Parents' Guide to Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

There certainly isn't a lack of games that have been inspired, to some extent, by the Dark Souls series. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, while treading some familiar ground, creates a unique experience that it owns from start to finish. Unsatisfied with being "yet another Souls-like," Wo Long uses its strong cultural identity and deflection mechanic to separate itself from the pack. There's an ever-present tension throughout, as any one enemy could spell disaster for players who get too comfortable or let their guard down. Attack patterns could quickly shift, and since most enemies have a "Fatal Strike" move – which cuts a significant amount of a player's health if they're struck by one – they could easily overwhelm an overconfident player. To address this, players have many options available to them. While close-range combat is most effective, arrows, magic, and other tricks work just as well if you're careful with how they're used. You could also (eventually) summon a friend to help if you're struggling with one area or enemy.

The plot takes a clear backseat to gameplay here, which works in the game's favor. While it would've been nice if the characters had been expanded and given more to do within the story, it's hard to argue with the satisfying end result. Deflecting attacks is a must, and there are few engagements where you'll go without a well-timed parry. It's so important, in fact, that it may be off-putting for players who enjoy more close-range variety or nuance. But when you can read an enemy's motions and attacks and deflect with a mastery that took hours to perfect, the game becomes an absolute blast. If you can give Wo Long time to get going, you won't be let down. It's not the most technically impressive showcase, and flies short of greatness by inches. But Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty succeeds where it counts, delivering an experience that isn't painfully hard while providing enough variation in its gameplay to make it endlessly entertaining.