Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (Xbox One/SX)

Wo Long bietet ordentlich Action, faire Herausforderungen und eine interessante Geschwindigkeit. Das neue Moralsystem bietet eine klare Struktur, die den Zugang zum Genre erleichtert.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty führt die bekannte Formel der Nioh-Reihe fort und verfrachtet das Ganze dabei in die chinesische Zeit der drei Reiche. Das neue, pur auf Konter ausgelegte Gameplay bringt dabei so enormen Spielspass und Freiheiten, dass man über die Story, etwas zu inflationären Loot und den schwankenden Schwierigkeitsgrad locker hinwegsehen kann.

But even as its second half failed to match what came earlier, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a finely honed delight. Its action is precise and responsive, and learning the intricacies of each adversary is exceedingly fulfilling.

Its parry-based combat is frequently stellar, and Team Ninja has made a number of smart changes to keep Wo Long feeling fresh, even if there's always a tinge of familiarity. It has its issues, but if you're craving a fast-paced action RPG built on satisfying combat, Wo Long ticks most of the right boxes.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is nearly always a rush to play, and even when you're getting pummelled, it still feels as though you could overcome the fight if you just learned the attack patterns a little better, or maybe just summoned some more help.

The blend of combat, RPG elements, platforming, and a much more serious and interesting narrative makes for an engaging romp through the ancient lands of China, and aside from some small AI hiccups and design choices, there really isn’t much there to dampen my revitalized love for all things Romance of the Three Kingdoms. All hail the newest and most polished Soulslike to come out in a while.

It can be extremely punishing, especially if you’re butting heads with the parry system. But the setting, the aesthetics, and action sensibilities from a learned team made it all worth it to push through and get over that hump.