Thanks to Koei Tecmo for the invitation, we got early access to the DEMO of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky. The scale of this trial DEMO far exceeded expectations. The entire playthrough easily surpassed 5 hours, showcasing the game systems quite comprehensively. The content was so rich that I briefly had the illusion that I could write a full review.
From the series of works released by Team NINJA in recent years, we can easily discern two patterns:
First, Team NINJA is not a conventional development team. They always come up with great ideas during sequel production, showing off the pride of veteran action game craftsmen.
Secondly, the breakthroughs and creativity displayed by Team NINJA in sequel production often extend beyond a single title.
Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky unsurprisingly demonstrates these two patterns. You can see shadows of many famous Team NINJA works in this title. After blending the characteristics of these works, this game is significantly more interesting than the first installment, both in terms of exploration and combat experience.
One of the changes in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky is the shift from the original small box-level stage format to a combination of open world and small box levels. Much like Nioh 3 relative to Nioh 2, this change significantly affects the map exploration experience of this game. Both in terms of exploration drive and route selection, this game offers new gameplay modes.
This trial opens part of the "Changban Slope" map, set before the famous "Battle of Changban." Players must rescue civilians and trapped Liu Bei soldiers in this area while clearing Cao army strongholds. Similar to the previous game, incorporating the excellent traditions of the parent company's Dynasty Warriors series, Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky still combines army formation gameplay, introducing "Morale" into map exploration.
The difference is that the "Morale" system in this game has undergone significant adjustments compared to the first installment, with much heavier RPG attributes and a greater impact on the player's route choices.
In the previous game, "Morale" was a value that fluctuated based on the player's combat actions and the number of flags planted—the higher your side's "Morale," the stronger your combat power. However, within a stage area, the fluctuation range of this value was limited. It was more like a buff; the more favorable exploration actions the player took, the stronger this buff became.
However, in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky, "Morale" is not just a buff; it is also tied to the player's level. On the world map, the player's morale is influenced by both map completion and their own level. For every level the character gains, their "Base Morale" increases by one level. Additionally, players can gain extra "Morale" level floors and caps by clearing strongholds and planting flags.
At the same time, enemies at different strongholds on the map will have clear "Morale" level ranges, presenting distinct gradient differences. The "Morale" level gap between field enemies thus becomes a difficulty lock in this game, distinguishing different difficulty areas for players—if your "Morale" is only 7, it's best to turn and run when you see a monster with "Morale" level 16.
Besides strongholds, there are also slightly larger, more three-dimensional "box levels" on the map, similar to dungeons in Elden Ring. The experience in these levels is more akin to the previous game, with more logical enemy placement, more interesting exploration, and more challenging bosses at the end. It is worth mentioning that only in these levels do small flags appear, which did not provide rest functions in the previous game. Apart from serving as collectibles, they also reduce the "Morale" of enemies within the level, effectively lowering the difficulty.
This open-world design is clearly a combination of "Ubisoft-style formula" and Elden Ring. However, judging from the mixed quality of box-level designs in the previous game, this "formulaic" design actually provides a safety net for the average exploration experience in the DEMO. Since Team NINJA players have always cared more about "combat satisfaction," this change featuring clearly marked combat points and dense combat experiences might well be considered an improvement.
However, although the open world of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky shows a clear trend toward "formulaic" design, it doesn't feel boring due to the presence of some small design elements.
Like Nioh 3, this game adds plenty of exploration content, making the open map full of feedback. In addition to the inverted-color panda "Nie Tie Beast" from the previous game, this installment introduces various field events such as "Golden Nie Tie," "Feng Li," and "White Crow." Among them, "Feng Li" is a squirrel with a lion dance head on its tail, rivaling the cuteness of the "Kodama" from the Nioh series, making it another masterpiece mascot from Team NINJA.
Additionally, player interactions with NPCs are richer in this game. Besides daily conversations, players often encounter NPCs who issue quests during exploration. They might also learn new map information from field NPCs, triggering new map events, such as finding new field bosses or obtaining new treasures. For example: while exploring a Cao army camp, if the player obtains information in advance, they might find a spy from Liu Bei's army on the second floor of a building, gaining a new companion general.
