A live-action interactive movie has arrived that boasts a scale rivaling your average cinema blockbuster or streaming drama series.

The Chinese developer New One Studio officially launched Shengshi Tianxia: The Birth of Empress (hereinafter Shengshi Tianxia) on Steam and mobile platforms on the 9th. Shengshi Tianxia follows the journey of Wu Zetian, the only empress in Chinese history, from the moment the character enters the palace to the rise to absolute power. The experience unfolds through footage featuring real-life actors, where the player's choices dictate the narrative path and the eventual ending.

The game includes over 100 branching storylines. Beyond the main narrative, there are hidden stories that can be unlocked through specific choices, alongside collectibles that require players to meet certain conditions.

What truly catches the eye is the sheer volume and quality of the footage, which holds its own against many a Netflix series. Unlike other interactive titles that often suffer from a budget-friendly aesthetic, Shengshi Tianxia displays a high level of production value, from the sets and cast size to the overall direction. The total runtime of the footage exceeds 500 minutes, featuring performances from well-known Chinese actors such as Guan Hong, Abby Huang, and Yao Chi.

Shengshi Tianxia is produced in two parts, with this release covering the first installment. While the second part is currently in production, specific details such as the release date have yet to be disclosed.

As of 3:00 PM on the 10th, the Steam user reviews for Shengshi Tianxia sit at 'Very Positive' (based on 650 reviews, with 84% positive). Players have praised the high video quality, noting that "the choices are diverse, the tension is palpable, and the story is solid," "the acting is no joke," and "it is the most immersive live-action interactive game available." However, some critics have pointed out that "a single wrong choice leads to an instant death of the character" and that "some choices lack logical consistency."

Shengshi Tianxia officially supports the Korean language and is available on both PC and mobile.