Wandering Sword Critic Reviews

I loved every second of the 30+ hours I poured into Wandering Sword. In a year filled with so many critically acclaimed RPGs like Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Final Fantasy XVI, and Sea of Stars, I could easily see a smaller, PC-only release like Wandering Sword getting lost in the shuffle. That would be an absolute tragedy, as Wandering Sword delivered one of the best gaming experiences I’ve had all year. Yuwen Yi’s journey opened my eyes to the wuxia genre and the wonderful world of Chinese RPGs.

Wandering Sword is a phenomenal 2.5D game that provides tons of unique mechanics to its gameplay. Paired with the equally beautiful soundtracks, Wandering Sword's tile-based combat and exploration feel incredible and mesmerizing. Though lacking a bit in several areas, particularly its stiff combat animations, this game is a great package for those who enjoy ancient Chinese-based martial arts experience.

Wandering Sword is a journey into an ancient China to be explored from top to bottom, meeting wonderful characters and engaging in pitched battles in which tactics, party members and character build are crucial. Progression is quite fast-paced and debunks the cliché that would have Eastern games to be based on grinding. The main campaign is fairly linear, but there are enough side quests that provide variety to the adventure, meticulously narrated with plenty of text. The HD-2D graphics are particularly well-chosen in this genre of games and are another selling point.

In a time when absolutely massive blockbuster RPGs are sucking up all the oxygen in the room, Wandering Sword stands out as an amazing independent RPG that crushes every goal it sets out to achieve. Small issues aside, its easy to become besotted with its all-encompassing world; a huge recurring cast of fantastic characters blossom amongst a beautifully woven tale of loss, growth, strength, history and consequence. Wrap that up in moreish combat and wonderfully interlocking RPG systems, and it feels like a modern classic.

Wandering Sword offers an adventure through a Chinese-inspired land of mystical martial arts that is elevated by its aesthetics and setting while being backed up by an engaging tactical combat system. While it doesn’t do anything revolutionary, it will be worth the time invested for players attracted to the material.

Despite the game's struggles in localization, polish, and elsewhere, I decidedly enjoyed playing through Wandering Sword. The skill and progression systems are unique & captivating, the visual style is excellent, and it's an exceptionally cohesive game all around. If The Swordman Studio can polish up some of the lingering issues, this could be a real gem of an RPG.

While the RPG mechanics may feel like a crawl compared to similar RPGs, the world it presents players is rich and beautiful in every way. The characters Yin meets on this journey are all distinct from one another and a joy to interact with, regardless of if they're a ride or die companion or a random blacksmith that's incapable of understanding why his crush finds him a bit weird. While Wandering Sword is a wonderful game that may not resonate with everyone, it's a very easy recommendation to hardcore turn-based RPG fans that are looking for the next big adventure to dive in to.

Wandering Sword is a bit of a mixed bag that uses its brilliant presentation and vast player freedom to partially offset its dull storytelling, the lacking script translation, and dialogue structuring. Unfortunately, the pros weren’t enough to really stick the landing, as I had to force myself to get through a fair bit of the experience. The intrigue this cast and narrative carry doesn’t manage to reach anything meaningfully gripping or memorable, and that made much of this title an unfortunate slog. Still, it can be an addictive and enjoyable time for those who become compelled by its systems.

Mixing Octopath Traveler with chinese martial arts is a solid success.