Where Winds Meet is an expansive open-world martial arts RPG that throws players into a rich, detailed world without holding their hand. While the game does an excellent job of creating an immersive experience, many of its most fascinating features remain hidden beneath the surface, waiting for curious players to discover them. After countless hours exploring every nook and cranny of this wuxia-inspired world, I’ve uncovered some incredible secrets that will completely change how you approach the game. Let’s dive into ten awesome things Where Winds Meet doesn’t tell you about but absolutely should.
1. The Hidden Power of Environmental Interaction
Where Winds Meet doesn’t explicitly tell you just how interactive the environment truly is. Beyond the obvious combat and exploration mechanics, the world is filled with subtle interactions that can yield surprising benefits. Petting cats isn’t just a cute animation—it actually increases your Exploration Progress for that region. Similarly, using Tai Chi near bodies of water creates ripples that force fish to leap out, eliminating the need for fishing rods entirely.
The game’s environmental interaction goes even deeper. Certain trees can be shaken to reveal hidden items, specific rock formations can be climbed to access secret areas, and even the weather plays a role in what you can discover. During rainstorms, for example, certain herbs become more abundant, and some NPCs only appear during specific weather conditions. Pay attention to these environmental cues, and you’ll find the world rewarding your curiosity in unexpected ways.
2. The Secret Beneath General’s Shrine
One of the most significant early-game secrets lies hidden beneath the General’s Shrine, and the game gives you only the subtlest hint about its existence. When you visit the shrine, you’ll encounter a boy who has lost his Cuju ball down a hole. Most players might ignore this minor side detail, but it’s actually the key to accessing a hidden underground area.
To access this secret location, use the Mighty Drop ability (jump then press L3 on controller or Q on keyboard) to slam the ground in front of the hole. You’ll fall into the General’s Subterranean Shrine, a mini-dungeon filled with valuable treasures including the Cloud Steps Mystic Skill, a set of Dual Blades, and numerous currency items. At the end, you’ll face a boss named Zhang Lang, and after defeating him, bowing before the statue three times reveals yet another hidden chest with appearance unlocks and rare currencies.
3. The Truth About Gear Progression
Where Winds Meet approaches gear progression differently than most RPGs, and this crucial mechanic is never properly explained. When you upgrade your equipment, you’re not actually upgrading the individual weapon or armor piece—you’re upgrading the gear slot itself. This means any enhancements you make carry over when you swap to new equipment in that slot.
This system completely changes how you should approach gear upgrades. Don’t hesitate to invest resources in your starting weapons, as those upgrades will transfer to better weapons you find later. Focus on upgrading the slots for your preferred weapon types early, and you’ll maintain a significant power advantage throughout your journey. The game never explicitly tells you this, leading many players to hoard upgrade materials unnecessarily.
4. The Hidden Black Market of Ghostlight Market
Tucked away in the depths of Kaifeng City lies Ghostlight Market, a secret black market area that the game never directly points you toward. This hidden location can be accessed either through thorough exploration of Kaifeng or through an unexpected method—getting captured by bandits during a bounty board quest from Riverside Station village in southwestern Qianghe.
Ghostlight Market transforms into a literal ghost town during the early morning hours, but during other times, it’s bustling with shady characters and rare merchants. To purchase anything here, you’ll need to wear a mask, as even the criminals have their codes of conduct. The market contains numerous chests with valuable loot and, most importantly, the Sword Horizon Inner Way for the Strategic Sword, which grants powerful follow-up attacks after using abilities or charged heavy attacks.
5. The Game-Changing Wind Sense Ability
Where Winds Meet includes an incredibly useful ability called Wind Sense that the game never properly introduces or explains. Think of it as your personal “spidey sense” that highlights enemies, objects, and points of interest in your vicinity. To activate it, hold down the right stick on a controller or press V on PC.
What makes Wind Sense truly game-changing is that you can crouch while using it to move faster, allowing you to scout areas quickly and efficiently. This ability is invaluable for finding hidden paths, locating collectibles, and identifying potential threats before they spot you. Many players complete entire sections of the game without ever discovering this feature, missing out on countless secrets and making exploration far more difficult than necessary.
