Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is the latest game from Team Ninja, the studio behind the Ninja Gaiden and Nioh franchises. A punishing Soulslike set in the Three Kingdoms period of Ancient China, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty offers a tough, immersive experience that challenges players to master its numerous mechanics. Among these new mechanics is the spirit meter, which replaces the standard stamina bar and is used to power most of the player's special moves. In what appears to be a direct homage to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the game's parry mechanic is perhaps the single most important component, with the player's success or failure directly linked with their ability to master the parry's timing.
The Soulslike genre is more competitive right now than it's ever been. Elden Ring's sales milestones and resounding success since it launched last year have cranked the genre's popularity up exponentially, with several other developers trying their hands at the genre. Team Ninja is no newcomer when it comes to Soulslikes, with its Nioh series being considered by many to be among the best in the genre. With such a rich pedigree, it's perhaps no surprise that Wo Long has fared well with critics, and it's great to see Team Ninja attempting to move its tried-and-tested formula in a different direction by bringing parrying to the fore.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty's Combat is Centered on its Parry Mechanic
While many Soulslikes are similar to Dark Souls and its sequels, Wo Long instead seems to use Sekiro as its primary source of inspiration. FromSoftware's 2019 Game of the Year winner is a grueling single-player experience in which the player must parry and deflect their way to victory, overcoming a wide range of skilled opponents from samurai to supernatural creatures. Unlike the Souls games where blocking and dodging are arguably more important, in Sekiro these options are nowhere near as effective as the parry. Indeed, gamers who consider themselves to be highly experienced FromSoftware fans, are forced to completely change their play styles when tackling Sekiro.
Most Soulslikes tend to favor dodging over other defensive options. A well-timed dodge roll is usually enough for the player to avoid damage, and in some instances enables them to swiftly turn the tables on their opponent with an offensive move. Even FromSoftware's Dark Souls trilogy and Elden Ring favor dodging or blocking over the far riskier parry technique, which is not always available depending on the weapon the player is using. This makes Wo Long's approach all the more refreshing.
The decision to make parrying the go-to defensive option is unlikely to win over every single gamer, and many who dislike the precision and timing needed to use the parry mechanic, in general, are unlikely to have their minds changed here. For those that embrace it though, the adrenaline rush and general feeling of satisfaction from mastering this technique will provide gamers with a real sense of accomplishment. Wo Long is one of Team Ninja's hardest games, but rarely at the expense of fairness, and well-timed parrying will usually see the player emerge victorious.
As a developer, Team Ninja has carved a reputation for creating fast, fluid combat systems. The lessons learned in the Ninja Gaiden trilogy were put to good use in both Nioh and its follow-up, and Wo Long has once again tweaked the formula to provide impressive results. With the much larger project, Rise of the Ronin, in development too, Team Ninja is set to enjoy a prolonged period of success that could culminate in its biggest-ever game to date.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
