Is Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty on Xbox Game Pass?

Is Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty worth playing?

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As long as you're up for a serious challenge, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is absolutely worth checking out. It was developed by Team Ninja, the studio behind the fan-favorite Nioh series that featured calculated and methodical melee combat. Nioh and its sequel, Nioh 2, are a lot like the Dark Souls games in this regard, though as I explained in my full Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty review, the new title is a lot closer to FromSoftware's faster and more offense-focused Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Indeed, aggression is the name of the game in Wo Long, as the game's dynamic Spirit Gauge mechanic punishes you for turtling up by leaving you defenseless if you block too many strikes. You need to take advantage of every opportunity you get to go on offense and wear down your opponent's Spirit Gauge while raising your own, deflecting their own attacks with well-timed parries. The mechanics are tough to get used to, especially in the game's boss fights. Once you do, though, you'll fall in love with Wo Long's combat rhythm — especially since all the extra Spirit you build up while fighting can be used to perform powerful magic spells, useful weapon and character buffs, unblockable weapon combos called Martial Arts, and more.

Wo Long also has a unique Morale Rank mechanic that encourages players to explore, as in each of the game's missions, you can get a health and damage advantage over enemies by roaming the level, defeating enemies, and activating Battle and Marking Flag checkpoints. While you don't need to have a higher Morale than your opponents to defeat them, raising it is a great way to make things a little easier on yourself. Stealthy approaches are also very rewarding, as if you manage to sneak up on an enemy from behind or above, you can land a free critical hit that does tons of damage and lowers their Morale Rank.

Overall, this is one of Team Ninja's finest games, and it's one of the best Xbox games of 2023 so far, too. Don't miss out on it if you're a fan of Soulslike experiences.

What systems can you play Wo Long on?

The platforms you can use to play Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty vary depending on which tier of the Xbox Game Pass service you've subscribed to. If you have a standard Xbox Game Pass subscription, you can play the game on Xbox consoles. PC Game Pass owners, meanwhile, can enjoy the game on their Windows PC through the Xbox app.

Notably, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers have the most options available. This premium tier of Game Pass gives you access to both the Xbox and PC versions of Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and since the game supports Xbox Play Anywhere, your progress will carry over between platforms. With Ultimate, you could also opt to play with Xbox Cloud Gaming, though in high-speed action games like this, a native experience is generally preferable.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is available day one on every tier of Xbox Game Pass, a subscription service that provides access to countless games for a monthly payment. The Ultimate tier of the service includes Xbox Live Gold, EA Play, PC Game Pass, and access to Xbox Cloud Gaming.

See at: Microsoft | Amazon | GMG

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is Team Ninja's latest Soulslike, and may also be its best. Between its high-octane melee combat, stellar level design, and excellent presentation, it's a must-play for any fan of the genre. If you want to own it in the long term and don't plan on staying subscribed to Game Pass, consider picking up the game permamently.

See at: Microsoft | Steam (GMG)