While I was in attendance for Gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, one of the games that stood out to me the most was 1001 Threads of Mizan. The idea of an 1-3 player action game inspired by One Thousand and One Nights seemed really compelling. However, the initial trailer did not really show off any gameplay, and I was not sure how the co-op mechanics would come together. Would it be similar to a live-service game? Would there be a battle pass and a bunch of post-launch playable characters? However, a hands-on preview I was able to be a part of helped put all of my worries about 1001 Threads of Mizan to rest.
In 1001 Threads of Mizan, you can choose from one of three playable warriors, each with their own unique skills and capabilities. Whether you play by yourself or with others, you will be navigating a massive world where the stories of the One Thousand and One Nights will come alive before your very eyes. While exact story details are quite vague at the moment, we do know that Scheherazade, the original story’s narrator and protagonist, will serve a major role here. I am quite curious to see how big of a role she plays within the narrative, but the main takeaway from my time with Threads of Mizan was not the story. Instead, it was the gameplay.
The initial trailer for 1001 Threads of Mizan showed off the flying carpet as a core mechanic. I was initially concerned that this would be a game focused on aerial combat, but those fears were quickly assuaged as soon as I first realized that it had more in common with Monster Hunter and God of War instead of Star Fox. In order to explore the game’s vast world, the flying carpet is an essential way of getting from point A to point B. You can drift around with it and achieve vast speeds, while also being able to use it as a tool for combat. However, the vast majority of combat is still done on the ground.
Attacks against enemies feel weighty, regardless of who you are playing as. I ended up picking the tank character, and I loved how he can both absorb damage and reflect it outwards towards any opponent in his way. Even though you will need to employ dodge rolls from time to time, this is not a soulslike. Every challenge is manageable, regardless of the few moments where it ramps up in difficulty. Plus, the controls are overall very satisfying. Switching from flying carpet mode to ground combat is seamless, and the former is way more intuitive than I could have expected. The mechanic is a natural extension of both exploration and combat, rather than an unnecessary gimmick included just for the sake of it.
These high moments really came together in the boss encounter of the demo, where I and two other players had to contend against the monstrous Nazjush. Nazjush had sweeping ranged attacks which required us to use our carpets in order to dodge without taking damage. The wave of projectiles felt very reminiscent of a shoot-em-up, which was once again made all the better due to the carpet feeling so smooth to control. After a few projectiles that we could counter in order to deal damage to the boss, it would fall to the ground. This would then give us ample opportunity to slowly whittle down her health with coordinated attacks. It was an exhilarating experience that highlighted the potential of Threads of Mizan‘s mechanics.
At first, I was not sure if 1001 Threads of Mizan would be particularly exciting, as there have been plenty of co-op action games that have fallen flat for one reason or another. However, based on what I have played of the game so far, I am now extremely eager to play more. A direct conversation with the developer, who commented that this would not be a live-service title and that co-op would not be mandatory, only furthered my excitement. I cannot wait to hear more details about the mechanics and story of 1001 Threads of Mizan in the coming months. The game will release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC at later date.
