Wo Long 2 Hands-On Preview — Full Breakdown & Transcript

[00:04] I've never played the original Wool Long. I know, I know. Dust off your pitchforks, light your torches. I have it coming in the same way that we all do. How could you, Will? You're an action game guy. Listen, I'm of the

[00:17] opinion that Team Ninja is one of the best to ever do it. Maybe even the best. But everybody's got blind spots. That's what I told myself as a giant spider thing with weird arms named Wugu, who I'm sure would have been easier if I'd

[00:29] played the original, smashed me into the ground for the eenth time. I was also coming into the fight cold. My demo had been split by an interview with producer Mazaku Hiyama and development producer Masaki Yamagiwa. Great for this preview,

[00:42] Ninja's games has always been that they ask you to believe you can make it to the next moment, that you can be perfect for just a few more seconds. You have to believe. and I did. But before we talk about the end, we have to talk about the

[00:56] beginning. My demo started with a simple objective. Retake the demonic island. character down the red cliffs, I was stunned by Woolong's beauty. Tinja's games have always had a distinct visual style. But if I wasn't marching off to

[01:09] take in [music] the view. Flowers swaying with the wind, a shadow cast by a wooden fence, a leaf carried gently to the ground by the breeze. Even the ships with their brilliant red sails of fire under the cliff and the glowing mountain

[01:22] like a severed fist were beautiful in their own way. But beauty isn't why I'm their own way. But beauty isn't why I'm here.

[01:35] pier open the chest for some of the loot Team Ninja has become famous infamous for over the years. Raise a flag for the future and morale. [music] arrow, I find my first foes. Regular soldiers. My gray iron dual

[01:50] [music] Make quick work of them. God, it's good to play an action game where weapons have move lists again.

[02:02] My character can duel with the best of them, but he can't swim. Across the water is where I find my favorite trick of the demo. launching a falls into the water, then jumping away at the last moment so I don't hit

[02:17] myself. Every game should have jump cancels. Wong 2 understands this. Yes. A couple of boats and deaths later, and I'm coming to grips with Wong 2's combat, it speed. And it is fast. Something Hiroyama and Yamagiwa

[02:30] emphasized when I spoke to them. With Wong 2, you'll notice a lot of speed, over-the-top element that was directly inspired by Chinese martial arts and films. But the battle system also emphasizes aggressive play. Performing

[02:43] attacks in a series will open up your options and give you more ways to press the attack. You can feel it immediately. By continuing to land hits, you build spend on martial [music] arts, special attacks unique to each of Wolong 2's 18

[02:57] weapons, or wizardry, bolts of lightning to electrocute the unprepared, [music] freezing your blade to take out enemies made of fire. It's in making the choices to play [music] defense that will long too shines. You could just block, I

[03:10] tools we are used to in the Souls Lake, and they are the weapons of cowards. But to limit the fun or prevent you from being aggressive on the attack and risking parries on defense. Transcendence comes in the moments you

[03:25] flashing red circle, enclosing its occupant like a halo, and rush into it for the deflect. Perhaps you will die. Perhaps you will be glorious. But unless you open yourself to failure, neither option can come to pass. Glory is only

[03:38] possible in vulnerability. No heroes were forged in safety in the conservative. I know what I would rather be. Could I? I wondered as I squared up against Hans Juan and his minions

[03:52] [music] win by knocking him into the drink. Why should I play fair? One air combo later and he was sinking to Davy Joneses. Brilliant. [screaming]

[04:06] attack massive foes with ballista from a distance. I send enemies to watery distance. I send enemies to watery graves. I have come to play and to win. wielding maces bigger than I am. Dodge through the arrows of archers foolish

[04:21] enough to hold their ground. I meet the heroes of the three kingdoms. Save their and to bring me back when I fall. Techmoi is no stranger to the three kingdom setting, something both Hiroyama and Yamagi joke about when I speak to

[04:34] them. But for Woolong 2, the team wanted to combine historical events with the dark element that defines Wolong. Creating an original character allowed them to do just that. [screaming] >> As I move deeper into the corruption,

[04:47] things get more intense. I fight beings made of fire and freeze my blade to dispatch them. I grapple with foes whose limbs are too long and who can kill me almost immediately. Sometimes I fight, sometimes [music] I run. Sometimes I

[04:59] manifest the presence of a divine beast, beautiful phoenix to aid me and it carries me through. I upgrade and rework my skills. I begin to understand and Woolong teaches me every step of the way largely through its UI. Whenever I have

[05:12] a question, I look at the options on screen and they often lead to answers. against Shiuan. I have little health and no healing items. I'm dead. I figure I'll die, respawn, and try again. But

[05:24] stayed aggressive, wiping out his mukes and then taking the [music] fight to enough to deflect his critical blows, the ones outlined in red. And somehow I did it. It was immensely satisfying. But

[05:36] I wasn't done. [screaming] interview later and I was facing off against Wugu again. I beat him for the

[05:50] spell that restored my health, the divine beast at my back, and a lot of trial and error and getting smacked into the turf by his weird tentacle arm. But the turf by his weird tentacle arm. But I believed, and eventually I did it.

[06:06] Woolong 2 has to offer. When I spoke to them, Hirogama and Yamagua emphasized the open field, a more strategic aspect that could have an impact on the enemy's squad, take it over, and have their leader join up with you as an ally. Or

[06:19] stock and lower their morale. Everything you do on the battlefield propels you important that Wo Long nail the strategic aspect of the Three Kingdoms, not just the action. [screaming] My brief time with Wolong 2 hasn't

[06:34] but it does give me something to look forward to. Still, I had one more question. One very dumb, very selfish question that anyone who has played a Gaiden or Rise of the Ronin, might have on their mind. and I needed an answer.

[06:48] Would Volong 2 have a weapon that featured in the Zuna drop? Kuryama and considered it, they told me, but it was a good idea, so who knows if it shows [screaming and groaning] Either way, Wong 2: Wings of Ember is

[07:03] that combines element of Team Ninja's action game expertise with the Three action game expertise with the Three Kingdoms per hint for strategy.

[07:15] aggressive [music] and chase perfection. That's what the best action games do. Will Wong 2 live up to that pedigree? That remains to be seen, but it right stuff. And if you can make it through the next few seconds, you can

[07:29] through the next few seconds, you can make [music] it through anything. hand-on looks at Phantom Blade Zero and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

[07:41] remake. And for everything else in the world of video games, stick with IGN.