Introducing Where Winds Meet
If you like a game with satisfying and snappy combat, combined with open world exploration and you are a fan of martial arts and old kung-fu movies, then this might be the game for you. Think if the game Sekiro met the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In Where Winds Meet (WWM), you can fly through the skies, fight challenging bosses and fight bears with your Tai chi, while also collecting treasure and playing mahjong with other players when you are not out in the world being a hero or a menace to society.
Combat
Like other action-oriented games like Sekiro, Black Myth: Wukong or Elden ring, Where Winds Meet offers an action-heavy experience, where you are required to either dodge, block or parry enemies’ abilities during combat. However, where WWM differs from the games mentioned above, is that you can choose to play on the difficulty you want, meaning if you are someone that doesn’t enjoy spending hours on one boss or are someone that enjoys world exploration rather than fighting tough enemies, you can opt to play on a difficulty that is adequate to you.
Additionally, you can choose from a variety of playstyles for your character thanks to the different weapons available for players. You can play as a close-combat melee character by using a sword, a spear or a rope dart. Or maybe you want to be a ranged fighter, using a fan or an umbrella. Each weapon has a unique playstyle and sets of skills, alongside having one or more variants of the same weapons, i.e. dual-wielding swords, heavier spears or a fan that heals allies rather than damaging the enemy. There are no restrictions on the weapons you can use, you can switch them as you go, experimenting until you find something that suits your preferred playstyle.
Exploration
The world of Where Winds meet is large and vast. The game has 2 regions, one named ‘Qinghe’, the smaller region of the 2, and ‘Kaifeng’, the larger region. The player can explore the map of the game freely; there are very few restrictions on what the player can do and where they can go. For instance, you can ride your horse across the planes and even fly if you have unlocked the martial arts skills that allow you to do so.
Like other open-world games, there is a full list of activities for players to engage with. You will find your typical set of quests RPGs usually offer, help or kill people, collect materials, etc. However, where WWM differ is the honor system part of this world. The players actions like helping the local NPCs by healing the sick or stopping thieves, as opposed to stealing and killing innocence people may affect your character’s reputation. Your reputation will influence your access to quests, if you are attacked by others or thrown in jail, depending on your past deeds. If questing, killing and pillaging is not your cup of tea, you can go around collecting treasure scattered around the world, or even engaging in debate matches with NPCs. Maybe you are in a more chill mood, you can go around looking for a local cat and give them a pet, rewarding you with a currency called ‘bell’, which you can then exchange for items at the ‘Meow Meow shop’.
Online and Co-op
Where Winds Meet can be played in 3 different ways when considering the number of players in a game session. You can either play in solo mode, join friends for co-op activities or you can join the online world of WWM. You can choose to play the game however you prefer; the content you are doing is adjusted to the number of players present. Some activities require you to go into online mode, as they require player-to-player interaction, but they are not part of the main gameplay loop. For example, there are ways to play mahjong against AI, but you can also join an online table and play against other players.
Monetization
The game itself is free to play. There is no progression gated behind a paywall or pay-to-win elements. The game does however have your usual battle passes, monthly plans or gambling-like mechanics that you can pay for a chance to get cosmetic skin for your clothes or for your horse. The game does shower you with free stuff by having you interact with one of the hundreds of menus in this game. Each menu usually provides the player with free crafting materials, sometimes cosmetics for your characters or a ticket to one of their lottery systems.
Conclusion and final remarks
Where Winds Meet does not shy away from blending existing ideas found in other games and adding their own twist to it, the game executes what they offer very well. Combat is fast and snappy, the world doesn’t feel empty as there are interesting side objectives to do, amazing landscapes to explore or multiplayer content to engage with. My main annoyance with the game is the amount of menus I have to click to claim the free rewards you are constantly receiving as you play through the game. That is something I’m willing to live with in exchange for an amazing experience in what I would consider a under explored combination of game genres, an open-world action-roleplaying game set in ancient China. Now if you excuse me, I have a mahjong match I must attend to.
About the Game
Where Winds Meet (WWM) is a game set in Ancient China, where players assume the role of a young martial artist, where they embark on a journey to discover who they are.
Publisher: NetEase Games
Developers: Everstone Studio
Platforms: Android, iOS, Steam, Epic Games and PlayStation 5
Release Date: 14th of November 2025
Genres: Action-roleplaying, RPG, MMORPG, Wuxia, Martial Arts
PEGI: 12