If you want to really test your upper body strength, the nodachi may be the weapon for you 💪
In the latest instalment of our series on the weapons of Die by the Blade, we’re going to be looking at one of the largest weapons in the game, the mighty nodachi 😤
So what exactly is a nodachi?
What It Is
Also known as the ōdachi, the nodachi is a long sword that was once used by samurai in feudal Japan. Its colossal size is even reflected in its name, as the first character of ō (大) literally translates to mean “big” or “great.”
So how long exactly is this great sword?
Although there is no exact definition of how long a nodachi needs to be, the blade is usually around 91 centimetres (36 in). To put that into perspective, that’s roughly the same length as the average car door!
Where It Came From
Use of the nodachi became popularised during the Kamakura period (1185－1333). This was largely due to the fact that battles on horseback were gradually becoming less common and were replaced by group battles, where the importance of foot soldiers was paramount. For the many warriors who did not have a horse and weren’t trained with a bow, there was a dire need for a powerful weapon they could yield in battle. Alongside being an effective way to fell your enemy, the size of the nodachi meant that it also served as an indicator of the warrior’s strength.
As time went on, however, the sheer length of the nodachi made it less and less effective on the battlefield, so it instead found a home within the shrine. Throughout its history, it was often used as an offering to divine spirits known as kami at Shinto shrines. By the Edo period (1603-1867), its existence on the battlefield was but a memory, and it was solely used as a religious offering.
In Popular Culture
Much like the wakizashi, the nodachi rarely appears in film or television outside of Japanese films about samurai 🗡️
The most prominent example is the Akira Kurosawa classic Seven Samurai, where the character Kikuchiyo wields a nodachi that is nearly as big as he is!
Would you be willing to sacrifice speed for the power of larger weapons like the nodachi? Or do you prefer short and swift blades like the wakizashi? 🤺
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and updates on Die by the Blade ⚔️
Meet the Warriors: Chocho 🌃
We’ve met the stoic and disillusioned wanderer Yoshi, but now it’s time to shift our focus to the rebel side 😤
In this instalment of our Meet the Warriors series, we’ll be taking a closer look at the backstory behind Chocho!
Background
Chocho decided to give up her career and abandon a life of comfort in favour of blood and vengeance. In her mind, it is the only path to restore her family’s honour.
After joining a rebel faction known as the Resistance, she slowly climbed up through the ranks to become its leader. Now, her only goal is to bring down the American cybernetic corporation known as Praxis and expose their corruption to the world before their stranglehold on her homeland becomes too strong.
Slogan
“Alas, my honour does not permit me to let you leave.”
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and updates on Die by the Blade ⚔️
🗡️ Choose Your Weapon: Wakizashi Edition 🗡️
What could possibly be better than one sword? 🤔
Two swords, of course!
In the latest instalment of our series on the weapons of Die by the Blade, we’re going to be taking a closer look at the wakizashi ⚔️
So what exactly is a wakizashi?
What It Is
A wakizashi is a Japanese sword with a curved, single-edged blade that typically measures between 30 to 60 centimetres (12 to 24 in) in length. Its name translates to mean “side-inserted sword” in reference to the fact that it would be worn on the side of the body through a sash known as an obi. It’s important to note that wakizashi were not just smaller versions of the katana and could even be the same length!
Where It Came From
The wakizashi has been used in Japan from as far back as the 15th century, but became particularly popular during the Edo period (1603-1867), when the Tokugawa shogunate made it a requirement for samurai to wear a shorter sword alongside their katana. In fact, during this time, having a katana paired with a wakizashi became the official sign that the wearer was a samurai!
When worn together with a katana, the combination was known as daishō, meaning “big-little.” Only samurai were permitted to wear the daishō pairing, so it served as a symbol of their social status. When paired like this, the wakizashi was used as a back-up sword, but could also be useful in close quarters combat, to behead a defeated opponent, or to commit seppuku.
In Popular Culture
In terms of popular culture, the wakizashi is nowhere near as widespread as the katana 🗡️
It has mainly featured in Japanese films about samurai, such as Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, Chikemuri Takadanobaba, and 13 Assassins.
Are you a fan of dual-wielding? Or do you prefer to master a single deadly weapon?
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and updates on Die by the Blade ⚔️
Meet the Warriors: Yoshi 🎑
What would a fighting game be without a wicked and sometimes quirky cast of characters?
That’s why we’ve decided to introduce the characters of Die by the Blade one-by-one, complete with their backstories, in our “Meet the Warriors” series 💪
We’ll be starting with a face that we’re sure will be familiar to most of our fellow warriors: Yoshide, or Yoshi as he’s more affectionately known!
Background
Yoshi is a wandering and masterless warrior, known as a ronin in historical Japan. After losing his master, Yoshi decided to travel from village to village, helping out the locals wherever and however he can. He has a pure heart and a deeply ingrained sense of honour, which is shown through his selfless deeds.
But how did Yoshi lose his master? Did he escape from under the thumb of a cruel tyrant? Or did he fail his lord in his time of need and witness his tragic death?
All will be revealed in our single-player campaign…
Slogan
“Why should a fly be concerned with the flow of an ocean?”
