Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is fun and reminiscent of the critically acclaimed games Bloodborne and Nioh almost as if the two fused together to make this game. It should not be too surprising since this game’s director is Fumihiko Yasuda who is accredited as the director for the game Nioh. Moreover, the producer of the game is Masaaki Yamagiwa who has had a hand in making Bloodborne. The game itself is set in China specifically the era of the Three Kingdoms when mythical Chinese warriors, leaders, and strategists lived. This all culminates into a well-crafted game worthy of being called a souls-like yet being distinct enough to stand out on its own.
The gameplay can be broken down into aggressive attacks and well timed deflects that really tests your abilities. By introducing such an offensive playstyle is first seen in only having a sword as the players only means of attacking and defending. Moreover, this is reminiscent of the popular phrase, “the best defense is the best offense” which is taken in strides when playing the game as a whole. One instance of pure aggression working in the player’s favor is the spirit system where you gain spirit by attacking the enemy where the player is able to unleash eye catching attacks or spells. This amount of aggression and focus on timing is reminiscent of Bloodborne’s fast paced action as to keep up the pressure necessary to defeat bosses and enemies. Furthermore, the calculated movements necessary to deflect attacks is reminiscent of Nioh and can provide awe inspiring counters. These counters often deal massive amounts of damage similar to the counter available to the player in the soul series where it can make a difference. By incorporating these elements the game is souls like in nature, but it feels like a different animal entirely compared to the rest of the souls like games. Aside from that, leveling up in this game ties into the setting of the game by using the Chinese Five Element Theory of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water where each one focuses on different aspects.
The setting of the Three Kingdoms is not entirely new to the video game scene take a look at the Dynasty Warriors franchise. The main difference for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is in the creativity of the development team and what kind of game they want the players to experience as a whole. The history and literature surrounding the Three Kingdoms has weight in the game and it is shown well allowing the player to learn about a new culture. In addition to this, by having previous knowledge about the setting can make historian gamers happy as a whole as they can compare legendary figures to their real-world counter parts. While this game can make historians happy the setting has allowed for some breathe taking visuals to come to pass. Getting back on track, by choosing this setting they have a wide variety of environments to choose from thanks to the geography of China. This is then extended into the equipment from the various equipment and weapons the player can choose from. Alongside equipment and weapons the player character can have an ally with them often being historical figures who will offer their assistance in each level. This makes the game feel less lonely ensuring that the player created character has companions they can rely on and support. However, the levels themselves can be broken down into two different categories adding in some extra play time needed to complete that strikes a perfect balance for both casuals and completionists. This shows the love and dedication of the team on the type of high-quality game they want to make for others.
Overall, the quality of the game is superb while there are some mistakes that can occur due to the game being recently released. However, after a couple of fixes after the release this game will be close to a perfect soul’s game where the only rival to this game would be dark souls 3 the last game in that series. One gripe about the game is that the levels while fun to traverse often feel short as if the development team were being rushed to get the game released. While rushed games are commonplace nowadays, developers who are not rushed can fix up some small errors in the code to make the game run smoother. By fixing some of the code needed to run the game can lend credence to the overall experience the development team wants for themselves and the player. This may lower the experience it is only a small part of the game and is no way game breaking as the game was just recently released. Moreover, by having a large number of players in game bugs and glitches can then be found en masse. By doing this in the long term the game will be more successful and can be in the top ten games for people either making it a huge success or a cult classic taking on a similar role as Demon Souls. All in all, the game is a refreshing experience and reminiscent of the games it is inspired by, yet it has its own characteristics that make it unique. It is from that unique characteristic players can feel the love of the game from the developers, creative, and art teams making the experience something to behold using the resources they had to make a well-crafted game.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is an 8/10 game, in my opinion, that will be welcomed by the soul’s community for its gameplay and over the top effects. Aside from that, lore enthusiast of the Souls franchise will have some fun delving into the game and learning about ancient Chinese history regarding the period of the three kingdoms. This makes the gameplay unique as there is established lore from historical texts and literature where there is a lot of inspiration to pull from. While the setting of the Three Kingdoms is not new to video games the way Team Ninja took the idea breathes in new life to the story. Furthermore, by making the game feel souls like really lends well the stories in the Three Kingdoms where legendary figures are often depicted larger than life. By doing this they crafted this well-made game that is definitely going to stand out from the other releases this year as a souls like game filling in that much needed void left behind by Elden Ring. So, if there any games that are a must have this year pick up Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a must have for any fan of the Souls series and gamers who want a challenge.
For more information, visit:https://teamninja-studio.com/wolong/us/
Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila
I would describe myself when interacting with games as a strategist with a pension for stealth and loud explosions.
More Stories
Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Storybook Vale, Next Major Expansion Pass, Now Available
Spooky Pinball Announces The Evil Dead Pinball
GTA Online this Week Features Double Rewards on Auto Shop Robberies, Bonuses for Original Heist Finales, Plus More