Koei Tecmo revealed some new details and the first screenshots for Ni-Oh, their recently re-confirmed PlayStation 4 game.

The game features the blonde, blue-eyed protagonist named William (our fans pointed out he may be actually based on the real-life explorer William Adams).

William is able to fight using multiple weapons, some of which include spears and swords. While the spears have a longer range and can hit more enemies, they are hard to wield in corridors and small areas.

Each weapon must be used differently to succeed in combat. Switching between defensive and offensive weapons/stances is also critical to survival in this Sengoku-era game.

William is able to use Guardian Spirits, allies which can be unleashed at certain intervals to perform devastating attacks. Some of these spirits can also be used to heal yourself.

However, should you die, your guardian spirit will remain where you were slain. If you don’t recover the spirit, you’ll lose it and won’t be able to use it again. You can swap out guardian spirits at shrines you find as you adventure.

There’s also an online component reminiscent of From Software’s Souls series, where players that die will leave blood stains on the ground.

These blood stains appear when you’re connected online and represent the deaths of other players. When you touch them, the player’s corpse will be reanimated, and a battle will ensue. These battles are dangerous, however the rewards might be worth it.

Ni-oh is launching for PlayStation 4 sometime next year in Japan.