Building on the success of Nioh and Nioh 2, Team Ninja re-proposes the soulslike formula in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the game that is the subject of our review. The title was released just a few days ago, and is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, including from day one on Xbox Game Pass.
The game will take us in the role of a warrior in the China of the Three Kingdoms, to face ruthless enemies and powerful bosses in main and side missions. All in decidedly well-maintained settings, which wink at all the oriental imagery that we all love (because we all love it, right?).
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – The review
Let’s start by saying that if you are not a fan of the genre and you don’t like exhausting and complex fights, this title is not for you. At each death of the character not only will you start over from the last checkpoint (which could also coincide with the beginning of the level), but a pitiless writing on the screen will remind you that you have stumbled upon a “devastating defeat“. You will therefore entertain the hypothesis of doing harakiri in real life (yes, we know, harakiri is Japanese while the game is set in China, but you certainly won’t be thinking about it or brandishing the sword). In short, the defeat will affect yours morale. Literally.
Yes, because among the most interesting mechanics of the game, in addition to the jump that was absent in Nioh and Nioh 2, there is the moral system. This, represented by a bar, will rise when killing enemies and, conversely, will collapse after each defeat. It didn’t end there: enemies also have a morale barand the higher this is, the more damage they will inflict on you (and we assure you that they are already as strong as them).
Fight, die, repeat
Fights blur the lines between fun and frustration: the enemies are really strong but definitely repetitive. Except for the bosses, you’ll find yourself facing the same variety of opponents for most of the game. The system of hand-to-hand combat is however very well made, while the same cannot be said for stealthas encouraged by the game as it is useless and poorly thought out.
In fights it will be indispensable dodge and deflect enemy attacks (which will have endless combos), in order not only to avoid damage but also to recharge the spirit bar. Once this is full you can launch powerful spiritual attacksbut even then your opponents can do the same.
The end-of-level bosses are so strong that in comparison the formidable enemies you just faced will seem like tender kittens looking for cuddles. To defeat the boss you will need to have two weapons: strategy and awareness that you will die quite a few times. However, each boss has its weak point, it’s up to you to figure it out before giving in to the temptation to uninstall the game.
Loot and weapons: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty features a good variety of weapons and, for each of them, unique animations. However, using the same weapon for a long time, even the animations, which will seem very cool at first use, will become repetitive and boring.
The loot system is also vast: so vast as to be frustrating! The accessories are many and will allow you to benefit from boosts in statistics. However with so many it is impossible to choose the perfect equipment without spending hours doing the calculations. However, if you love to spend a good part of the game time deciding whether to sacrifice 1.7 defense to gain 1.9 in attack, then you will love this aspect of the title.
Interesting is the skill customization system that has five elements. By spending the points you will be able to customize the combat characteristics of your warrior according to your approach to battle.
Summing up
Wanting to sum up our review of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty we can say with certainty that this is not a game for everyone. The moral system leads the title to take steps forward compared to the Nioh series, but this certainly cannot be enough to make a game pleasant in which for the majority of the time you will face the same enemies with only one certainty: that of dying male.
The story is practically absent and when it is there it is full of forcing, almost as if it were a pretext to lead you to a new mortal battle. However, if you love this type of title, then you will appreciate the mode co-op online and the numerous missions (between main and secondary). Instead, you will hardly like going in circles, given that the game is in full soulslike style does not include a map.
Happy awful death!
PRO
- Difficult fights
- Settings
- Co-op multiplayer
- Included in the Game Pass catalog
- Statistics system
- Morale
AGAINST
- Sistema loot
- You will make friends with death (often)
- History
- Variety of enemies
- Stealth approach to be reviewed
- Getting lost in the map is easier than dying in the game