As the newest action game from Team Ninja, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty carries many similarities to the studio's previous efforts on the Nioh series - but Wo Long has many key differences that set it apart. Taking place in a fantasized version of Han Dynasty China, Wo Long has players fight with and against figures from the Three Kingdoms, making use of weapons, martial arts, spells, and some distinctly soulslike gameplay systems.
From the outset, it can be difficult not to compare Wo Long and Nioh. Both were developed by Koei Tecmo's Team Ninja, both carry a significant amount of Souls-like DNA, and both share a number of gameplay systems. Even the core conceit of both games' settings is similar, with Wo Long's fantasized Three Kingdoms story mirroring that of Nioh's fantasized historical Japan. Even without more direct points of comparison, playing Wo Long can often feel very similar to Nioh, with the two sharing several gameplay aspects, including equippable guardian spirits that allow for special attacks or buffs, being able to switch between two melee weapons and two ranged weapons, and Diablo-style loot drops with randomized modifiers. For better or worse, however, Wo Long does set itself apart from Nioh in a number of ways.
Wo Long Isn't Just Chinese Nioh
While the similarities between Wo Long and Nioh are numerous, Wo Long's combat is ultimately quite different in many ways, most notably in its focus on the deflect mechanic. Despite Wo Long's historical Chinese setting, its combat more closely resembles Sekiro, as opposed to Nioh's resemblance to Dark Souls, with stripped-down weapon movesets, lack of stamina management, and a universal meter that combat is balanced around. Like Sekiro's Posture, much of Wo Long's combat revolves around its Spirit Gauge, with both players and enemies being able to build positive, blue spirit, or negative orange spirit, depleted, fully orange spirit opening them up to fatal strikes.
Wo Long Is The Sekiro To Nioh's Dark Souls
Unfortunately for some, while Wo Long's combat can certainly be compelling, the game loses out on much of Nioh's potential depth. Stances, ki management, and weapon skill trees are all absent in Wo Long, with all weapons having one string of light attacks that build Spirit, and a heavy Spirit Attack that uses it up for more damage. Comparatively, Wo Long's combat can be fun, but hollow for those used to the sheer variety of Nioh's combat. On its own merits, however, the game's constant tug-of-war can be a good middle-ground between Sekiro's laser-focused combat and the more customizable experience of soulslikes.
Despite sharing much of Nioh's DNA, Wo Long is a decidedly different game, with a more stripped-down combat system creating a tense focus on timing parries, managing meter, and cashing out on positive meter with bigger attacks. It's a style of combat with plenty of merits, creating a tense tug-of-war between players and enemies, where mastery of a singular mechanic is heavily rewarded. However, in spite of its significant departure from its predecessors, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty may not be able to escape comparisons to Nioh.
Source: PlayStation/YouTube
