that of Tides of Annihilation. The fantasy action-adventure game based on Arthurian legend is one I’ve been excited to learn more about since it debuted at a Sony State of Play in February last year. So, when I approached the booth and found no queue, I was optimistic about giving it a spin. It turned out the booth staff were about to go to lunch and had paused the demos.
While trying to book an afternoon slot, good fortune struck: a TCL contact walked right up to the booth. They were using TCL’s latest gaming monitor, the 32X3A OLED+, for the demos, and he said he would try to squeeze me into the schedule.
Five minutes later, I was sitting at a desk in the elaborately constructed booth, which resembled a library, with a Razer headset on my noggin and a PS5 controller in my hands, ready to put my skills, the new monitor, and the game to the test.
The monitor: TCL 32X3A OLED+
I’ll talk a bit about my gameplay experience later, but first I want to discuss the quality of the monitor the action played out on. As its name suggests, the 32X3A is a 32in display with an OLED+ panel. It supports refresh rates up to 240Hz at 4K and 480Hz at Full HD, and has a stated grey-to-grey response time of 0.3ms. Anything less than 1ms is ideal for fast-twitch shooters, so this monitor can handle any competitive game you throw at it.
I couldn’t take any measurements because I didn’t have my calibrator with me, but TCL claims the 32X3A can reach a peak brightness of 1,300cd/m2, cover 98.5% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut used for most HDR content, and reproduce colours and greyscale accurately within a Delta E error of 2. Based on what I saw on screen and what current OLED panels can do, I have no reason to doubt these numbers.
The first locale I found myself in was The Great Russell Museum, which takes direct inspiration from the British Museum. The museum’s shadowy corners were brimming with detail, and OLED’s perfect blacks gave environments striking contrast. The monitor articulated the vibrant colour palette beautifully, too. Several shades of blue, including two tones on the protagonist Gwendolyn’s outfit, were nuanced and eye-catching. Highlights like daylight pouring through glass windows shone brilliantly against dark backdrops, and the monitor handled dark-to-light shifts capably.
Absolute cinXm3A
A wonderfully cinematic boss fight against Modred really showcased the 32X3A’s capabilities. The battle was fast, frenetic and extremely colourful, with blades, projectiles and area-of-effect attacks constantly peppering the screen. Reds and blues flashed as I swung my blade rapidly at my adversary and summoned my knights to assist me in combat (more on them shortly). Yellows and whites of Modred’s assaults burst brilliantly from the screen, and each strike, whether by me or against me, felt visually impactful.
Motion was buttery smooth, too. Tides of Annihilation hangs its hat on fluid, engaging combat, so any issues here would stick out like a sore thumb. But I didn’t spot any screen tearing or distracting judder as I dodged and countered my way through to the third phase when Modred transforms into an enormous dragon. The cutscene linking the second and third phase looked stunning on the monitor, and the third phase’s sense of cinema had me delicately balancing absorbing the visual spectacle and trying to take down the boss. As purple dragonfire flooded the screen, I thought to myself, “It’s a shame I don’t have a gaming PC”.
I left the demo convinced by the monitor’s visual performance, but didn’t experience its audio; 30 or so monitor speakers blaring in one booth would have been messy. But, like TCL’s flagship TVs, the 32X3A’s sound is tuned by Bang & Olufsen. Its speaker setup is a two-channel front-firing affair built into the stand, a neat design that looked great on a desk.
The game: Tides of Annihilation
Based on my time with it, Tides of Annihilation is shaping up to be a thrilling and intriguing take on the fantasy action-adventure genre.
The story focuses on Gwendolyn, the sole human survivor of an “otherworldly invasion” that has left London in ruins. As her name suggests, Arthurian legend heavily influences the game. Gwendolyn’s quest is to discover what happened and, presumably, attempt to restore the corrupted world to its former state.
Jennifer English, who played lead roles in Baldur’s Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, originally took on the role of the protagonist, but health issues forced her to step back from the project. Gamescom’s Opening Night Live revealed her replacement: Angela Sant’Albano, who voiced Grace in Resident Evil Requiem.
I only had a short time to play Tides of Annihilation and didn’t want to spoil the story, so I didn’t dwell on the demo’s expository elements. But what I did see and read made me want to learn more; I’m excited to see how Chinese developer Eclipse Glow Games blends modern and Arthurian fantasy to weave its narrative.
The gameplay sold me within minutes. Tides of Annihilation features tried-and-tested mechanics that keep players engaged when developers execute them successfully. Exploration, light RPG mechanics, challenging combat, bonkers boss battles, and epic set pieces are just some of what players can expect when the studio releases the game (the team hasn’t set a firm release date, so I expect it mid-2027 at the earliest).
Knight, knight Mr White
But what sets it apart is its Knight system. Along with your usual offensive kit and traversal techniques, including basic attacks, heavy attacks, counters, a launcher, a double jump, air dodge, aerial slam and a whole lot more, you can assign “Phantom Knights” to assist you in battle. Think of them like Pokemon you can summon to unleash a variety of moves.
You have two Knight slots, one Main and one Sub, and you could mix and match strategically with the five knights available in the demo. You can’t simply spam Knight attacks, though; a slowly regenerating energy metre means you have to call on them selectively. Knights can also aid exploration, using their abilities to reach previously inaccessible secret areas. This is right up my street.
Combat is fast-paced and intense. Timing, patience and quick reactions will be key to your success, especially during climactic battles when a lot is happening on screen. To a seasoned action-game vet, it felt relatively simple to pick up, but I suspect it will take time and dedication to master.
I certainly hadn’t mastered it by the time I had to scoot off to my interview with Side. I did leave the booth without seeing the “Game Over” screen, though. With dragon-mode Modred screaming “Beg for mercy” and both of us down to our final 15% of health, the game froze. An unfortunate end to an exhilarating 20 minutes, one that cemented Tides of Annihilation on my “Most Wanted” game list and the TCL 32X3A on my “ask Sasha Muller or Reece Bithrey to review” list.
