Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Reviews

Meh, I preferred Dynasty Warriors Origin but it isn't that bad here, just couldn't get into the game play.

I have no idea why this game has "mixed" reviews, it would deserve at least the "Mostly Positive" rank. We're not talking of a masterpiece, it's just a Team Ninja idea of Dark Souls set up in China, more exactly in the era of the Three Kingdoms. Graphics is good, the plot is generic but it does its job (and for some reason when Chinese heroes are the main focus, I can never tell them apart), the fights are funny and if you want to master the combat system, you'll remember why these guys are behind Ninja Gaiden. Finally, the bosses are very diversified, and while frustrating at time, well, you know how Soulslike games work, right? Die, learn why, overcome it, win. All in all, it's a good game, not sure for hWO LONG it will be remembered, though.

Very underrated....it's actually amazing once you understand how the game works. The combat system is S-tier. The story and voice acting only B-tier. This game has the worst UI and explanation of systems I have seen from Team Ninja (which already says a lot!). For example: 1. There are Sub-missions!!! I know, duh, but seriously....it took me to get to chapter 4 to even have the idea to click down on the mission ("battlefield") selection screen and understand that it's the same structure as in Nioh 2 (main and sub-missions). And while this might be a user error, as a software engineer I can tell you that if a seasoned gamer does not find sub-missions immediately, the UI must be VERY unclear! This for sure never went through a UX testing process. 2. The game really wants you to hold down the Block button and THEN parry. At first I was only trying to parry without blocking at the same time and got destroyed a lot. This completely changed the game difficulty because even if you miss the parry you still block. But again, the game does not tell you that. 3. Make it a habit to find all the smaller flags in the level. Team Ninja implemented this idea here that an incentive to explore the whole level is not only to find loot but to make the eventual boss fight much easier by getting your rank up. The boss usually has max rank (20) for the level, so if you find all main and smaller flags, you also have 20, which makes the fight level. Having a lower level than the boss makes you deal less damage. This is an interesting idea to make players explore the level not only for looting sake, but again, I feel it could be explained better. Also: There is a special effect on items which marks undiscovered flags as white flags on the radar, which makes it easier to find them! These are just some examples of cool (but UNCLEAR!!) mechanics at first which I feel more people will struggle with. But after that, amazing game!!!

Constant, forced companions are simply incompatible with a combat system that asks you to deflect a majority of enemy attacks. Deflection is, in fact, the primary appeal of Wo Long over Nioh, yet your unwanted NPC pals will constantly break enemy attack patterns so you're unable to engage with the (actually good) parry system in the game. Notice how these companions are conspicuously absent from every gameplay GIF in the store page? Yeah, this must be deliberate, or you'd see how these idiots consistently interrupt combat flow. Even the store text neglects to mention them, as if the developers know how bad a "feature" they are. Wo Long has other issues, but it's a non-starter because of this alone. Seriously, look up gameplay footage of later bosses; the player has not one but several NPC companions, and the combat devolves into a hilarious mess of jittery AI and overlapping particle effects. You, the player, get to watch three NPCs fight each other. That's what you want from this sort of game, right? In the interest of fairness, I quite like the spirit system, and the usual soulslike affectations work well enough here as they do anywhere else. But the magic system is very unexciting, the UI is cumbersome, and non-features like the morale system serve to add complexity to the game without adding depth. Ultimately, Wo Long comes off as half-baked. There are just as many bad ideas as good, with varying execution across the board. It's hard to justify playing this when games like Khazan pretty much perfect everything Wo Long is trying to do.

