Since the Soulsborne series of games exploded in popularity, there have been many others who have tried to replicate the formula. Among the more successful ones include the Nioh series by Team Ninja. Now, with the announcement of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, it’s as if the two have come together.
Rather than another game with a Japanese setting, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty takes place during a fictional version of the late Han Dynasty. Or the early parts of the Three Kingdoms period, if that is a more recognisable reference point. The trailer also showcases a few recognisable characters from the period, and ends with probably the most recognisable of them all, Lu Bu.
Like the Nioh series, enemies in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty look to be either enemy soldiers, or creatures of the supernatural variety. The trailer even opens with what looks like a zombie attack. Your player character will fight them off with Chinese martial arts, as well as your own as of yet unexplained form of supernatural powers. Though unlike the Nioh series, where the playable character is one with a specific lineage or a certain degree of importance, in this, you play a nameless militia soldier.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is described as the creation of Fumihiko Yasuda, Nioh series director and the head of Team Ninja, and Masaaki Yamagiwa, lead producer of Bloodborne. So while the trailer shows absolutely no gameplay, it’s probably safe to say that those two games already provide gamers with what to expect.
All that being said, it’s likely that we will see more in the months to come, since Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty isn’t due to release until early 2023. And since the reveal came as part of the Xbox Games Showcase, the game is definitely coming to both generations of Xbox consoles, as well as Game Pass. It remains to be seen if it will also be made available on PlayStation.
(Source: Xbox / YouTube via VGC)
