Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty places the player in a fictional, fantasy version of Chinese history at the end of the Han dynasty, when the vast empire is convulsed by the Yellow Turban Rebellion and supernatural forces that turn dying people into monstrous demons. Team Ninja, the longtime creators of the Nioh series, replaced the slower, stamina-driven combat system here with a considerably faster approach built around the so-called Morale system and the Deflect mechanic, which allows parrying almost any attack, including magical ones, and rewards the player for bold, precisely timed actions.

The game emphasizes an aggressive, attack-oriented playstyle that rewards taking risks over cautiously waiting for the opponent's mistake, which clearly sets it apart from the more typical, defensively oriented soulslike titles. The story loosely follows the Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and during the campaign the player encounters characters inspired by real historical generals and rulers of the era. Five elemental magic paths let you tailor your character to different combat styles, from fiery offensive spells to bolstering your own stance and resilience in battle. On PlayStation 5 the game offers smooth combat even in hectic battles with dozens of characters on screen at once, which was a technical challenge for earlier entries in the series on older hardware, adding to the epic feel of the large battle scenes.

Critics praised the faster, more aggressive pace and the innovative approach to the parrying system, although the story and overall atmosphere were seen as less distinctive and less tightly constructed than in competing titles in the genre. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty expanded the soulslike genre with a new perspective on what combat built purely around attacking and deflecting the enemy can look like, and cemented Team Ninja's position as specialists in demanding, historically themed action games.

Why play it: For soulslike fans craving a faster pace built around attacking and deflecting the enemy, even though the story and atmosphere remain overshadowed by the combat system.