TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The National Museum of Taiwan Literature (NMTL) on Friday (Nov. 20) has announced its upcoming online game "1940," which gives players the thrill of saving the world in the future.

The museum unveiled "1940" in the southern city of Tainan, saying the two-year project will be available for download next year. The game was inspired by the real-life story of Taiwanese writer Liu Na'ou (劉吶鷗), who was killed by an unknown gunman in Shanghai in 1940.

According to the NMTL, the story is set in the year 2079 and centers on an international agent seeking to retrieve Liu's mahjong tiles from a terrorist organization called RISS. The antique mahjong set is believed to have magical powers and can be used to change the course of historical events.

As a secret agent, players will be tasked with infiltrating RISS to prevent it from bringing about an alternate ending to World War II. They will need to piece together clues at different locations: the Paramount nightclub in Shanghai, the Jiefang Bridge in Tianjin, northern China's Daxing'anling Prefecture, Beijing's Dingling mausoleum, and Tainan Prefectural Hall, which currently houses the NMTL.

The museum explained the online game is part of the "Cultural Technology Cross-Industry Development" plan introduced by the Ministry of Culture. It is aimed at educating the Taiwan public about domestic literature and teaching history in a novel way, reported CNA.

Founded in October 2003, NMTL is Taiwan's first national museum dedicated to literary arts. It houses readings, video footage, and the original manuscripts of Taiwanese writers as well as a literary library containing over 30,000 items.

Tainan residents try out "1940" on Nov. 21. (NMTL photo)