The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin — Netmarble’s Four-Year Journey to an Open-World Anime RPG

• Game: The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin
• Developer: Netmarble
• Launch: March 16, 2026 (PS5 / Steam first), March 23, 2026 (mobile global launch)
• Steam Rating: Mixed (initial positive review rate around 52%, Steambase score roughly 57/100 based on approximately 11,000 reviews)
• PS5 Rating: approximately 4.35 out of 5 (source: Netmarble official press release, data from the first two weeks after launch)

March 2026 marked the long-awaited launch of Netmarble’s The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, a project several years in the making. As the latest game adaptation of the classic manga and anime franchise, it arrived with considerable expectations. Early market feedback showed strong reception on PS5, where it topped that month’s PlayStation Store global free-to-play chart. On Steam, however, player reactions were more divided. So, what kind of game is this, really?

What Kind of Game Is This?

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is based on the manga of the same name by Nakaba Suzuki, which has built a massive global following. Netmarble had previously released two other titles under this IP, with Origin representing their ambitious step into the open-world genre.

• Engine: Built using Unreal Engine 5
• Genre: Open-world RPG, supporting both solo play and 4-player online co-op
• Platforms: PS5, Steam, iOS, Android
• Business model: Free to download, with in-app purchases available

Launch timeline: March 16, 2026 — launches on PS5 and Steam → March 23, 2026 — iOS and Android release, achieving full platform availability

Story Setting: An Original Tale Bridging the Canon

The game’s story is set in the gap between the original manga’s conclusion and its sequel, Four Knights of the Apocalypse.

You play as Tristan, the son of Meliodas and Elizabeth, who sets out on a journey alongside Tioreh, the daughter of King and Diane. The adventure begins as the two investigate a vast lake, once vaporized in a battle between Escanor, the Sin of Pride, and the Ten Commandments. At the lakebed, they discover a mysterious artifact called the “Star Book.” Around the same time, strange temporal rifts begin appearing across the continent, pulling heroes from the past into the present — each one having lost their sanity under the influence of a dark, abyssal force. Guided by the Star Book, Tristan sets out to mend the fractured timeline and save the land of Britannia.

The timing of this narrative is well chosen: it stays clear of the original manga’s storyline while using the temporal rift premise to seamlessly reintroduce fan-favorite characters like Meliodas, Ban, and Diane back to center stage.

The development team’s commitment to the source material is evident. The majesty of Liones Castle and the serenity of the Fairy King’s Forest are beautifully recreated through cel-shaded rendering. Signature ultimate attack animations and the all-star voice cast reprising their original roles ensure that longtime fans feel instantly at home. Taiwanese outlet 4Gamers noted in their preview that the cutscene direction and visual presentation “reach an impressively high level for an IP-based title,” even “surpassing the 3D animated adaptation.”

Core Gameplay: Exploration, Combat, and Co-op

Open-World Exploration

The game presents a vast, seamless map where players can freely roam from the royal capital to the open plains.

• Players can gather, mine, fish, and cook to acquire character development materials and combat buffs
• Each character possesses unique traversal abilities, such as using a spear for rapid repositioning — handy for scaling walls or covering long distances
• Certain areas and objectives on the map require specific character abilities to access or resolve

Character-Switching Combat

The combat system centers on a team of four characters who share a single HP pool and ultimate skill gauge. Players can swap between squad members on the fly, chaining together different weapons and elemental skills for high-damage combos.

• Combined Ultimate Skills: When the gauge beside the HP bar fills up, switching characters triggers a spectacular combined ultimate attack for massive damage
• Weapon Mastery: Once a weapon proficiency reaches level 30, a secondary weapon slot unlocks. Swapping weapons changes a character’s combat role and attack patterns
• Elemental System: The game features a web of elemental strengths and weaknesses, including Physical, Lightning, Wind, Fire, Ice, Earth, Dark, and Holy. Filling an enemy’s gauge with a specific elemental attack triggers a “Break State” that significantly amplifies further damage of that element

Co-op Multiplayer

The game supports teaming up with other players to tackle high-difficulty instances and world bosses, with up to 4 players able to explore together or challenge powerful foes. A built-in day-night cycle system influences enemy strength and the effectiveness of certain skills. On PS5, the game offers dedicated haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support, adding an extra layer of immersion to combat and exploration.

Star Book Puzzles

As a distinct gameplay element, players can use the “Star Book” to engage in various puzzle types. These include transporting objects, restoring stone monuments, and purifying corruption. These puzzles are optional, but completing them increases your “Star Book Level,” providing a nice incentive for those who enjoy exploration.

Character Progression and Getting Started

The overall game loop centers on exploring the open world, acquiring resources through combat and quests, and steadily building a team of characters.

Some pointers for the early game:

• Prioritize the main questline to unlock more areas of the map and daily content
• Activating teleport waypoints significantly improves travel efficiency — tap them whenever you pass by
• When it comes to resource allocation, focusing on one or two core characters early on tends to be more effective than spreading resources too thin
• Character development materials come not just from dungeons but also from exploration activities scattered across the open world
• Healers and shield-type support characters are relatively scarce early on; prioritizing them for team survival is advisable

PS5 vs. PC: A Tale of Two Experiences

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin delivers noticeably different experiences depending on the platform:

• PS5: The game has been generally well-received here. Performance is relatively stable, with 4K resolution support. The DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers add genuine weight to combat. According to Netmarble’s official press release, the PS5 player rating stood at approximately 4.35 out of 5 within the first two weeks of launch — though this is a snapshot in time, and ratings on the PlayStation Store naturally shift as more reviews come in.
• PC (Steam): Reviews here tell a more mixed story, with optimization being the primary point of contention. The initial positive review rate was around 52%, with a Steambase score of approximately 57 out of 100 (based on around 11,000 reviews). Many players reported significant frame rate fluctuations, with some scenes dropping from over 100 FPS into the single digits; even a desktop RTX 5070 struggled to maintain stable high frame rates. In addition, adjustments to character outfits shortly after launch sparked public discussion among a segment of the player base.

Who Might Enjoy This?

All in all, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is an open-world anime RPG with a distinct profile:

• If you know and enjoy the world and characters of The Seven Deadly Sins, the game’s faithful attention to detail should be satisfying
• If you enjoy open-world exploration and appreciate the depth of team composition and combat synergies, the gameplay is worth checking out
• If you’re new to The Seven Deadly Sins, some time spent understanding character relationships and background lore may be needed
• Given the current state of PC optimization, the PS5 version offers a smoother experience for those who value stable performance

All game screenshots, character designs, and related assets referenced in this article are the property of Netmarble Corporation. The article itself is an original work of commentary and curation. Please credit the source if reposting. For copyright concerns, contact yomiqo@126.com.