Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty Review - IGN

Familiar issues with storytelling and loot aside, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is another great entry in Team Ninja's growing collection of action RPGs that features some of the best combat in the soulslike genre, even though those battles start to lose their tension due to a distinct lack of enemy variety to fill out the 20+ hour runtime.

[blackblades]

Loved nioh so obviously would love this as soon as it was announced

[sparky77]

Nice looks like another Game Pass banger.

[Obscure_Observer]

Indeed. All around, great reviews!

I´d beat the two demos and I can´t wait to play this game. I found the second demo a lot easier due NPCs companions, I might just disable that option to face the ultimate challenge.

[Flakegriffin]

Another banger on Gamepass*

This wasn’t made FOR Gamepass.

[Andrew336]

Relax dude. He said another game pass banger, didn't say it was made for game pass. Probably hard to read through all those tears tho.

[SurgicalMenace]

What tears, they'll benefit more from those on the paying side of the track, without refute.

[Gamer_Dude]

But it's on Game Pass and it looks like a banger.

[Flakegriffin]

I see the Xbox fans come out guns blazing. I pay/use Gamepass PC on a regular but you kids love love love to assume. All because I corrected someone too. Lol

[RNTody]

If by that you mean a game no one will buy but will add "total enemies cut down by the sword" stats to GP then sure.

[CrimsonWing69]

Can someone explain to me why people get upset when a game is on Gamepass and someone gets excited for it on the service?

[Chriswheeler22]

It cheapens the value of a game

[RNTody]

I've had Games Pass one or two months on my PC. I'm primarily a PS5 and PC player. I just don't believe that "game pass subs" is the best thing for quality games in the industry. I believe first party investment and organic studio growth like Sony and Nintendo, or even companies like Valve and GOG, is the best thing for the industry.

Games Pass only really serves games that would otherwise fade into obscurity.

Take God of War. Do you believe it would be better for Sony and Santa Monica if God of War didn't have 20 million sales but rather 20 million "downloads"? I think not.

And if the Activision buy out has revealed anything it's that even Microsoft has admitted that Games Pass has cannabalised game sales.

I mean, I was planning to get Atomic Heart. Instead I got to try it on PC for a few bucks on Games Pass. I don't believe I did any favours to the creators or helped their future projects. But I know my investment in God of War Ragnarok and Dead Space will benefit those franchises and the industry.

[SurgicalMenace]

@Tody

Well said. Wholeheartedly, agree.

[gangsta_red]

@Tody

@tody
"I just don't believe that "game pass subs" is the best thing for quality games in the industry."

But then why are there still quality games on GP and also non-quality games released outside of GP still? Why would GP have any affect on the production of a game when games are still being released with day one patches, no content, bugs, etc etc. I don't understand this logic when we have had multiple games released on GP with high scores over the five years it's been available.

There has been no proof that the poor production and low quality of a game was a direct result of a sub service that rents games.

Also what is the difference between renting from GP day one and renting from Redbox, Gamefly or even when Blockbuster was around? No one had any problems with these services still available to this day. But for some reason, morality issues and industry concerns weigh in when a game is released to GP day and date.

Another question, do you believe the creators who all agreed to put their game on GP are torn about this decision?

[RNTody]

@gangsta_red
Those are fine questions, and my response would involve a few points:

1) Browsing Games Pass, there are some quality games on it for sure, like Persona 5 Royal. But Games Pass had nothing to do with the creation of these games. Games Pass merely pays developers to put games on the service. Perhaps that stack of money is worthwhile. Perhaps not. But I have my sincere doubts it will lead to organic growth of these studios. Look at Insomniac Games 5 years ago to now, post Sony investment. Look at Naughty Dog or Santa Monica or Media Molecule. Look at CD Projekt RED, despite their problems with Cyberpunk, where they started to where they are now. Look at Sucker Punch and Guerrilla Games. I don't believe Games Pass can facilitate that kind of growth, because there is no organic relationship between Microsoft and the game studios. There is no incentive to grow, fund or build these studios, because the goal is subs.

