Whether you’re a newbie or a genre veteran, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is likely to test your mettle with its risk/reward exploration and punishing boss battles. There’s a lot to keep up with in Team Ninja’s newest Soulslike entry, and it can seem a little overwhelming when you first dive in–especially since many of the game’s mechanics put unique spins on those of similar titles. But we’ve compiled a few handy tips here that we hope will give you some insight into how to approach Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty’s opening hours.
Aggression is rewarded
Wo Long’s spirit system greatly rewards your aggression–at least when that aggression is doled out appropriately. Your standard attacks and well-timed deflects raise your spirit (stamina), which you can then spend on Martial Arts or heavy attacks for significant damage to your enemy’s HP and spirit. If you spend too much time blocking or dodging and not enough time dishing out those standard attacks, you’ll quickly find that your own spirit gets broken, leaving you stunned and vulnerable as a result. In short, make sure you’re maintaining your spirit by staying on top of foes with attacks and deflecting their swings when possible.
There aren’t many barriers to experimentation early on
Wo Long is one of the genre’s least punishing games in terms of experimentation, especially in the opening hours. After completing the first handful of missions in the game, you gain access to an NPC in the village hub that allows you to respec your character’s stats at no cost anytime you’d like. Meanwhile, you won’t necessarily need to invest heavily in weapon and armor upgrades until much later in the game.
