Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyis an original game from Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja but it is also a spiritual successor as well. This is not their first Soulslike either, as they also madeNiohalong withStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Also,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastyborrows heavily fromDynasty Warriorsas far as Chinese lore is concerned.
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Will Team Ninja and Koei Tecmo try their hand at a direct sequel for this game? Maybe they will want to try outNioh 3,Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin 2,or perhaps another new original IP first. For the sake of this discussion though, let’s imagineWo Long: Fallen Dynastywill get a sequel next and what that sequel might look like.
1Add Difficulty Modes
Difficulty modes are seemingly at the top of many wishlists for Soulslikes. Players may see all this cool stuff inDark Souls, orElden Ringbut get let down when they can’t join in because things can get too brutal. The gatekeeping needs to go, and toWo Long: Fallen Dynasty’scredit, it is an accessible entry into the genre.
It could always do more though.Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins, Team Ninja’s previous Soulslike experience, did add difficulty modes, so if it was good enough forFinal Fantasy, then it should be good enough for an original game likeWo Long: Fallen Dynasty, or its theoretical sequel.
2Make It An Open-World
Elden Ringset a new standard for Soulslikes. FromSoftware went from an interconnected Metroidvania-like set of worlds inDark Soulsto an open world inElden Ringand it was revolutionary. Soulslike clones are definitely going to be chasing that specific dragon for a while and hopefully,Wo Long: Fallen Dynastywill follow suit quickly.
Imagine running around the battle-torn landscapes of China on horseback, tigers, or other mounts. Team Ninja would do well not to make an exact copy ofElden Ringthough. Maybe they could create two or three open-world areas instead to be a tad more unique.
3Better AI Partners
The AI partners inWo Long: Fallen Dynastywere a huge help to players that can’t connect to online multiplayer. Players can eventually give each AI partners a boost in battle, but they cannot directly command them.
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Kingdom Heartswould be a good template for Team Ninja to follow as far as AI partners in action RPGs go. Players should be able to issue specific commands in the sequel like for Cao Cao to go on the offensive while Liu Bei hangs back and casts support magic. It would be nice if the AI was smarter overall and if partners could do more damage instead of being pawns to distract bosses.
4Voice Your Character
The character customization options inWo Long: Fallen Dynastyare some of the best in the genre. The one downside to this created character is that they don’t talk. Players can pick who to voice their character from several options, but all these voices amount to nothing but grunts.
It would be more engaging if the hero in theWo Long: Fallen Dynastysequel could have some direct agency in the plot by talking. Players should still be able to customize the looks though.Mass Effectfigured this out over a decade ago, soWo Long: Fallen Dynasty 2shouldn’t have a problem.
5More Multiplayer Integration
There are a lot of multiplayer upgrades needed in the sequel. One, while it is fun toplay co-op with friends inWo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the connections can sometimes be clunky. It would be interesting if the sequel added a HUB world to the game for all players to match into.
The Hidden Village would have been a perfect place to stage something like this. Other action RPGs have tried this such asMonster Hunter WorldandDestiny. Being able to interact outside of combat with people inWo Long: Fallen Dynastycould have been cool, but the sequel can hopefully explore this idea instead.
6Add A Separate Magic Meter
There are a lot of pros and cons tothe deflection system inWo Long: Fallen Dynasty. It is easier to use compared to other Soulslikes, but, weirdly, all moves are based on the same bar. Deflecting moves, dodging, using weapon arts, and using magic are all tied to the stamina gauge.
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The lack of an MP meter is the most tragic as it diminishes what is otherwise a cool magic system inWo Long: Fallen Dynasty. The thing is, players may not use magic because it depletes this meter that is better spent deflecting instead. Perhaps the sequel can add a separate magic meter.
7Access The Full Upgrade Suite At
Players will first unlock ways to buy items at checkpoints. Eventually, they will meet a blacksmith who has more items to buy. She also allows players tostore and upgrade items inWo Long: Fallen Dynastytoo, on top of other mechanics later.
After she is unlocked, that should replace the store at checkpoints. Why players have to travel back and forth between the Hidden Village and their mission is beyond anyone’s guess. This should not be so in the sequel as checkpoints should offer the full store experience.
8More Ways To Heal
Demon’s Soulsopened the gaming world up to the idea of hard, but rewarding action RPGs. It was similar to a roguelike, but it was so much more. FromSoftware built upon what they started there to makeDark Souls,Elden Ring, and so on. The one mechanic they did not revisit as much fromDemon’s Soulswas the disposable healing items.
There were tons of different herbs for players to find in the game, allowing players to go into boss fights with near-limitless ways to heal which helped balance things out. Can a sequel toWo Long: Fallen Dynastydo this as well?The refillable Dragon’s Cure Pot inWo Long: Fallen Dynastyis great, but more ways to heal would be even better, especially for those that struggle with Soulslikes.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynastywas released on July 27, 2025, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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