There's nothing wrong at all with extending the life of a game or finding a new audience with Games Pass AFTER sales have been made, like giving a game for free on PS Plus. As the movie industry learned, releasing day one on a subscription service cannabalises your ticket sales, and it will do the same to game sales. Why bother paying if you can just access it? It's kind of obvious. And not even Microsoft can sustain paying off developers for Games Pass exclusivity without a return. Well maybe their bank account can handle it, but the quality of games won't.

2) Microsoft has a long history of failing to nurture its studios. Halo crashed and burned, Gears is resting in obscurity, Fable is invisible, Crackdown is dead, it's only really Forza that has succeeded. Compare and contrast to Sony and Nintendo's studios where developers have gone from strength to strength. I have my reservations about Bethesda's success post acquisition as well as Activision if that materialises. I firmly believe their top franchises will lose market share.

3) The inevitability of a subscription model will rear its head one way or another. If not now then years from now. The objective will always be to constantly bring new content to subscribers. I have seen a severe decline in the mainstream offerings of Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon. And those are platforms for series and movies, not even enormous game projects that take years. I do not see Games Pass being able to maintain quality and subscribers.

4) it's difficult to say, some creators will benefit largely in the short term, some may see no benefit to Games Pass. It's too early in the model to tell, we can only make our predictions. And my gut is telling me, as I said before, that sales revenue and reinvestment and organic growth will always be superior to downloads and hours logged. I don't see Microsoft matching the quality of any of Nintendo or Sony's games any time soon.

5) The games that release in poor states don't succeed, like Callisto Protocol on PC or Battlefield 2024, so that point is moot. It's bad management. Plenty of games release in excellent states. Day one patches are fine, because after the game goes gold the developers immediately continue working on improvements like bug fixing.

Their acquisitions hardly matter in this conversation because they didn't contribute to the development of these games like Starfield. They're already being made. We'll have to see what happens with these studios when their new games launch and after.

[Gamer_Dude]

Envy

[gangsta_red]

@Tody

"But I have my sincere doubts it will lead to organic growth of these studios."

Not to be mean, but I keep seeing this statement echo'd hear on this site and it really is an empty statement that has no meaning behind it. How would GP impact a game when it has nothing to do with the budget? I would understand if there were actual documents from 1st party developers claiming that because of GP their budget for games have decreased, but this has not been the case. MS own studios has continued to put out quality product, and say what you will about Halo I, the single player is superb and the upcoming season 3 for the MP looks to rectify a lot of the issues people complained about before.

"There's nothing wrong at all with extending the life of a game or finding a new audience with Games Pass AFTER sales have been made..."

Again, why? Why AFTER...if both MS and the developer have agreed on a price paid this means both parties are happy with the deal. This means that not only are developers paid but gamers who subscribe to GP can get the game day and date. All parties are happy and the real winners are the gamers who actually get something good out of a service they pay for. So I don't understand this logic from a gamer or devs perspective based off of something that would only initially affect MS with 'cannibalizing' sales. And even that statement is suspect and used out of context regarding games. Considering MS is looking for actual monthly/yearly subscribers for success, the same way Live Service games operate and other successful streaming sub services.

Why is this logic only applied to games? No one waits until a season of The Mandalorian or Last of Us is over and on sale on DVDs to finally watch it. No one waits for sales of their favorite band before listening to them on Spotify or Apple...but for some reason with games we have to wait for it to come to a rental service after sales are made.

"The games that release in poor states don't succeed, like Callisto Protocol on PC or Battlefield 2024, so that point is moot. It's bad management."

Then that is a point to be made, because those games had nothing to do with GP, and yet were released in poor states. Why then when a game with similar issues is released on GP, the excuse is it's GP's fault? Again, where is the evidence that GP was the cause for issues with games day and date but for others it's mis management?

