44.6 hours played
Written 14 days ago
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a compelling and ambitious action RPG developed by Team Ninja, known for their work on Nioh and Ninja Gaiden. Set in a dark fantasy version of the late Han Dynasty, the game draws heavily from Chinese mythology and history, blending historical figures with supernatural elements. This fusion creates a richly atmospheric world that is both mythic and grounded, where players battle against demons, corrupted warlords, and monstrous beasts in a land plagued by chaos. With fast-paced combat, complex mechanics, and a unique morale system, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty stands as both a spiritual successor to Nioh and a bold experiment in expanding Team Ninja’s gameplay formula into new thematic and mechanical territory.
At the heart of Wo Long is its intricate and satisfying combat system. Unlike the more methodical pace of Nioh, combat in Wo Long is faster, more fluid, and heavily reliant on deflection, stamina management, and aggression. The game's "Spirit" system replaces traditional stamina, introducing a dynamic risk-reward mechanic that encourages players to balance offense and defense carefully. Parrying enemy attacks builds Spirit, allowing for devastating counterattacks, while overextending leaves players vulnerable. This system, combined with a jump button that opens verticality in level design and combat, creates an experience reminiscent of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but with more build diversity and RPG depth. Martial Arts skills, Divine Beasts, elemental spells, and weapon affinities all contribute to a deep and flexible approach to character development, allowing players to tailor their playstyle in meaningful ways.
A standout feature in Wo Long is the morale system, which adds a strategic layer to progression and exploration. Each enemy and player has a morale level, which affects damage dealt and received. Players can raise their morale by defeating foes and planting flags in the environment, while dying reduces it. This mechanic incentivizes methodical exploration and offers a pseudo-leveling system that resets between stages, encouraging players to master each battlefield rather than simply out-leveling challenges. The flag system also rewards thoroughness, as finding all the Battle and Marking Flags in a mission often proves crucial to surviving difficult boss encounters. This structure gives Wo Long a strong identity among Soulslike games, as it transforms the traditional trial-and-error loop into a more strategic, territory-based conquest.
Narratively, Wo Long offers an engaging—if sometimes uneven—storyline that reimagines the fall of the Han Dynasty with an infusion of dark magic and demonic forces. Historical figures such as Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Lu Bu are reinterpreted with a supernatural twist, often serving as allies, rivals, or corrupted bosses. The writing, while occasionally hampered by stilted dialogue and uneven pacing, benefits from strong voice acting and a robust visual presentation. The game’s dark and brooding tone is enhanced by excellent art direction, with haunting environments ranging from war-torn villages to cursed mountains and infernal fortresses. The creature designs, particularly the demonic enemies and boss monsters, are grotesque and memorable, evoking the mythological horror of Chinese folklore in a way that feels both fresh and respectful.
Performance-wise, Wo Long launched with some technical hiccups, especially on PC, including frame rate inconsistencies and control issues. However, post-launch patches have addressed many of these concerns, and the game now runs more smoothly on most platforms. Graphically, it’s not the most cutting-edge title, but its style, lighting, and particle effects carry much of the visual weight. The soundtrack, composed by Kenichiro Suehiro, complements the action perfectly, blending traditional Chinese instruments with epic orchestration to elevate the intensity and drama of key moments. The inclusion of co-op multiplayer, a staple of Soulsborne titles, is also handled well, though the matchmaking can be clunky and lacks some of the refinement seen in other games of the genre.
Where Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty truly excels is in its commitment to replayability and player expression. With multiple weapon types—each with distinct move sets—alongside talismans, armor loadouts, and spell trees, players can experiment endlessly. The game also features a generous New Game+ system and robust endgame content that includes challenging sub-missions, rare loot, and high-level gear crafting. The difficulty is punishing but fair, and while some boss fights verge on frustration due to erratic hitboxes or sudden difficulty spikes, most are thrilling, cinematic, and mechanically rich. The game demands precision, patience, and adaptability, rewarding players who take the time to learn its rhythms and intricacies.
In summary, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a triumphant evolution of the Soulslike genre that stands apart through its bold fusion of Chinese history and dark fantasy, its innovative morale system, and its adrenaline-pumping combat. While not without flaws—particularly in its early technical state and occasionally uneven storytelling—it more than compensates with depth, challenge, and style. Fans of Nioh, Sekiro, or any action RPG that rewards mastery will find much to love here. Wo Long doesn't just walk in the footsteps of giants—it carves out its own path through the chaos of myth and war, and it does so with sword in hand and spirit ablaze.
Rating: 7/10
