A Soulslike game that sings praises for the Wuxia genre. Although there are problems when it comes to the game's optimization, its story, as well as its gameplay, brings a lot of good things to the table. Is this enough to get high grades? Or is the optimization problems enough to drag it down? Here's what critics have to say about Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty in their reviews and scores.

Wo Long Fallen Dynasty Review Scores: 80-82 on Metacritic

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo's new IP. It is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S. Players can also try the game out through the demo, with the player's progress carrying over to the full game should they decide to buy it.

Metacritic aggregated reviews for all of the platforms that the game is on. As of this article, there are 88 total scored reviews for the game, 52 of which review the game's PlayStation 5 release, which has an aggregated score of 81. The Xbox Series X version of the game got an aggregated score of 80, while the PC version received an 82.

Gaming Trend gave the game a perfect score of 100, with the reviewer calling Wo Long a “near flawless game”, which they hope is “just an intro to this fantastic world.” They praised Team Ninja for crafting the game that “takes the basic structure of Nioh and other Souls-likes and creates their own unique, rewarding, and brutally challenging experience.” They were constantly surprised by the game's locations, boss fights, and “sheer ambition.”

Digitally Downloaded also gave the game a perfect score. The reviewer called the game a “really majestic epic, and a stunning new interpretation of a book that has already been interpreted so many times in video games.” Its compelling story, as well as it being “one of the fastest and most entertaining takes on Soulslike combat”, lends to this perfect score.

Hardcore Gamer gave it a slightly lower 90. The reviewer focused quite a bit on the game's gameplay. They admitted that the difficulty of the game is high, even saying it seemed “insurmountable at first.” However, they said that it wasn't unfair, and was rewarding for players who took the time to learn. From the enemy's attack patterns to the player's own skills. The game properly rewards those who take their time. Alongside the gameplay, they also praised the game's artistic design. According to them, “this isn’t the Three Kingdoms setting we were expecting, but it is the Three Kingdoms game we needed.”

Twinfinite also gave the game a score of 90, calling the game the “newest and most polished Soulslike to come out in a while.” The reviewer praised its “blend of combat, RPG elements, platforming, and a much more serious and interesting narrative”.  They also said that the game had “some small AI hiccups”, and that it had some questionable design choices. However, it didn't dampen their love for the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which the game is based on.

Pure Xbox scored it at 80, calling it a “solid Soulslike experience.”  They enjoyed how the game “serves up top-notch combat in a hugely atmospheric setting which incorporates real-life historical events, Chinese mythology and dark fantasy elements.” The reviewer also praised the game's battle system, particularly its “deflections, ripostes and screen-shaking fatal attacks”, as well as the game's morale and recruitment system. They did, however, mention that the game's narrative “isn't particularly cohesive”, and that some missions felt toon short. However, they overall recommend the game, saying it was “Team Ninja's finest soulslike experience to date.”

Digital Trends, who gave the game a score of 80, said that the game “lands in a happy medium for the Soulslike genre.” The reviewer mentioned that it had enough to stand out from the typical FromSoftware game, but just enough to be familiar with veterans of similar games. While the game wasn't groundbreaking, its difficulty and the satisfaction players get from overcoming obstacles “still make for a fun (and frustrating) experience.” They also said that the game's usage of Chinese mythology sets it apart from other games in the market.

Dexerto, on the other hand, gave the game a score of 60. The reviewer brought up that the game had “interesting new ideas and a stunning new setting.” However, for them, the game failed to “live up to the brilliance of Nioh and Nioh 2.” They said that although Team Ninja made an effort into developing the game's mechanics, specifically the spirit and deflection system,  they lost track of what makes games in this genre fun. They commented that it felt like  Wo Long was only for the “most committed” and those who are “hardcore fans of the genre.”

Is Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty worth it?

If you are someone who loves Soulslike games and is trying to get a fix of difficulty before the new Elden Ring DLC drops, then Wo Long might be for you. The game's difficulty, partnered with its not-so-traditional story (for games in the genre), make it a delight to play. However, it is still pretty difficult and can take some serious time to get used to. Despite this, it is still pretty rewarding, and something that fans of the genre can definitely enjoy.

That's all for the Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty reviews and scores. For more gaming news from us, you can check out our gaming news articles.