The Scroll Of Taiwu is a single-player RPG that combines strategy, adventure, and simulation elements in a martial arts world inspired by Chinese traditions. Released in early access in 2018, this indie title from ConchShip Games lets you take on the role of the Taiwu clan's heir, navigating a procedurally generated landscape filled with sects, conflicts, and personal growth opportunities.
Gameplay
In The Scroll Of Taiwu, you control the heir to the Taiwu clan, exploring a vast martial world where choices shape your path as good, evil, or neutral. Core mechanics involve visiting sects to learn from thousands of martial arts techniques across fifteen distinct groups, each offering unique skills and secret methods. Combat relies on a system that emphasizes countering opponent moves, using surroundings as weapons, and considering weapon length for strategic advantages, with strikes targeting specific body parts for realistic outcomes.
Beyond fighting, the game integrates simulation aspects like building and managing a village, handling industries such as gathering and crafting. You collect resources to forge weapons, armor, and medicinal pills, often dealing with elements like poisons and antidotes. NPC interactions form a key part, with thousands of characters who age, form relationships, and pass away over time. Forming bonds, marrying, and raising children allow you to pass down skills to heirs, creating a generational progression.
Roguelike features appear in random events and conflicts, while unique activities include cricket fighting, where you capture insects and pit them against others in duels. Every new game generates unique maps, NPCs, and enemies, ensuring varied experiences. You can also learn hundreds of traditional crafts from NPCs, adding depth to exploration and management.
Game Modes
The Scroll Of Taiwu focuses on a single primary mode centered around procedural generation, where each new world creates a fresh adventure without fixed campaigns. You start by creating a unique Taiwu world, which serves as the foundation for your journey, blending RPG progression with simulation and roguelike randomness.
There are no distinct multiplayer options; the experience remains solo, emphasizing personal storylines and world management. Variations come from player choices, such as focusing on martial training, village building, or interpersonal relationships, but these unfold within the same overarching structure.
Key Features and Mechanics
Factions play a significant role, with fifteen martial sects scattered across the world, each tied to specific arts and philosophies. You can ally with them, learn their techniques, or engage in feuds that affect your standing. Mechanics like inner Qi channeling and skill refinement enhance combat strategy, requiring careful planning of techniques and energy use.
The game includes detailed crafting systems for weapons, armor, and pills, often involving repair and refinement processes. NPC lives feel dynamic, with relationships influencing events like marriages or inheritances. Random generation ensures no two playthroughs are identical, from map layouts to enemy placements.
Is It Worth Playing?
With a 75% positive rating from 697 user reviews on its platform, The Scroll Of Taiwu has garnered appreciation for its depth and variety, though some note a steep learning curve. It remains in early access as of 2026, with community mods available for English translation, as the official version lacks it.
This title suits those who enjoy complex RPGs with strong simulation and procedural elements, especially if interested in martial arts themes and generational storytelling. If you prefer straightforward action or multiplayer, it might not fit, but for strategic depth and replayability, it offers substantial value in its current state.
