Where Winds Meet Review
Where Winds Meet
Platform(s): PC (Steam and Epic Store), PS5, iOS, Android
Developer: Everstone Studio
Publisher: NetEase
Genre: Wuxia, MMORPG
Reviewer Rating: ★★★★★
Where Winds Meet launched worldwide on November 14, 2025, and players on PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile filled servers instantly.
I have waited years for this wuxia game. And I must say, it does not disappoint… much. From the gripping storytelling and incredible martial arts gameplay to wandering Jianghu and solving puzzles, WWM has something for everyone. From the moment you step into this world, you find yourself in a beautiful ancient landscape filled with history, culture, and plenty of adventure.
My First Impression
From the opening scene of Uncle Jiang fleeing assassins with baby me, I knew Everstone Studio wanted to prepare us for a chaotic journey. Character creation follows immediately after, and the creator is exceptionally detailed. But, like Sword of Justice, the darkest skin tones are limited. In this game the darker tones lack warmth and do not look particularly good.
Despite that, it took only a few minutes of gameplay for me to be hooked. I, along with many other players, can confidently say that Where Winds Meet is not only the best wuxia game of the year but also one of the best games of 2025 overall. It is certainly one of the best MMOs of 2025.
Combat System Feels Like Art
This is a martial arts game through and through, and I felt it every time I entered a fight. Combat relies on timing, movement, and smart positioning. You choose from a variety of weapons that shape your rhythm and playstyle:
Sword
Dual Blades
Fan
Umbrella
Spear
Rope Dart
Mo Blade (Longsword)
Each weapon is unique and comes with its own techniques, many of which you earn or uncover as you wander through Jianghu. Some abilities come from your chosen sect. Others appear as quest rewards. Some hide in remote ruins or forgotten temples. You may pick up a scroll that teaches a rare technique, shaping it into your own personal combat style. Every choice adds another layer to your build.
Some players complained about the camera movement when in combat. For me, it feels more immersive, as if controlling someone in a wuxia drama—as if I am the drama.
Sects Can Shape Your Journey
You can join one of eleven sects in Where Winds Meet or remain Sectless until you are ready. Each sect has its own purpose, benefits, and rewards. They also offer at least one ultimate ability that you can unlock in the world through exploration.
If you want to locate your sect’s ultimate, open the Menu, go to Sects, select your sect, open Ultimates, choose the one you want, then click Obtain to see its location.
Here is a quick breakdown of the currently known sects:
Well of Heaven: Comparable to Robin Hood. They follow their own code and use the Sword.
Silver Needle: Physicians whose motto is “A life for a price.” They always require payment. Weapon is the Fan.
Raging Tides: Military-founded and disliked by both the imperial court and Jianghu. Weapon is the Spear.
Midnight Blades: Focused on defeating wanderers to gain kharma. Feels ideal for PvP. They use Twin Blades.
Nine Mortal Ways: Masters of disguise and deception. Weapon is the Rope Dart.
Velvet Shade: A sect of spies known for beauty and charm. They use the Umbrella.
Lone Cloud: Street schemers and hustlers. Weapon is the Sword.
Hallow Vale: Masters of poison, puppetry, and gambling. They use the Umbrella.
The Masked Troupe: Not yet available to join, but you will have a few encounters with them.
Inkbound Order: Not yet available to join, but you will have a few encounters with them.
Mohist Hill: Not yet available to join.
You may leave a sect at any time using the Betray Your Master option. You must complete an exit trial and then you may join another sect. You do not lose abilities or appearances, but you lose all reputation with that sect. Choose wisely.
The Sect menu in Where Winds Meet
Explore More for Handsome Rewards
The map currently includes two regions, Qinghe and Kaifeng. Although there are only two regions, they are massive and packed with things to do on the surface and below it. You might be admiring a sunset and suddenly stumble onto a game of chess or pitch pot.
Hidden locations also reward curious players. You may find a cave with an old training dummy. You may wander into a ruin containing a forgotten scroll. You may locate a quiet temple where monks left clues about their martial lineage. The world encourages slow wandering that leaves room for quiet, meaningful moments.
The Player Housing System
Housing in WWM works differently than most MMOs. Then again, WWM is not a typical MMO. After renting your initial apartment, you can build a home anywhere in the wilds.
Here is how to unlock housing in Where Winds Meet:
Player housing unlocks at Level 32 after completing the Still Shores and Blissful Retreat campaigns. Once you reach Level 32, you receive a quest to go to the docks, which leads you to Kaifeng. After the initial questline that brings you into Kaifeng City, visit Feng’s Tradehall to rent housing. On the Kaifeng map, you will see three locations labeled dwellings. These are the rental options. You can also browse them directly at Feng’s Tradehall.
After renting your home, you can build your permanent residence in the wilds. In Kaifeng’s Imperial Artisan Court, there is a quest to learn how to construct buildings from the ground up. After you learn the basics, you can ind a plot of land and press F4 on PC to open Construction. You may build from scratch or use a diagram by pressing B. Under Presets, scroll right to open Diagrams.
Visual Bliss
In case I had not made it clear, this game looks amazing. The graphics are stellar and compliment a wuxia world of green forests of bamboo, cherry blossoms, ancient buildings, statues, homes, and dreamy sunrises and sunsets. Wandering through flower fields on horseback or taking a stroll through a quaint, bustling town, WWM is visually stunning. My favorite places to take a stroll are the Flowering Expanse in Qinghe and The Imperial Garden Temple in Kaifeng.
Flowering Expanse in Where Winds Meet
No Pay to Win
Although the game is free to play, you never feel pressured to spend money to progress. Purchases focus on cosmetics such as clothing, mounts, or housing decoration. All combat strength comes from gameplay. The different in game currencies are used to buy buffs and unlock upgrades for professions and skills. No real money required.
Cross platform play allows you to play with friends regardless of device. You may raid on PC, gather resources on PlayStation 5, or check on your housing progress on mobile once global mobile servers open. Unfortunately, you can’t do normal quests with friends or invite friends to our home to hang out. I get it, it’s not an MMO, but an MMO-like single player game with Co-Op. Still, that’s disappointing. Guilds have their own place to gather. However, people do make friends outside of guilds.
Where Winds Meet is more than a martial arts game built on familiar ideas. You feel care and intention in how every feature connects. You shape a character who feels rooted in the world. You gain skill, confidence, and purpose. You meet players from around the globe who share in that excitement.
This and Sword of Justice will likely be my new go-to games.
