Fantasy games have given us plenty of medieval Europe, Norse mythology, and Japanese-inspired worlds. 1001 Threads of Mizan is taking a rather different route. MBC Game Studio’s debut action game draws heavily from Arabic folklore and One Thousand and One Nights, wrapping that inspiration around a gorgeous-looking fantasy world. And honestly, after seeing what the game is going for, I’m quite happy to see someone finally explore this side of fantasy at this scale.
This is Arabic folklore with a serious visual upgrade
The game’s world is packed with deserts, fantastical architecture, mythical creatures and enormous bosses, but it’s the overall visual identity that immediately caught my attention. Rather than feeling like another fantasy game that simply swaps European castles for Middle Eastern-looking buildings, Mizan appears to be making its Arabic influences a core part of the world itself.
And then there’s the carpet. Yes, your flying carpet is actually a major gameplay mechanic rather than something that exists purely because someone remembered Aladdin. You can soar across the world on it, zip around enormous enemies, and even use it during combat. The hands-on impressions I’ve seen suggest that this movement system could end up being one of the game’s biggest strengths.
There’s also an interesting timing to all of this. Prince of Persia has been one of the most recognizable names associated with Persian-inspired fantasy in gaming, but Mizan is approaching Middle Eastern fantasy from a distinctly different cultural and visual direction. That makes it feel particularly refreshing at a time when the genre could use a few more perspectives.
Now let’s see how pretty it looks on a Switch 2
Mizan is also coming to Nintendo Switch 2, alongside PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. That’s honestly one of the versions I’m most curious about. The game looks visually ambitious on the more powerful platforms, so seeing how MBC manages to squeeze those sprawling environments, giant creatures and flying-carpet chaos onto Nintendo’s handheld could be fascinating.
Underneath the visuals is a one-to-three-player co-op action adventure, with three heroes taking on an ancient Jinn King threatening humanity. But for me, the real appeal is simply seeing a big-budget game build its identity around a part of fantasy that games have historically underused.
1001 Threads of Mizan still has plenty to prove, but this is exactly the kind of game that makes me sit up and pay attention. The visuals are gorgeous, the setting feels genuinely different, and if the carpet-riding and combat live up to the promise, MBC could have something pretty special on its hands. And if it manages to pull all of that off on a Switch 2 without turning the game into a potato-powered slideshow, I’ll be even more impressed.