The developers from Team Ninja discuss the differences between theNiohfranchise and its upcoming release,Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The studio has worked on quite a number of action games, such as the classicNinja Gaidenseries, among others. The studio’s foray into theaction RPG genre modeled after the Soulslike formatwithNiohhowever was a critical and sales success, with the studio going on to develop more games in the same genre likeNioh’s sequel andStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
Earlier this year,Team Ninja announcedWo Long: Fallen Dynastyas a new IP, mixing the gameplay ofNiohwith the mythology and themes of China’s Three Kingdoms period. This game’s combat has been compared to FromSoftware’sSekiro: Shadows Die Twice, due to the speed and fluidity the game presents in comparison to previous games. In an interview with wccftech,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyproducers Fumihiko Yasuda and Masaaki Yamagiwa discussed the differences betweenNiohandWo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
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The first difference betweenNiohandWo Long: Fallen Dynastythat was discussed was the usage of a player-created character as opposed to William Adams. The developers state that this came about fromNioh 2’s create-a-character fighting famous warlords and commanders of Japanese history, withFallen Dynastyfollowing the same idea. Another difference is the game’s deflection techniques, where the choice to be offensive or defensive is in the player’s hands, emphasized by the Spirit Gauge mechanic.
The other difference is the game’s take on the loot system, where things are more streamlined in comparison toNioh. The developers note this givesWo Long: Fallen Dynastya bigger pickup and play appeal, especially considering it’s a new IP. The otherdifference betweenNiohandFallen Dynastyis the latter’s structure, while it retains the same mission-based progression, it will be more open, rewarding players that decide to explore these stages.
Other things mentioned in the interview include Team Ninja’s other upcoming action RPG,Rise of the Ronin, which will be a “proper” open-world experience with features that embody the abilities of a ninja. The producers were also asked about the Nioh series' future, wondering if there were any plans for another entry. They noted that a lot of fans were looking forward to seeing a new entry developed in the future, but for the time being it’s uncertain.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynastywill release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on May 26, 2025.