Bonding with generals is more useful in this game than in the previous one. Players can not only fight alongside generals but also gain additional buffs by dispatching generals to garrison camps after clearing strongholds. The more generals garrisoned, the stronger the buffs players receive on that map. Configuring generals with different traits also yields different buffs.
In summary, the shift to an open world represents a clear improvement in exploration experience for Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky. Players are no longer constrained by the complex terrain of individual stages, allowing them to roam on a larger stage. They can also derive ample exploration joy from rich collectibles, map events, and NPC interactions. Furthermore, perhaps because the "demonization" level isn't deep enough yet, the "Changban Slope" area featured in this demo has a rather "refreshing" visual style, lacking the intense "red and green" visual impact seen elsewhere, effectively boosting the demo's eye-comfort and exploration enjoyment indices.
Having discussed exploration, let's talk about combat. The changes here are quite fragmented and complex. It's not like the map change, which served you a completely new dish; rather, it's more like adjusting the recipe based on the original system and adding many new ingredients. As for the experience after these changes... to be honest, although I played for several hours, I still haven't fully grasped the complete flavor. I can't tell you if this is another huge leap "from Nioh to Nioh 2." Fortunately, this is a preview report, so I can just tell you what's different.
The most significant change in the combat system of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky is exactly as seen in the initial reveal trailer—Chinese characters can fly. "Focus Jump," as a newly added system, expands the Z-axis combat of this game.
In the previous game, aerial actions mostly served as visual effects. Players who spent most of their time on the ground suffered greatly against bosses like "Demonized Liu Bei" who flew around in the air. However, in this game, players can not only use "Focus Jump" to counter specific red-light attacks but also perform aerial combos through a series of actions. Not only do the player's basic attack actions and martial arts techniques have aerial properties, but many of the player's offensive miracles can also help extend aerial time. For example, with "Heavenly Thunder Technique," as long as you have enough Spirit resources, you can stay in the sky discharging lightning indefinitely.
Not only that, as the DEMO content unfolds, the presence of "aerial combat" becomes even more pronounced. Perhaps influenced by the ninja aerial combat style in Nioh 3, Team NINJA has incorporated a significant amount of "aerial combat" related content into the combat system of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky—basic compatible actions are just one aspect; in addition to those mentioned above, there are also corresponding martial arts techniques and equipment affixes.
The addition of "aerial combat" content undoubtedly means that the dimensions of combat interaction in this game have been further expanded. Simply put, there are more "ways" to fight, and fewer instances of enemies shouting "Why won't you come down!"
This is also the most intuitive feeling given by the combat system of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky—Team NINJA has given players more "ways" in this game.
The "Deflect" system in the previous game had a unique sense of satisfaction. As one of the cores of the entire action system, Team NINJA designed numerous actions and enemies around "Deflect." However, this focused design led to an imbalance in interaction. From Ninja Gaiden to Nioh, the action experience praised by players under Team NINJA has a strong "offensive" color. How to suppress enemies amidst various high-speed actions is a hot topic in the player community.
But the design of "Deflect" went against this from the start. No matter how satisfying the feedback of this design was, it couldn't escape its passive nature. As a result, many players' descriptions of the combat system in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty inevitably included terms like "Dog.exe training" and "traffic lights." These dissatisfactions ultimately stem from the lack of "options" in Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
Team NINJA may have realized this, so in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky, the "options" available to players have visibly increased. In addition to "Focus Jump," there are "Focus Deflect," "Focus Guard," "Running Deflect," and "Long-Range Execution." Facing different situations in combat, players in this game have more countermeasures and strategies against enemies.
Among these new options added by Team NINJA, the most interesting aspect lies in their reinforcement of the player's "active" side, specifically the choice of "C Moves"—this might be an echo of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.
Due to the shift to an open world, the progression system has undergone significant adjustments. The most critical change is that unlocking miracles and skills has become an exploration reward. During world exploration, players can obtain various skill points to unlock new basic actions, miracles, and martial arts techniques.
