The kingdom is falling apart, enemy armies are gathering at its borders, and three rival factions are preparing to settle their differences with an alarming amount of bloodshed. Villages lie in ruins, alliances are hanging by a thread, and somewhere in the middle of this disaster, you’ve been handed command of an entire legion. Congratulations on the promotion! Your first assignment is to win a war that could destroy everything, preferably without making so many enemies that your own soldiers start questioning your leadership.
Edge of the Blade launches into Steam Early Access today, combining roguelite army building, grand strategy, and real-time autobattler combat. Developed by NINEHECTARE, this fantasy strategy game takes place in Cheonggu, a war-torn kingdom inspired by medieval East Asia. You’ll command one of three rival legions, capture strongholds, recruit soldiers, and make decisions that influence both your military campaign and the fate of the people caught in its path.
Three Armies, Three Very Different Ambitions
Cheonggu has become a battlefield for factions with conflicting ambitions, and none of them intends to surrender peacefully. You can lead the Nine-Tailed Clan, whose exiled commander hopes to reclaim stolen honor and a lost city. Alternatively, the Oni are interested in conquest and destruction, while the Khan’s royal guard marches to bring Cheonggu under its control. Each faction brings different units and tactical possibilities, changing how you approach battles and build your forces.
Choosing a faction also means choosing what you’re fighting for. Reclaiming a homeland is a different motivation from marching across the kingdom in search of conquest, even if both ambitions eventually involve sending soldiers into battle. With campaigns that change between runs, you’ll need to adapt your plans rather than relying on one reliable route to victory.
A Good General Knows When to Deploy the Jiangshi Cavalry
Battles unfold through real-time autobattler combat, putting your preparation and deployment decisions to the test. You’ll recruit units, arrange your forces, and send them against enemy armies, using different troop types to exploit weaknesses in opposing formations.
The roster includes traditional warriors, Hwacha artillery, and Jiangshi Cavalry, giving you options beyond simply overwhelming the opposition with numbers. Every army operates within a supply budget, so filling the battlefield with your strongest soldiers isn’t always possible. Instead, you’ll need to consider which units work well together and how to make the most of your available resources.
Hero abilities can influence the fighting, while terrain adds another consideration when planning your deployment. Once combat begins, your troops fight automatically, leaving you to discover whether your carefully assembled formation is a military masterpiece or an expensive lesson in poor planning. When the objective is destroying the enemy supply depot, a clever strategy could prove more useful than having the biggest army.
One Week at a Time, One Kingdom to Conquer
Winning battles is only one part of the campaign. In Standard Mode, you’ll command your legion across a large strategic map, choosing weekly objectives as you attempt to secure territory and strengthen your position.
Cities provide opportunities to recruit talent, fortresses help reorganize your army, and farms supply the food needed to keep your campaign moving. You’ll also need to decide which strongholds to capture and when to push deeper into enemy territory. Those decisions become more complicated when diplomatic envoys arrive or unexpected calamities threaten your plans.
Sometimes you’ll have an opportunity to negotiate or cooperate with another faction. Other situations might force you to choose between military advantage and doing what you believe is right. The wrong decision could leave you short of supplies, surrounded by enemies, or regretting a diplomatic conversation that seemed perfectly reasonable at the time.
Alongside its strategic campaign, Edge of the Blade includes a Story Mode where decisions influence the events that follow. The Early Access version features the opening four chapters, with additional story content and hand-drawn cutscenes planned during development.
NINEHECTARE expects Early Access to last around five months, targeting a full release in the first half of 2027. The studio also plans further balancing, improvements, and expanded support for its factions and game modes.