"Their acquisitions hardly matter in this conversation because they didn't contribute to the development of these games like Starfield"

This is being disingenuous, this feels like the foundation laid out so an excuse can be made if the games that MS studios purchased are good. And MS has contributed to the studios they purchased, studios like Obsidian, Double Fine and Ninja Theory have gone on record saying that after their purchase, MS helped them with development of their games.

To answer Crimson's question, the only reason people get upset is because it's from MS. If this was any other service with the same type of deals we wouldn't hear anywhere near the amount of negativity we see now for GP.
It just doesn't make sense any other way, MS is paying devs to have their games played by their gamers day and date on a paid service..all the while the game is still available retail, digital everywhere else...I'm just not seeing a downside to this.

[OneLove]

Lmao the gamepass salt is real. Any mention of it gets a down vote😂

[MetalProxy]

How about just talking about the game instead of bringing up game pass every goddamn time. It’s obnoxious. You guys are like walking advertisements and don’t even realize it.

[hiawa23]

The haters are hilarious. Hell yeah, this is a Gamepass banger, which doesn't mean the game was only made for GP🤣. I just installed, can't wait to start. GP for the win.

[SurgicalMenace]

I also have XB with the option of GP, but I purchased it on PS5 because it serves the development of more experiences like it better. GP has that, "I'm playing because I don't have to pay full price" element to it. Celebrating about not being a contributing factor to those who are will never go over well. No salt involved, sir, I paid full price willingly with the option to get it on GP available. Principles over comfort any day.

[gangsta_red]

Agreed, good to see more games coming to the service day and date.

[lucian229]

Gonna wait till it's cheap. Demo was okay, my issue is it has the horrible loot system from Nioh and "chaos". I'm just tired of it.

Lack of enemy variety also massively hurts the game for me.

[Andrew336]

Benefit of game pass. Dont have to wait till it's cheap ;)

[SurgicalMenace]

My thing is how many souls games have great enemy variety? Given that most of the enemies are only there to grind your build out to fight the bosses.

[blackblades]

The loot system isnt the same as nioh from what they said. From the looks of the demo I think it was tone down.

[jznrpg]

The enemy variety sounds disappointing so I will probably wait for this game for a while as my backlog is huge and I’m playing PSVR2 a lot now as well as flat backlog . Haven’t even played Hogwarts yet . I’m sure it will be a good game overall but I can wait with all the games I have stacked up for PS5 and some JRPGS for PS4 too

[Duke19]

Wow I remember the initial reveals and being blown away graphically. This has REALLY taken a step back

[bangoskank]

I'm confused by the good reviews. Played the PC demo and I think this is a step back for Team Ninja. The visuals aren't as good Nioh 2, a game from three years ago, and even though I was running at around 60 fps everything was choppy and poorly animated. I could see the gameplay being fun if the the game was optimized. Hopefully that will be fixed on release. Glad it's on Gamepass so I can give it a try there instead of wasting money.

[anast]

IGN gives it an 8...This their way of saying we appreciate the effort but it's not that good.

[SurgicalMenace]

Since when is an 8 a negative thing? That's an 80% meaning a more than passing grade. Expecting 9s and 10s all the time is not even realistic.

[anast]

It's not realistic for IGN to give a realistic score.

[gangsta_red]

I love these types of over the top action games so I will definitely put this on the ever growing backlog.

Good to see this is on GP day and date too, I was worried that GP would cause low production games, live service only games, games filled with MTX and DLC, devs would be fired, wouldn't push the industry forward, won't nurture developers, unfinished games and so on and so forth. I may have confused a couple of my concerns with other narratives, but none the less this looks interesting.

[Binarycode]

Tried the demo, not for me. It's old style with the if you get killed everything is back again. If you love Demon souls type affair or nioh it's your thing.

[Andrew336]

@binarycode No shit.