NetEase Games’ highly anticipated seafaring open-world RPG Sea of Remnants is finally ready to lift the veil. Roughly seven months after its first reveal at last June’s State of Play, the title has begun recruiting for its first test. At the time, the game drew gamers’ attention with a distinctive, doll-like character art style that evoked Identity V.

Sea of Remnants is an open-world RPG in which you play as a puppetfolk sailor who has lost their memories, exploring uncharted seas and islands as well as the mysterious city of Orbtopia. Together with an enigmatic girl, players will challenge cursed waters and form bonds with more than 300 uniquely characterized companions. Through interactions with rival factions, the game also promises a layered narrative in which you can change the fate of the world—and the city itself.

Based on information released so far, the game is built around three major pillars of content. The first is “Life.” In Orbtopia, the community’s central hub, players can enjoy a laid-back routine with activities like fishing, cooking, performing music, crafting herbal medicine—and even mahjong.

The second is “Sailing.” Players must customize their own pirate ship and set out into unknown waters in search of their lost memories. A dynamically changing weather system creates unpredictable waves and storms, adding to the sense of realism. You also won’t have time to let your guard down: hostile pirate ships, warships hunting the player, and even gigantic sea monsters will appear. Naval battles unfold as real-time cannon duels, delivering the thrill of tense, reactive control.

The last is “Close-Quarters Combat.” Unlike the real-time naval fighting, character-to-character battles adopt a turn-based RPG format. To take down powerful foes, players will need to recruit allies with a wide range of specialties and assemble both a sailing crew and an exploration party. It won’t be enough to simply field high-rarity characters—you’ll also need to account for bonds between companions and skill synergies.

This “Wanderer Test” will be run as a small-scale alpha. All data obtained during the test—such as acquired characters, items, and story progress—will be wiped after the test ends. Tester sign-ups run from January 8 to January 23 at 11:59 a.m., and the test itself will run for one week from February 5 to 12.

Players who want to participate can apply via the announcements on the game’s Steam page. Selected participants will receive a dedicated Steam key via a Discord bot and email.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.