Yesterday was the first day I did not play Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (Team Ninja) since I first tried it out. Ian has said that the big boss of this level is pertty interesting and something he had never seen before, but that means finishing the level. Which I have absolutely no desire to do.
This level was the nadir of the game (so far). I mentioned several reasons why this was true in the last post. I will add to that in this post, but, honestly, I’m pretty much done with the game. Ian has told me that the boss of this level is something he’d never seen before, so I might push through, but, it’ll be with my teeth gritted.
Side note: Speaking of teeth, I had two temporary crowns and a bridge put in on Monday. It was supposed to take 90 minutes (including breaks). I have a tiny mouth. Tiny. Even the kid’s jaw opener block thing was hard to fit into my mouth. I was not looking forward to this appointment at all. My dentist had to build up the two teeth that needed crowns (wihch means posts inside them) plus bridge them as they have one tooth between them. Each tooth on its own was not strong enough, therefore, the bridge.
I went in thinking it was going to be agony. The last time I had to have a root canal, I was in tears because of the mouth block thing. This time was 2 1/2 hours not including the breaks. We started at 2 p.m. and I walked out at 5 p.m. My jaw ached, but I did not cry at all! I consider that a success.
Anyway, back to Wo Long.
I spent two hours trying to get enough fortitude to take on the head evil mermaid. She was a 7. I would get up to 4 or 5 and then be killed by an exploding big porcupine. I cannot tell you how much I hate those big porcupine. I’ve said in the past that they remind me of the worst enemies in the 2nd DLC of Dark Souls II. Except these are totally different because they explode in fire! They’ne not made of ice. Get it??
I think my biggest complaint about this game (and believe me, I have many) is enemy placement. This is actually a problem with all Team Ninja games–they mistake enemies you can’t see jumping out at you as difficult. No, it doesn’t make the game hard (at least not in the sense they mean)–just unreaasonable. There was one giant porcupine that I still don’t know where it came at me from.
I’ve gone back and forth on the fortitude/morale system. I think it’s a solid concept, but, as always, the devil is in the details. Here’s my issue with how it’s implemented. One, Team Ninja loves to make it hard to get the marking flags and battle flags. I think there should be some challenge, yes, but in this level, it was fucking ridiculous. I found one marking flag, but there was another I could not figure out how to reach. I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to get to it, falling into the toxic pool of evil mermaids more than once. By the way. There is purple sludge on the ground, but it doesn’t seem to inflict any status effect. At least, nothing that caused a status bar to go up.
The problem with the morale system is that the worse you are at these game, the harder it is for you. This level flat-out did me in. As I mentioned in the last post, there aren’t many scrubs, which means almost all enemies were of a higher fortitude. I did not enjoy exploring this level at all because it’s a terrible level. Flat-out worst level I’ve seen in any of the Team Ninja games. Which is saying a lot. Having most of the battle flags and marking flags behind a locked door just sapped all the enjoyment out of this level.
Here’s the thing. For me, the disability issue is that my reflexes suck. And I have spatial issues. So having a bunch of enemise coming at me from out of nowhere at the same time is not a good time for me. In the video I posted above and in talking with Ian, one tip they both have is to remember you can block as well as deflect. The game is very big on deflection, so it’s easy to think you always have to deflect. Also, they are different buttons so I default to hitting B rather than LB when an enemy comes at me.
I was exhausted after the last time I played Wo Long. It was hours of doing the same thing over and over again without making any progress. And I mean none. Ok. That’s not true. I was able to lovel up once. I don’t quite get the money system in this game. Originally, I thought you lost all your money (in an enemy, a la Bloodborne) when you died. But then I noticed that wasn’t true .If you die to a boss, it eats half your money I think? With Aoye, when I went back to it, it had more than enough of my money in it to level up. Which I could not get until I killed it. Then I had so much money.
Another point in the video with which I heartily agree is that the item drop system is so bad in this game. You get a ton of loot. So much loot. But, I’m still using the hammer I got in the first level. Yes, the Dual Halberds came later, but everything else is stuff I got early. I change up my armor now and again, but I could stick to the first set I put on and be fine. Plus, like I said I don’t min-max, so I don’t care to read the description of each piece of loot I get.
I feel like there are some really solid ideas in this game, but they aren’t implemented well. Another criticism mentioned in the video was that all the magicks feel the same. He’s right. There’s nothing that really stands out other than the one that everyone mentions–Absorb Vitality. It’s an, ah, earth-based magic? When you or your ally hits an enemy, you get health back. It’s in the Wood Phase, by the way, not earth. Virtue is 3 (what we humans call levels). I have been carrying this since the beginning, and it’s the only one I cast with any regularity.
Apparently, the different elements cancel out each other, but I can’t be bothered to remember which cancels which. If I’m going to be honest, I can’t be bothered to leran much about anything in this game.
I hasten to add that I don’t think it’s a terrible game or even a bad one. I think it’s good overall. I just…don’t want to play it any longer. Team Ninja games are not my cuppa, and I think it’s time for me to just admit it out loud. I may still play it, but I’m not enthused about it.