6. The Time Manipulation Secret
One of the most useful quality-of-life features in Where Winds Meet is completely hidden in the menus. The game allows you to manipulate time freely, advancing the in-game clock to any hour you desire. This feature is accessible through the Time tab in the main menu, where you can move a dial to change the time and weather conditions.
This ability is crucial for completing certain quests that only trigger at specific times, accessing NPCs who appear only during certain hours, or even changing weather conditions to make exploration easier. Best of all, changing the in-game clock doesn’t affect time-limited quests or interactions, so you can experiment freely without missing out on important events.
7. The Power of Inner Ways for Weapons
Inner Ways are passive perks that dramatically enhance your weapons, but the game does a poor job of explaining their significance or how to acquire them. These modifications can range from simple stat boosts to completely new moves and powerful effects that transform how weapons function.
For example, the Sword Horizon Inner Way for the Strategic Sword allows you to perform follow-up attacks after using abilities or charged heavy attacks, fundamentally changing your combat approach. Other Inner Ways might add elemental damage, increase attack speed, or grant special properties to your weapons. Prioritizing the acquisition of Inner Ways for your preferred weapons should be one of your main goals, as they provide more significant combat improvements than simple stat upgrades.
8. The Secret to Effortless World Bosses
World bosses in Where Winds Meet can be brutally difficult, but there’s a hidden item that makes these encounters significantly more manageable. The Bell of Demoncalm, obtained through a specific side quest, can be used to weaken world bosses throughout the Qinghe region.
To acquire this item, you’ll need to complete a particular side quest that the game doesn’t mark as especially important. Once obtained, using the Bell of Demoncalm before engaging a world boss will reduce their overall power, making the fights much more approachable for players who haven’t mastered the game’s complex combat system. While skilled players might not need this advantage, it’s a game-changer for those struggling with these challenging encounters.
9. The Hidden Mobility Skills
Where Winds Meet includes two incredible mobility skills that many players never discover: Meteor Flight and Wallstride-Shadowdash (super sprinting). These abilities completely transform how you navigate the game world but are locked behind specific requirements that aren’t clearly communicated.
To unlock Meteor Flight, you’ll need to speak with a fisherman in Qinghe who teaches you this skill. For Wallstride-Shadowdash, you must submit enough Oddities to Qi Sheng near the General’s Shrine. However, before you can use either ability, you’ll need to obtain the Afterglow Pendant by reaching Exploration Rank 4 in Qinghe. Even then, you’ll need to level up your Exploration Progress again in other regions like Kaifeng to use these abilities there. These mobility skills make traversing the vast world significantly faster and more enjoyable, so pursuing them early is well worth the effort.
10. The Movie References and Cultural Easter Eggs
Where Winds Meet is filled with loving references to classic Wuxia and martial arts films, particularly from 90’s Hong Kong cinema. While some players might recognize these nods, many go completely unnoticed. The Leaping Toad and Guardian Palm skills, for instance, are directly inspired by techniques seen in the film “Kung Fu Hustle,” while many of the game’s environmental designs and combat aesthetics draw heavily from “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
These references aren’t just cosmetic—they often provide hints about how to use certain abilities effectively or where to find hidden areas. Understanding these cultural connections can enhance your appreciation of the game and sometimes even give you practical advantages in combat and exploration. The game never explicitly points these out, making them delightful discoveries for film enthusiasts and martial arts fans.
Conclusion
Where Winds Meet is a game that rewards curiosity and thorough exploration. The ten secrets we’ve uncovered barely scratch the surface of what this incredible world has to offer. From hidden abilities and secret areas to subtle mechanics that transform how you play, there’s always something new to discover for those willing to look beyond the surface.
The beauty of Where Winds Meet lies in its depth and the way it trusts players to uncover its mysteries organically. While this approach creates a more immersive experience, it also means many players miss out on some of the game’s most fascinating features. By understanding these hidden elements, you’ll not only enhance your gameplay experience but also gain a deeper appreciation for the incredible attention to detail that makes Where Winds Meet such a special title in the action RPG genre.
As you continue your journey through this wuxia-inspired world, remember to stay curious, experiment with different approaches, and never assume you’ve discovered everything the game has to offer. The most awesome secrets are often the ones you stumble upon when you least expect them.