Perhaps to meet the demand for filling exploration content, martial arts techniques in this game are no longer limited to the few slots from the previous game but have been expanded into the entire action combo chain. Martial arts techniques are no longer bound to specific weapons; players can freely equip two from those they have learned. Additionally, players can customize "Heavy Attacks," "Forward Stick Heavy Attacks," and derivative attack actions following different light/heavy combos.
In the DEMO, there are 4 to 5 options each for martial arts techniques and heavy attack actions. However, judging from the overflowing resources during map exploration, this number is likely not the total. This means that Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky will have many more build options than the previous game, giving players many more "options" beyond just "Deflecting."
More "options" mean more room for proactivity. Team NINJA seems to have intentionally raised the "offensive performance" of players in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky, reducing reliance on the "Deflect" system. In addition to more heavy attack choices and martial arts builds, the addition of new weapons and adjustments to the "Spirit" system further support this speculation.
Let's start with weapons.
The DEMO showcases two new weapons: the "Two-Section Staff" and the "Great Hammer," each with its unique system. For the "Two-Section Staff," hitting with the final part of a light attack extends the staff, increasing the player's attack range and damage. The "Great Hammer" is more special; each segment of its attack has a short "GP" window. If it collides with an enemy's attack at the moment of execution, it nullifies the enemy's attack and enhances its own attack effect.
Next is the "Spirit" system.
While increasing the number of active actions, this game also adjusts the "Spirit" resource cycle. In the previous game, heavy attacks were called "Spirit Attacks," which would deplete the player's "Spirit" in one go. However, in this game, "Heavy Attack" is just "Heavy Attack"; executing it does not consume "Spirit" but instead increases it.
This means that light/heavy attack combo derivatives will take center stage in this game. Player combat will be divided into three different phases: using light/heavy combos to initially suppress enemies while accumulating "Spirit," consuming "Spirit" to release martial arts techniques and miracles to further deplete the enemy's spirit bar, and utilizing actions like "Deflect," "Focus Deflect," and "Focus Jump" to counter enemy red-light attacks during this process.
This new cycle differs significantly from the previous game. Since heavy attacks no longer consume "Spirit," the "Spirit" resource can be used more centrally.
Whether it's the "GP" of the Great Hammer or the more durable "Spirit" bar, Everythinggj encourages players to "move more." The more and more accurately you move, the higher the benefits you can gain. This series of changes by Team NINJA aims to liberate the combat experience of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky from the passive "waiting for red lights," allowing both offense and defense to yield equal benefits.
This is also the part of the trial DEMO that is hardest to judge as good or bad.
In fact, looking at the content on paper, whether it's the expansion of aerial combat dimensions, the addition of more basic and attack actions, the "GP" of new weapons, or the establishment of a new resource cycle, these are all "good" changes. But in actual practice, within the combat system of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky, this trial DEMO makes it difficult to determine their true effects.
The "aerial combat" experience further raises the difficulty of operation and timing requirements. Meanwhile, the number of enemies compatible with "aerial combat" directly determines its practicality. Although there are many new enemies in the DEMO, it is still difficult to judge the final effect.
The more proactive adjustments to the action system point directly to a core issue in the combat system of Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky—after removing "Deflect," can players truly achieve suppression over enemies using light/heavy combos, martial arts techniques, and miracles, rather than just flashy output against a meat sack that constantly interrupts combos?
The changes to the combat system in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky are too intricate and far-reaching. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the true flavor of this dish in the DEMO tasting session.
But the good news is that regardless of the final taste, this series of changes in Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky is moving in a positive direction.
Shifting exploration gameplay toward an "open-world Ubisoft-style formula" is a good decision for Team NINJA to play to their strengths and avoid weaknesses. The content shown in the DEMO feels quite stable and smooth.
As for the action system, although the final effect is unclear, the "ceiling" is also unknown. All methods and tools available in the previous game are retained in this one. Even if you don't try the new stuff, the old stuff remains unchanged—and on this foundation, every new element you encounter broadens the fun of combat.
Team NINJA remains a studio well-versed in the "art of making sequels." The content added to Wo Long 2: Phoenix Fire Across the Sky largely pushes the work toward a more mature form. The content shown in the DEMO leaves hooks for the full release. If they truly reach the upper limits of their original design intent, this series will become another legend following "Nioh."