If Nioh is Dark Souls, then Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. I know, that may sound a bit complicated at first, but I promise it will make more sense as this review goes on. Especially if you’re familiar with the popular “Soulslike” genre, those action RPGs that are infamous for their extreme (but satisfying) difficulty levels.
This video game that was developed by Team Ninja and distributed by Koei Tecmo had been due for release in March 2023. However, due to the recent release of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition, a new special edition that comes with all the downloadable content, we had the opportunity to test it to tell you if Team Ninja’s new proposal is worth it. After all, this team has experience with soulslike due to the success of Nioh and its sequel. However, this game is something completely different that will take even those more experienced in the genre by surprise.
The historical plot of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
The title Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is very appropriate, as this game tells the story of the fall of the Han Dynasty in China. Only this is a fictionalized version in which the three Zhang brothers are empowered by a mysterious elixir that gives them powers and allows them to create demons. Besides that, it’s your typical plot set in China with famous historical figures of the country, such as Cao Cao or Lu Bu. To tell the truth, the story of this game is quite forgettable and extremely basic, it left a lot to be desired. The worst part is that, unlike other “Soulslike” games, there is no deeper lore hidden around the world.
As if that wasn’t enough, the characters aren’t much of a big deal either. While there are a few that are quite likable, none stand out as being particularly memorable. All of this is made worse by the lousy voice acting in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The work of all the voice actors involved is greatly appreciated, but all the characters sound odd and awkward, none of them sound natural. The narrative in this game is pretty mediocre, but thankfully it’s nothing to ruin the experience, as it at least gives it an interesting setting that fans of Chinese history and culture will appreciate.
Wo Long is a difficult but beautiful game
As for the graphics, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty really blew me away. The character models are quite detailed, with complex armor and sharp weapons, the demons look disgusting & terrifying and the environments are amazing: levels like the bamboo forest are beautiful, while others like the numerous battlefields are dark and intimidating. Each location has an ideal setting for the occasion.
In my case, I played Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty on the PlayStation 5 and it ran perfectly at 60 fps without any frame drops. There are quite a few loading screens (Especially when you die over and over again) but none last more than 10 seconds. It’s a fast game that stays fast all the time without many problems. The music is also excellent, since it fits very well with the Chinese culture scenario that this adventure proposes. It’s relaxed when you’re in safe places, it’s intimidating when you’re in areas with enemies around every corner, and it’s dynamic and epic in combat situations. The soundtrack is well adapted to each specific situation.
What makes Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty different from Nioh?
As I mentioned previously, this is a “soulslike”: a challenging action RPG. But it is evident that it got a lot of influence from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, since it proposes a combat system much more dynamic and focused on blocking attacks compared to older titles of the genre, such as the Nioh saga, the soulslike ones that Team Ninja had previously developed. This was an excellent idea, since it made the combat in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty much faster and more fluid, but it does not detract from the fact that it is extremely difficult.
The combat system in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has two types of attacks: basic and spiritual. Luckily, unlike other “soulslike” games, the spirit bar is not affected by basic attacks, giving the player more freedom to attack. However, actions such as dodging, using spiritual attacks and using magic do lower the spirit bar, so you have to be very careful when executing each one.
But the most important mechanic in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is blocking. When enemies glow red, there is a very small and immediate space in which the player can block the attack to execute a counterattack. Whether against enemies or bosses, perfecting this technique is what will allow the player to emerge victorious from most fights. It is something that, at first, can be overwhelming and somewhat complicated to do well, but, as you keep playing, you will be able to get the hang of it and end up becoming an expert.
Luckily Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty presents a huge variety of options for the player. As for melee weapons, there are swords, double swords, spears, maces, fists, etc. And that’s not all, because each weapon has its own set of special moves called “Martial Arts” to choose from, so the player will be able to try out all the weapons he finds to discover which is his favorite configuration. Especially because you can have up to two weapons equipped at the same time and change them at any time quickly.
On the other hand, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty also offers long range weapons, such as crossbows, bows, kunai, bombs, etc. These are not meant to exert much damage, but rather to keep enemies that use projectiles under control or to attract the attention of those who are in inconvenient places.
Another notable element of the gameplay is magic: the player will be able to level up and learn numerous spells of different elements, such as fire, water, earth, etc. To tell the truth, Wo Long’s magic ends up being quite insignificant. As it consumes spirit, there are times when using magic is too risky, especially because most spells do not do much damage on enemies. It is preferable to leave this mechanic to experts who know exactly what each one does and when to use them effectively. But it is not recommended for beginners.
All of these mechanics end up combining in an incredible way to form a fast-paced combat that feels very good. Although of course, just like the other exponents of the genre, it’s a very challenging title. Most of the enemies are just as strong as the player, so it’s important to be careful and know when to attack, when to dodge and when to block. The best moments of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty are definitely the epic boss fights. They are very difficult and sometimes frustrating, but once the player learns all their moves, defeating them is incredibly satisfying.
Because of all this, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty feels like the next evolution of the genre that Team Ninja took from what they had built with Nioh and Nioh 2. But if there’s one thing this game has in common with its predecessors, it’s its level structure. Due to the war-like nature of the story, this adventure is divided into linear levels, rather than a world of interconnected levels or a huge open world. This may be a negative point for some, but I don’t think it’s a problem because the game is designed around this mode and helps it never feel confusing or overwhelming.
What does the Complete Edition of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty come with?
Due to the success of this game, Team Ninja was quick to develop three downloadable packs that expand the story, characters and gameplay. These are Battle of Zhongyuan, Conqueror of Jiangdong and Revolt in Jingxiang. Luckily, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition contains these three excellent DLCs in one place, which is an ideal offering for those players who have yet to try the game.
On top of that, this edition contains some special armor sets to celebrate the occasion, such as the Xuanwu Armor and many others that can be downloaded as soon as the adventure starts, so they will be of great help during the first levels. Another interesting aspect is that Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Complete Edition also includes armor, weapons and other items that are references to other similar video games, such as Lies of P, Nioh 2 and Naraka Bladepoint. These are ingenious collaborations that any fan of these video games will appreciate. It is important to clarify that the Complete Edition is only available through digital stores and that, for the moment, it will not have a physical release.
I was never the biggest soulslike fan or expert, but Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty still managed to surprise and capture me. Its combat system is fluid and satisfying, its huge variety of weapons and powers encourages experimentation, its challenging bosses are some of the best in the genre, its graphics are beautiful and its excellent music fits perfectly. Although the story is rather forgettable, the voice acting is somewhat stiff and some elements of the gameplay don’t contribute much to the experience, none of this affects the quality of this great video game.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is the closest thing there is to a sequel to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, so it is highly recommended for fans of that game who are looking for something similar. On the other hand, Nioh fans who are eager to see Team Ninja‘s evolution in the soulslike genre will also have a lot of fun, because it feels like the team took the best of those games and used it to their advantage to create an even more dynamic, fun and challenging adventure. And thanks to the Complete Edition that includes all the DLCs right out of the box, this is a great win-win deal for everyone.