To look for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty It seems like an oversimplification, like a Nioh enshrined in Chinese legends, but Team Ninja It’s not a very silly comparison. “Both games are action RPGs and have their roots in a historical setting interpreted in a fantasy key,” said the game’s producer. Fumihiko Yasuda when we interviewed him and the other producer, Masaaki YamagiwaAt Gamescom 2022. “The combination of story and fantasy is definitely what they have in common, but we like to think of Wo Long as an enhanced and refined version of Nioh with lots of additions and lots of improvements.”
Still, a closer look at this new action game from the writers of Ninja Gaiden’s impression, the verticality of maps, the emphasis on combat choreography and aggressive style bring these new spirits closer to the fast and relentless Sekiro. the game. Samurai of the Japanese studio. The ability to jump at any time allows Wo Long to climb structures, climb cliffs and jump off high ledges, giving the player more options to explore the environment. “Every scenario now has a more three-dimensional component, and you generally have a greater sense of control and maneuverability of the character, both during fights and when exploring the map,” explains Yasuda. It’s clear that Wo Long will be crazier than the latest Team Ninja productions, but the producer assures that the pace won’t be too fast: “Team Ninja has a great experience in fast-paced action games,” says Yasuda, “it will be Wo Long. Definitely from Nioh. will be faster, but will not be able to reach Ninja Gaiden levels”.
Among Chinese folklore and demons
If the game seems so fluid, fast, and acrobatic, it’s primarily because the inspiration came from the inspiration this time around, unlike the samurai of Nioh. chinese martial arts. “This is a core part of Wo Long’s experience,” explains Yamagiwa. “We included a few martial arts experts, discussed with them how the moves should be, and tried to watch as many videos as possible to keep the animations real.”
Equal importance was given to the medium, mainly derived from culture and environment. chinese folklore. This is the first game set Team Ninja has worked on in China, but certainly not for Koei Tecmo, who has been releasing games set in the Three Kingdoms era with series like Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Dynasty Warriors for decades. “For this, we actively involved the Chinese staff of Team Ninja and worked with people who knew these stories like the back of their hand,” explains Yasuda.
However, Wo Long’s story goes back to BC. Three KingdomsIn , the makers are keen to highlight how everything is revised in a dark fantasy key, and how many of the items represented are a personal, often original vision of the creative team. “All the bosses and creatures you see in the game are based on Chinese folklore and mythology, and more specifically Chinese demons,” says Yasuda. In the trailer, in addition to an imposing dragon, the protagonist appears to summon a firebird inspired by one of the Chinese constellations. “In Japanese we call it Suzaku, and that’s one of the connotations of the game. There are others. divine monsters can be called, and they are all based on creatures from Chinese mythology. “Some of these will be used in combat, while others will give the player special abilities.”
Moral system and character creation
At one point in the trailer, we see a cinematic sequence where the protagonist is riding on horseback, but the developers have confirmed that there will be no mounts during the adventure and the player will only have to walk on their legs. The conversation with the two producers was also about customizing the hero at the start and during the adventure. “As for that character creation Imagine an editor very similar to the one in Nioh 2, “says Yamagiwa.” Don’t expect the same amount of weapons and armor as in Nioh 2, but there will still be plenty of equipment to collect and use.”
A more traditional character development, a moral system affects the strength and abilities of both the player and the enemies. The makers explain that the character will have a rank, which can be increased by eliminating powerful enemies or capturing parts of the map. Raising your rank always gives you an advantage, and once you reach a certain level, you can also use special spells that the team calls Sorcery Spells. What makes this system interesting is that the enemies are also affected by the same dynamic and the balance of the game changes every time an important character (player or enemy) dies. “This system changes the player’s relationship to death and also influences the path one decides to take or the strategy of approaching enemies.”
While not going into too much detail, Team Ninja talks about a build that took nearly forty hours to complete the game from start to finish, which shouldn’t stray too far from their latest work in terms of the amount of content. Those who want to deepen the story can deepen the story with a series of secondary objectives, extra end-game content and, above all, multiplayer options that let you fight against other people or join your team to play together.
To get a more concrete idea of Wo Long’s combat system and level of challenge, we’ll have to wait a few weeks when Koei Tecmo will bring a playable demo of his new action to Tokyo Game Show 2022.
Source: Multiplayer