Being a team Ninja game production, Nioh players will feel like home here, the difference is that you have to plan flags all around each map, to make your morale "20" before each boss fights. Otherwise, if your morale is not "20", the damage scaling from bosses will not work in your favor, even if you are leveled/geared Main storyline: You are a "mute protagonist" militia in China's famous three Kingdoms war, helping key figures of history bulldozing their pathway through every single battlefield/maps in the game. Combat: The main gameplay combat system feels very satisfying, parry, dodges, using martial arts, spells, even summoning divine beasts to give you an edge on enemies. An extra note that might concern some players is that your main character moves very fast in this game, similar to Nioh/ninja gaiden series, if thats what you are looking for then this game is for you, but if you want a slower character similar to Lies of P/Elden Ring/Dark Souls then you might want to consider watching other people's gameplay first before buying. Price to Value Content: I bought the complete version at 40% discount, and enjoyed everything all my time out of it (played Nioh 1 and 2 on PS4), On final note, the main game is very easy, some few hard fights, but nothing too unfair, if you are looking for a challenge the dlc bosses are feels very unfair and time consuming. Achievement/Trophy Hunters: It takes me around 48 hours to finish all content, looked up a guide from Youtube NB: You get to fight Guan Yu at the very end of the DLC, finished with a blast!

This is an S tier souls like and a must play for fans of the genre. Many of the negative reviews relate to the game's launch performance, which has since been improved. I'm comfortably running it on low settings on an RTX 3060, and it looks and plays great. Initially I was confused as to why dodge and parry were bound to the same button (one tap to parry, double tap to dodge) but it soon made sense to me that this was a conscious choice by the developer. Parrying is your main form of defence, and although a dodge exists, it's more for the purpose of creating distance rather than evading attacks. The boss design is spectacular, and a BIG step up from Nioh in my opinion. In Nioh I was able to cheese a lot of encounters by being overly offensive, and never really had to learn the enemies moveset as much. In Wo Long parrying is core to the combat, and reacting to the enemies' attacks is a must, which made it feel more engaging. My only criticism for this game is the itemisation. Every piece of gear has a collection of stats with insignificant effects like "1.5% increased water damage while at full health", and scrolling through your inventory you're bombarded with unnecessary information, junk loot and duplicate items. It felt needlessly bloated.

- It's an easy game. Not nioh or souls level difficulty. Just do the combo and parry here and there. - Repetitive foes, gears and soundtracks. you can finish the whole game without changing your weapon and armor set. just upgrade them and you'll be fine. - Runs very well on 4K. Not a single crash. - It gets a little boring after while. I mean it's not horrible. I still recommend it if you have nothing to play or you're team ninja fan.

this game is under rated its really good with a great combat system and good graphics with a really good custom character creater good story back ground graphics are really good too

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

I genuinely don't understand why everyone is so upset about this game. Here's some common criticism and what I think of it: - performance issues: I had no problems except in the demo. I have an AMD and people who complain almost always have an Nvidia RTX so maybe...? - blurry visuals: not for me, maybe specific graphics settings? - too hard: this game is way easier than other Team Ninja games, but you can make it more challenging by not using companions, not getting all flags etc. The only difficulty I had was Lü Bu because companions don't work well here. - speaking of flags: they are there to set your minimum Morale. Morale is important, if there's a 5-10 level difference you (get) destroy(ed) almost certainly. - don't wanna search for flags: why? It's basic exploration, they're not secrets. - parry is hard: it's actually really easy but weirdly early. You can also hold block and take no damage if you're too late. - spells are bad: wrong! It's a great but kinda weird system, learn elemental interactions and you have the upper hand. - it's worse than Nioh: why compare? It's not Nioh and not trying to be. Even Nioh 3 is super different from Nioh. There is 2 Nioh games already. Play those. Some addional things: - stealth is broken in the players favour - the terminology is really weird if you know wuxia/xianxia (Chinese fantasy). Like Wizard means cultivator, elixir fields are meridians, etc - Hong Jing was not in the original book and the character design is entirely Japanese in etiquette and such. That and the book jiggle make her seem so out of place. It's probably my least favourite thing of the game and it's like whatever, it's an action game. I hope you look at this game as what it is and don't compare it to things it isn't and enjoy!