Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a tough action-RPG that draws inspiration from many other Soulslikes, most notably the Nioh games and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Thanks to some innovative gameplay mechanics and a solid combat system, it has garnered praise from fans and critics, many of whom are counting it among Team Ninja's most polished titles. As good as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is though, it can't quite hit the incredible heights that were set last year by what many consider to be the greatest Soulslike of all time: Elden Ring.
Elden Ring's release significantly changed the video game landscape, particularly the Soulslike sub-genre, which usually blends action-RPG with Japanese developer FromSoftware's unique brand of challenge that was made famous by its Dark Souls trilogy. Games such as SteelRising and Thymesia borrow heavily from FromSoftware's formula, but many of these Soulslikes ultimately fail to find the same levels of success. Wo Long is the latest game to borrow certain elements from the likes of Elden Ring and Sekiro, and for the most part, it uses them wisely.
Elden Ring is The Pinnacle of Soulslikes
Outside of FromSoftware itself and its collection of critically acclaimed Soulsborne titles, Team Ninja arguably has the best success rate with its Soulslike titles. Nioh and Nioh 2 are considered among the finest Soulslikes on the market, and now Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty has proved that the Nioh IP's success was no fluke. Wo Long's mix of parry-heavy combat with the linear but expansive world of Ancient China is a near-perfect blend that combines to deliver a well-rounded journey, one that will leave gamers thoroughly satisfied by the time they reach its conclusion.
Elden Ring's open-world, and the freedom it provides the player, proved to be a masterstroke by FromSoftware. However, this doesn't mean that every Soulslike needs its own version of the Lands Between. Wo Long takes a very different approach, offering a structured missions campaign that gives players the ability to fluidly move between these missions without losing progress. The large maps provide plenty of opportunity to explore, but compared to Elden Ring's huge, expansive map, they inevitably feel much smaller.
Both games feature some of the most fluid gameplay and combat of recent years, but Wo Long's near-reliance on the parry mechanic can feel a little stifling when compared to the endless build variety available in Elden Ring. There is a plethora of upgradeable weapons and armor in both titles, but ultimately, players who fail to get to grips with Wo Long's parry will find it almost impossible to complete the campaign, whereas Elden Ring offers numerous ways for the player to best their foe. Team Ninja's obscure way of telling stories has been criticized in the past, and Wo Long falls into the same traps with its narrative, which at times is downright confusing. Elden Ring's rich tapestry of cryptic lore has spawned an entire sub-community of intrigued gamers who are still trying to piece together all of its moving parts.
The fact that Wo Long falls short when compared to Elden Ring is by no means a bad thing. There aren't many video games that could stand toe-to-toe with the 2022 Game of the Year Winner and come out favorably. With confirmed DLC on the way, Elden Ring continues to dominate headlines and likely will do for some time yet. That being said, fans of the genre should certainly not sleep on Wo Long, a game that offers a great all-round experience for both newcomers to Soulslikes as well as veterans.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.