''Age of Wushu'' is a

free-to-play Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

action

MMORPG A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that combines aspects of a role-playing video game and a massively multiplayer online game. As in role-playing games (RPGs), the player assumes the role of a Player charac ...

, created by independent developers and procured by Chinese company

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. The game revolves around the

wuxia ( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...

-inspired lore surrounding martial arts and adventures in Ming dynasty China. The European version, ''Age of Wulin'', which had been published by Webzen, closed in July 2017, with players being given the option of transferring to a new European server established as part of Age of Wushu, the version of the game published by Snail USA.

Gameplay

Players initially select one of eight factions, and then develop their characters, learn new skills, and engage in

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and PvP content. The game does not feature a class system, but allows players to join one of eight player factions, or schools: Shaolin, Wudang,

Emei Mount Emei (; ), alternately Mount Omei, is a mountain in Sichuan Province, China, and is the highest of the Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains of China. Mount Emei sits at the western rim of the Sichuan Basin. The mountains west of it are know ...

, Beggars' Gang, Tang Clan, Scholars' Academy, Royal Guard and Wanderers' Valley. The only restricted skills are the internal skills of each school. This means if a player leaves their faction, or school, the player loses the ability to use that school's internal skill. Quests and many other activities, including gathering, crafting and combat, give experience points which are converted into "cultivation" points used to upgrade fighting skills. Elements of the game include solo and party dungeons, an equipment system, crafting and professions, a housing system, and mounts. The attributes of Chivalry and Guilt determine the player's reputation and alignment in the Jianghu System.

Combat

The in-game combat contains actual martial arts as well as superhuman abilities and elements from Chinese legendary stories such as those depicted in films like ''

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' is a 2000 wuxia film directed by Ang Lee and written for the screen by Wang Hui-ling, James Schamus, and Tsai Kuo-jung . The film features a cast of actors of Chinese people, Chinese ethnicity, including Ch ...

'' and '' Hero''. There are no classes or level restrictions. Instead the game uses a skill-based system in which the player has to learn new abilities and talents in order to progress. Combat depends on skill proficiency rather than any assigned numerical value. There are three types of skills, akin to the Rock paper scissors game: Overt (damage skills), Feint (defense-breaking skills), and Block (blocks incoming damage). There are also assorted skills outside of these categories. Utilizing skills consumes ''Energy'', the equivalent of a Mana pool.

Factions

Instead of a school, players may instead choose a faction. Factions were released in the Tempest of Strife expansion. Secret Factions: Peach Blossom Island, Shifting Flowers Palace, Rootless Clan Jianghu Factions: Golden Needle Shen Family, Xu Family Village, Beast Villa

Development

The original Chinese version, named 九阴真经 () began beta testing in 2009 and was commercially launched in 2012. Over the next few years, the game was launched in more regions with different names: North America (Age of Wushu), Europe (Age of Wulin), Russia (Legends of Kung Fu), Thailand (9Yin) and Southeast Asia (Age Of Kung Fu). On 6 January 2016, the mobile version Age of Wushu Dynasty was launched for both iOS and Android. Beta testing for ''

Age of Wushu 2 Age or AGE may refer to: Time and its effects * Age, the amount of time someone or something has been alive or has existed ** East Asian age reckoning, an Asian system of marking age starting at 1 * Ageing or aging, the process of becoming older ...

'' began in 2017.

Gameplay

Combat

Factions

Development

References

External links