I‘m happy to say that the first part of Where Winds Meet’s ambitious Hexi expansion is quite enjoyable as a whole. It makes changes to the base game’s formula that click almost instantaneously, each of them being meaningful enough to make them stand out. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t areas that need improvement, but we’re quite hopeful that the final build is going to iron them out for the most part.
If you’ve not been paying attention to Everstone’s wuxia-based action-RPG since its release last year, or perhaps dropped off after spending a few dozen hours in it, you might find that now is a great time to dive back in. The Jade Gate Pass, the expansion’s first major area, is going to keep you entertained for a while, and might even have you playing more of the base game if you found yourself moving on to other titles last year.
But what makes it so compelling as a new addition to a game that was already quite large to begin with? How did it manage to grab my attention and hold it for the entirety of my time with it, well, most of it anyway? What do I think about all of the new stuff that’s been brought to the table in what the developers are calling the biggest expansion since the game’s launch?
I’m here to give you answers to all of that and more, and help you decide if you’re going to be tracing a path through the first region’s expansive deserts in the hope of experiencing the Tang Dynasty, the period of time that the expansion takes you back to. Let’s dive in.
Let’s start with the new map and what exploring it entails. The base game had this specific focus on cinematic presentation thanks to its rich colors and great art style, and this continues in the expansion. The desert brings a sort of ethereal beauty to its sand dunes and expansive vistas. Crumbling ruins pepper the landscapes, acting as melancholic indicators of a once thriving land, whilst also doubling as landmarks for you as you explore it.
And explore it you will, as there’s quite a bit to do and discover among the sands that sweep across your feet, the winds gently guiding them along their path just as you resolutely take one of your own while trying not to get distracted. I’d say that there’s quite a bit of density as far as the things you get to do in the desert are concerned, but it’s not on the level of the base game, where it often felt impossible to go from point A to B without getting distracted frequently. If you find that overwhelming, the Jade Gate Pass might appeal to you, but if you like those distractions, the new map might leave you wanting for more.
"I’d say that there’s quite a bit of density as far as the things you get to do in the desert are concerned, but it’s not on the level of the base game."
But irrespective of your approach to exploring it, you’re going to find yourself stopping to admire the sights quite often. Its soundscapes, its moon-themed motif, and the day-night effects are all so immersive they border on spellbinding. I can’t help but wonder what the next two maps have in store on the visual front, and if the developers have deliberately made this one marginally less dense owing to the desert theme, preferring to ease you into what the expansion is trying to do before laying it all down in the next two chapters.
It’s a feeling that kept gnawing at me as I experienced the story on offer in this one. It starts off quite slowly to the point of feeling like it was dragging its feet a little before it picked up the pace as I reached new places. The tone feels a little too serious compared to the base game, but perhaps that’s intentional, given that you’re looking at the Tang Dynasty through the eyes of the people who witnessed its rise and decline.
I couldn’t help but feel like the writing and voice acting have taken a hit when I compare them to what was on offer in the base game, but it’s still quite serviceable and didn’t deter me from trying to explore almost every nook and cranny of the desert. Thankfully, getting to those places was a whole lot of fun thanks to the new traversal mechanics that the game has introduced.
The Sand Chaser mechanic is the first new way to get around, and I found it to be a lot of fun. It’s a really cool way of just tearing across the vast sands of the Jade Gate Pass while it controls very well, making me feel like my newfound speed didn’t come at the cost of precision in my movements.
"Both Sand Chaser and Cosmic Reversal are great additions to the game, but I’d say that they don’t necessarily make exploration smarter as much as I’d have liked them to"
There’s also the new Cosmic Reversal mechanic, which allows you to reverse time to repair pathways in ruins, or interact with specific items, to create opportunities to reach new areas. I found it to be a decent way to introduce puzzles into the mix, and some of them were well designed and enough to have me reaching for my thinking cap as I stared at my screen trying to piece together a solution. You might find a few of them a tad repetitive, but I’d say it comes with the territory in an expansion that’s as large as this one.
Both Sand Chaser and Cosmic Reversal are great additions to the game, but I’d say that they don’t necessarily make exploration smarter as much as I’d have liked them to. I found them to be decent mechanics instead of something that can drastically change the gameplay experience. However, they do make getting around the world a lot flashier in a way that feels true to Where Winds Meet’s wuxia-induced inspirations, allowing for some very stylish moves once you get the hang of using them in tandem.
Of course, exploring such a vast swathe of the desert is bound to come with a lot of danger in your path, and you’re given two new martial arts to use. The Umbrella gets the new Spring Dreamscape style, and believe me when I tell you that it feels like poetry in motion. Your combos almost feel endless, limited only by how creatively you use all of the new moves at your disposal in a blend of agility and crown control that saw me through most of the expansion.
Of course, the Rope Dart’s Fleeting Clouds style is not far behind, with its AoE and DPS potential making it perfect for both crowds of enemies and one-on-one encounters. I did find its targeting to be a little off, but I’d recommend checking it out in the final release build once those issues are properly addressed.
Minor issues aside, both new styles were quite effective at dealing with all the new enemies I encountered as I explored the new maps. They come at you with varying approaches, each requiring that you take the time to familiarize yourself with any new moves you unlock, while paying attention to their animations to figure out when you need to attack or defend.
"The Wandering Ark deserves a special mention as it’s among the coolest boss designs I’ve seen in a while."
That’s especially true of the bosses, with Guo Xin being an absolute monster to deal with when I first took him on. I’d recommend brushing up on your deflections to get through phase one of your battle against him, as you’re going to want to preserve your healing supplies for the second half of the fight, where he begins to truly showcase why his reputation is as fearsome as it is.
The Wandering Ark deserves a special mention as it’s among the coolest boss designs I’ve seen in a while. It wanders the desert, sustaining a brutal offensive against any that dare try and get too close. You’re challenged with picking the best places to take it on so you can get some damage into its weak spots, whilst having enough cover at hand to get defensive when it tries to hit back. It’s a fight where your brains matter as much as your brawn.
Aside from the main story and bosses, there are side quests that are as good as they were in the base game. You’re going to have a great time chasing down the little stories they take you through, and the quality is top-notch. I wish I could say the same about the expansion’s stability, but that sadly isn’t the case. It’s way more buggy than the base game when it was first launched, and I even encountered a game-breaking bug that halted my story progression. Yes, it does have its problems, but they seem solvable with a good patch or two.
"Hexi gets a lot of things right, and they’re ones that matter to an entertaining gameplay loop."
Overall, I think Hexi is off to a solid start with its first chapter, marking the beginning of a slew of content coming to Where Winds Meet over the next few months. It has me eager to see what the next two chapters are bringing to the table, the Heng Blade being an addition that I’m itching to try out.
Would I recommend you jump right in? I’d say yes, for the most part. If you enjoyed the base game, quirks and all, this one’s going to be a treat. But if you found yourself dropping off after a few hours or days, this one might have you feeling exactly the same. However, it’s still worth checking out if only to see what’s changed if you belong to that camp. Hexi gets a lot of things right, and they’re ones that matter to an entertaining gameplay loop. It’s more Where Winds Meet with enough to set it apart from the base game to make it an engaging experience all on its own.
This game was experienced on PC.
