Elden Ring topped my Game of the Year rankings last year. Because of that, I was very much looking forward to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. Not only did trailers catch my eye, but the team behind the game is a favorite of mine. Team Ninja’s versatility as a developer puts them high on my list of teams making games today. With a reimagining of the Three Kingdoms story and stellar gameplay, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty comes just short of being a masterpiece. Nevertheless, it likely will satisfy Soulsborne fans for just short of 40 engaging hours.

In the final days of the Han Dynasty, real-world events kicked off what is known as the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. In Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, this influential point in history is reimagined with demons overtaking the land and mythical objects powering China’s mightiest warriors to superhuman levels. As a nameless soldier, you’re tasked with fighting off these monstrosities by learning all there is about martial arts-inspired armed combat and magic that turns the tide in seemingly impossible battles.

Gameplay in Wo Long is similar to Nioh or other recent Soulsborne games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. You’re not necessarily going to use the same strategy to succeed here as you would something like Elden Ring. Rather than rely on well-timed dodge rolls, you’re looking to parry your way to an advantage over demonic creatures and twisted humans-turned-horrific foes. Two things are going to keep you progressing in this game: patience and a willingness to lean into the game’s minor systems.

I’m not a huge fan of spending hours finding loot that spikes my abilities by 4% here and there. If you are, you’re going to have plenty of it to enjoy in Wo Long. I was still able to get by and finish the game without spending too much time or focusing on hunting down the perfect gear. If you’re not the type to really stress over these things, you’re going to be fine grabbing new weapons or armor pieces here and there when they seem to catch your eye. While that system didn’t catch my interest, the Morale Ranks did.

Morale Ranks begin at zero at the start of every new level in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. As you defeat enemies, you’ll gain morale. This provides you with added abilities, particularly in your Wizadry Spells. When you die, which happens a lot, you lose some of your morale and gain it back by returning to the foe that killed you and moving through the map. It’s a minor way to encourage the player to peruse every little corner for enemies, and I liked the way it engaged me from start to finish in any area.

The game took me about 37 hours to finish. I like these Soulsborne games but I’m not particularly good at them. If you are, then you might get a hair closer to 30-33 hours for a final completion time. This game is not easy, nor is it meant to be. That said, the early bosses feel unbalanced to the way each level’s normal enemies rev you up to a higher difficulty. It’s like you’re still learning the ropes of Wo Long‘s combat and they decide part of the lesson is 90 minutes of frustrating deaths without clear room to learn and improve.

Another frustrating thing about Wo Long‘s combat is that (apart from bosses) each area and its enemies seem too familiar by the 10-hour mark. There’s not that breathtaking variety in opponents and environments we’re spoiled by in some other Soulsborne games. While that doesn’t taint the overall experience, it does hold Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty back from reaching a level of quality that’s become expected in these types of games. I didn’t need another Elden Ring epic, but Wo Long is noticeably less impactful by its end.

By the time you master the game’s early difficulty curve and realize that you’ve seen the majority of what the game has to offer, you’re just about halfway. Luckily, the story helps drive you forward if you’re teetering on whether or not to see it through. If you’re well-versed in the Three Kingdoms story, there’s great depth to this retelling. Even if your exposure to the characters comes from Dynasty Warriors games, you’ll see and hear familiar names that make this a great reimagining of an influential time in history.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is well worth its asking price, especially if you’re playing it on Xbox Game Pass. It’s an above-average action game with depth in its weapons and armor for people who enjoy that, along with great Soulsborne combat for those who pick it up for that fix. As someone who is more of a casual fan of these types of games, I was impressed but not in awe by the end. That’s okay though, there’s enough happening in Wo Long to keep you busy. Not to mention, there are multiplayer options and a New Game+ mode that I didn’t have time to check out for this review.

An Xbox Series X/S review copy of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty was provided by Koei Tecmo for this review.

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Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

59.99

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Magnificent reimagining of the Three Kingdoms Period
• Morale Ranks should be incorporated into more action games
• Fun and exciting combat fit for a Soulsborne title

Cons

• Stale enemy and environment design
• Difficulty curve is insane in the beginning, in a bad way
• Far too detailed weapons and armor stats for my liking