Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review: Sekiro, Dark Souls, and Chinese myth

Perhaps the most talked about Garyu: Death Dynasty Its first boss, the towering figure of a commander named Zhang Liang, took about three hours to defeat. Through my barrage of futile attempts, he repeatedly staggered me with his giant mace, wiping out nearly a third of my health each time bloodied my face. , a dull red washed over the graceful sight of my wrinkled, defeated body, and the Chinese phrase “Crush Defeat” adorned the entire screen. It soon became apparent that it was not, and that it was hopelessly unsophisticated.

Wallon No patience for ineligibility — the refrain you’d probably expect if you’re familiar with it Nio again Nioh 2, a soul-crushing brutal game set in feudal Japan and unwilling to tolerate negligence. This could only be won when he finally internalized his attacks and movements, and they were done at rapid and irregular intervals. Leap into the air and slam the mace into the ground. A few big swings of the same weapon that twirl like weightless twigs. And an undefendable critical attack that drains my health rapidly. To be victorious, you must be familiar with the game’s primary maneuvers: quick counterattacks, dodges, and magic spells, and be able to execute them quickly. that’s right before the enemy gains the upper hand. You have to understand the rhythm and flow of this seemingly impossible skirmish. And when you think you’re done, you need to train yourself for the more difficult second phase.

It’s the kind of demanding, almost grueling practice that must be maintained in order to overcome a grueling encounter. WallonYou will traverse the fantastical Chinese countryside and spend time collecting loot. Recruit allies in the form of military generals and mythical allies. Unlock checkpoints and shortcuts in the flow of Dark Souls, Bloodborneand most directly, Sekiro: Shadows die twiceas in the case of . Nio and its sequel Team Ninja demonstrate a deep understanding of what drives the “Soulslike” genre, deploying those learnings in expert hands in their most ambitious project to date.

Perhaps more impressive is WallonAt least in the chapters I’ve completed so far, it’s a meticulous, borderline reverent approach to its narrative source material (I spent about 14 hours in the game). As Romance of the Three Kingdoms Engi Sagas — one of the most famous Homeric epics of Chinese literature — Wallon It begins in a smoldering village, at the center of a vicious war known as the Yellow Turbans. As an unnamed hero with mystical powers, you are unwittingly thrust into the thick of the action. Explore grasslands and lakes surrounded by deserted hills, dilapidated palaces, and towering peaks. It’s like taking a pilgrimage through both the idyllic and war-torn landscapes of medieval China.

Wallon Avoiding the clumsy heavy-handedness typical of games inspired by Chinese literature, random oriental motifs are infused as symbols of otherness. A combination of supernatural powers and physics-defying swashbuckle stunts can take down enemies. Together with allies, speak of righting wrongs with their steel, pledging eternal loyalty, and making lifelong pacts. mythical creatures — like Zhu Yan, a monster plucked from the pages of a Chinese text about mythical beasts, Mountain and sea classics — come up often. This is the story of the Three Kingdoms reimagined as martial arts, a Chinese genre featuring swordsmen bound by the rules of martial arts. Wallon Borrow freely and effectively from this glossary.

Wallon‘s backstory may be rich and expansive, but so is the elaborate system of combat rules. Battles are largely centered around looting new armor and items and using a rotating loadout of weapons, such as a sword and a massive halberd, or an ax and an elegant spear combination, as you aggressively slice through the fleshy bodies of your enemies. centered.

Image: Team Ninja/Koei ​​Tecmo

Still, there is a fine line to be tread here. Carelessness can result in lacerations and serious injuries, and can cause premature death even for low-ranking infantrymen. Wallon rewards consecutive wins using a feature called Morale Rank, which temporarily increases with each enemy kill. Having said that, The game takes as much as it gives. Enemies also have their own morale rank, which rises each time they kill you, whether it’s an impressive boss or a sneaky pion. Along with your equipment loadout stats, morale rank (relative to enemy morale rank) directly affects how much damage you do and receive. At the same time, there are ways to regain lost morale. It’s an ingenious take on the Soulslike formula that shows just how difficult certain matches can be from a distance.

There is also a form of experience called “genuine ki” in the game. (By the way, this is a bit of an odd translation choice. A similar Chinese phrase, ‘essential qi’, is frequently invoked in martial arts tales and has roots in traditional Chinese medicine. ) Ki can be used to level up your character. Stats, and after regular intervals of upgrades, unlock points to distribute among his five elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These further affect a hero’s passive stats, from Strength to Vitality, but also grant new active abilities and magical powers. It can be used to enhance attacks and apply status effects to enemies. location of its impact. However, at least for the first few chapters, these feel mostly flourishing. At that point, melee combat still makes up the core of the game.

Image: Team Ninja/Koei ​​Tecmo

When one mechanic matters WallonFierce combat, it’s a distraction move. In fact, so many of the game’s encounters hinge on this one ballet move that if you can’t get the hang of the timing, victory feels almost out of reach.as in Sekirododge attacks by guarding Wallon By simply providing a temporary respite, you can regain precious seconds to cast spells and better understand the flow of battle. more susceptible to damage from Go a little too early or too late and the health bar will quickly tell you you’re wrong.

But time the deflection properly. Wallon It provides plenty of space and time to retaliate, and can even perform a powerful ‘lethal attack’.

Image: Team Ninja/Koei ​​Tecmo

The parry maneuver is a microcosm Wallonhigh risk, high return spirit. This is a game that is equally about immersing you in the breathtaking flow of protracted duels and plunging you into a detailed and dangerous mythological world set in the story of the Three Kingdoms. Publisher Koei Tecmo’s extensive portfolio of Sangokushi games (from Romance of the Three Kingdoms to the Dynasty Warriors series) may be the reason why Team Ninja has been given room to refine its world and its mechanics in equal measure.

survive the disaster of Wallon It requires almost relentless hours of practice. But what follows is the exhilaration of being able to deftly execute enemies and hordes of demons with just a reflexive twitch of your sharpened limbs. With its complex combat system and equally exciting setting, Wallon It’s a journey worth embarking on, even if it means spending another three hours on the next boss fight.

Garyu: Death Dynasty will release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on March 3rd. The game was reviewed on PC using a pre-release download code provided by Koei Tecmo. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not affect editorial content, but Vox Media may earn commissions on products purchased via affiliate links.discoverable Additional information on Polygon’s Ethics Policy can be found here.