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and updates on Die by the Blade ⚔️
🗡️ Choose Your Weapon: Katana Edition 🗡️
A warrior would be nothing without their weapon, which is why we’ll be doing a series of deep dives into the traditional Japanese weapons that will feature in Die by the Blade!
To kick off our “Choose Your Weapon” series, we’ll be taking a closer look at one of the core weapons in the game: the katana.
To start off, what exactly is a katana?
What It Is
A katana is a Japanese sword with a curved, single-edged blade and a circular or squared guard. Its long grip is designed so that it can comfortably be held with two hands. While people around the world will be familiar with the katana almost immediately thanks to its role in popular culture, in Japan this type of sword is officially known as an uchigatana, with the word katana more often being used to refer to any type of single-edged sword from around the world!
Where It Came From
The use of longer weapons such as the katana became commonplace in feudal Japan towards the beginning of the Muromachi period (1336-1573). Unlike the tachi, which had been the weapon of choice for samurai of the past, the katana was worn in a belt-like sash known as an obi with the sharpened edge facing up, rather than facing down. This meant that a well-trained samurai could draw their sword and strike a killing blow all in one single motion 💀
Throughout Japanese history, the role of the katana changed, from a deadly weapon to a work of art. Sword fittings would be made with luxurious black lacquer and ornately inlaid with delicate etchings. To this day, the katana occupies a dual role in Japanese culture as both a powerful tool within martial arts and a ceremonial item of unparalleled beauty.
In Popular Culture
From comic books and anime to films and video games, the katana is by far the most widely known and featured amongst all traditional Japanese weapons 🗡️
Whether you were first introduced to the katana while watching Seven Samurai or it sliced its way into your life thanks to Leonardo from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, chances are you’ve come across this noble blade.
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and updates on Die by the Blade ⚔️
Brutal Katana Combos in Die by the Blade 🗡️
Get ready for gore galore 💀
In Die by the Blade, your moveset will be based on your weapon rather than your character, so it's important to choose wisely. Pick a weapon that suits your playstyle and master its combos to pull off brutal one-hit kills.
To demonstrate just how deadly these combos can be, the community team at Kwalee have released their latest guide to the katana combos, which features a couple of the one-hit-kill cinematics 😱
Watch the video below to see more combos for the katana and another one-hit-kill cinematic 👇
Don’t forget to join our Discord server for more exclusive content and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame 💬
Sharpen Your Blades for the Future Games Show ⚔️
Are you ready to sharpen your swords and join us for an exclusive reveal of new Die by the Blade gameplay footage? 👀
We’ll be including some fresh new footage of the game as part of Kwalee’s showreel in the Future Games Show 🎮
Join us at 12:00 PDT on Saturday June 11th to catch the reveal live as it happens 🙌
Alongside our gameplay footage, there will also be some major announcements about future titles that you may want to keep an eye out for! After all, a true warrior is always willing to expand their arsenal ⚔️
Don’t forget to join our Discord server for more exclusive content and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame, where you can let us know your thoughts on the new gameplay footage and connect with fellow warriors 💬
Want the Latest Inside Scoop on Die by the Blade? 👀
Are you ready for a sneak peek into the world of Die by the Blade? 👀
Our producer at Kwalee, Rob Middleton, recently brought the fight to The Coach's Corner in an in-depth interview about Die by the Blade.
Watch the interview below to learn more 👇
Want to stay up to date on the latest Die by the Blade news? ⚔️
Then don't forget to join our Discord server and follow us across social media at @dbtbgame!
Bringing the Fight to PAX East 💪
We brought the fight to Boston this past week as we showcased our first playable demo at PAX East 💪
The turnout for the event was incredible and we received a tonne of positive feedback on our demo, which has renewed our strength and given us the boost we need to bring the one-hit-kill action to you all later this year ⚔️
For all of our warriors who weren't able to make it to the event this year, we wanted to share some highlights and photos of what happened!
We got to meet a bunch of awesome gamers and even bumped into a few cosplayers who embodied the fighting spirit that defines Die by the Blade 🥋
Getting to watch people playing and enjoying our first demo was a real highlight, even if some imaginary fights nearly ended in real ones 😅
By far one of the greatest moments for us was the final match of the last day, where two competitors faced off in a sudden death round to win the Kwalee stand's coveted nerf gun.
Let's just say one poor warrior was quite surprised by our one-hit-kill feature 💀
Want to see how this epic battle ended? 🤺
Join our Discord or follow us on social media at @dbtbgame, where you'll find the full video and see who emerged victorious!
Play Our First Demo at PAX East 🤺
We’re excited to showcase our first playable demo at PAX East in Boston 🎮
If you’re heading to the event, come find us at the Kwalee stand, where we’ll have the demo set up from today until April 24th. Play against your friends in brutal 1v1 combat or challenge a member of the Kwalee team to really test your mettle 💪
Played the demo already?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments or in our community forum. We’re always excited to hear feedback from our fellow warriors ⚔️
Don’t forget to join our Discord server and follow us on social media at @dbtbgame for the latest gameplay footage, screenshots, and live updates of the action at PAX East 🔥
