Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a historical fantasy action RPG set in ancient China. With combat based on both martial arts and weapon mastery, players take on the role of a nameless soldier and are forced to take on powerful demons and monsters as part of the game's campaign.
Described by many as a soulslike, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a game that, at times, can be intense and challenging. While its combat is satisfying and fun, it can definitely take some getting used to. For players who are just starting out playing Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, these beginner tips should make the learning curve a little easier.
8 Get Used To Spirit Gauge, Health Bar, & Morale Rank
A major part of feeling comfortable with the combat in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is adjusting to the game's Morale Rank, Spirit Gauge, and Heath Bar. While the Health Bar is fairly self-explanatory, Spirit Gauge represents a player's stamina. Morale Rank is a type of power ranking that players receive for a given mission.
Spirit Gauge is especially important. Players need sufficient Spirit Gauge to block attacks properly, as well as stun enemies. Enemies can also stun the player if they manage to overcome their Spirit Gauge. Like mastering the title's various weapon types, getting familiar with the Spirit Gauge, Health Bar, and Morale Rank are crucial for becoming a pro at Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
7 Watch For Unblockable Enemy Critical Blows
Critical Blows are perhaps the biggest threat that players need to be mindful of in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. This is because Critical Blows are actually unblockable, making them very dangerous to deal with (unless players use a bow build, which allows for effective ranged attacks).
Enemies will begin to glow a dark red when attempting to use a Critical Blow, which players can keep an eye out for in order to dodge them in time. Essentially, this is the only way to negate the threat that they pose. Players should do their best not to lose sight of any one enemy for too long.
6 Master Normal Attacks, Spirit Attacks, & Martial Arts
One of the most exciting aspects of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is the game's varied, dynamic, exciting combat system. Players can utilize their character's Normal Attacks, Spirit Attacks, and Martial Arts to become a sheer force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, especially if they come up with a build that best suits their playstyle. For instance, a spear build is often a great choice for players who prefer melee weapons with longer range.
Martial Arts, in particular, should be used sparingly. They're great for breaking through an enemy's guard, but they do also consume part of the Spirit Gauge. To make them as effective as possible, players can combine their Martial Arts with Normal Attacks and Spirit Attacks to do other kinds of damage to their foes.
5 Make Use Of The Training Grounds
In Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, just as in life, practice really does make perfect. The best way for players to get better at the game is simply through working on their skills and getting as used to its combat system as possible, which largely comes through repetition and muscle memory (as well as getting the best armor and weapons in the title, naturally).
So, players struggling with any aspect of the game should visit the Training Grounds to work on it. While this might not seem that appealing at face value, combat in the title is satisfying enough that even practicing it can be pretty fun.
4 Collect As Much Genuine Qi As Possible
Collecting Genuine Qi is one of the most important things players can prioritize in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Players can use Genuine Qi to level up, as well as upgrade their weapons. Farming Genuine Qi is probably the most efficient way of collecting it. This might not sound very appealing, but, with the right strategy in place, players can actually farm Qi fairly quickly.
Additionally, being underleveled for bosses and enemies makes the game far harder. (Players will definitely want to be a high enough level for tough encounters like Taotie, for instance.) Naturally, some players will prefer this if they want the game to be as challenging as possible, but for everyone else, collecting Qi wherever and whenever possible should be a priority.
3 Learn How To Evade & Deflect In Combat
In some respects, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty draws inspiration from the Soulsborne franchise, and can probably be described as a Soulslike. One example of this is the importance of learning to properly dodge and evade in combat, which, just like in the Soulsborne games, is crucial in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (especially for players with builds based on combat in close quarters, like a sword build).
All attacks other than Critical Blows can be deflected, and it's arguably the best way for the player to defend themselves while not taking damage. By deflecting blows, players can maintain their attacking momentum without dying.
2 Marking Flags Are Not Checkpoints
Something that confuses players in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is that the game uses both Marking Flags and Battle Flags in its maps. While they may sound very similar, their functions are actually different.
Battle Flags operate as checkpoints, whereas Marking Flags do not. Instead, Marking Flags are usually hidden, and players can use them to restore their HP and remove any status effects that might be present in that part of the map, as well as raise their Fortitude Rank. However, they won't save players' progress, which is important to remember.
1 Don’t Be Afraid To Leave Minibosses For Later
There's a number of pretty tough minibosses sprinkled throughout the various stages of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty that players are likely to struggle with earlier in the game (as well as some very challenging bosses, like Demon Liu Bei). It's important to remember that, if players aren't able to take out a particular miniboss, they can actually return to that part of the game later to fight the miniboss again.
It's worth doing this, too, as minibosses in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty often guard treasure or similar valuable items. Besides, taking on minibosses when players are at a higher level is generally far easier.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is out now on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and PC.