Swordsman Love Games: Which One to Play First?
Game Rerun editorial teamSep 5, 2026

Start with New Swordsman Love for the character connections
For a first encounter with these three single-player games, start with New Swordsman Love, continue with Swordsman Love II, and leave Yue Ying Chuan Shuo for afterward or play it separately whenever it interests you. Meeting Dugu Jian’s generation first makes the names and old rivalries easier to follow when Nangong Feiyun leaves the desert.
That recommendation follows the characters. If Feiyun and Yan Ruoxue are the reason you are here, you can begin with the second game. If an independent story about ambition, loyalty and personal choices sounds more appealing, choose Yang Yingfeng’s adventure in Yue Ying Chuan Shuo. The side story does not require finishing the other two.
This comparison covers three single-player releases from 2000 and 2001. Their linked pages lead to browser recreations. The recommendations draw on the original games’ stories and mechanics.
Why put a later remake before the sequel?
Swordsman Love II came out in 2000; New Swordsman Love followed in 2001. Release years put the sequel first, but the remake returns to an earlier story.
New Swordsman Love retells the 1997 Jian Xia Qing Yuan, following Dugu Jian from Mount Heng into an investigation of trouble in the martial world. Along the way, Zhang Linxin and Yang Ying become important to him, while Zhang Rumeng and Nangong Caihong have their own part in the story. Those last two are Feiyun’s parents. Knowing them before meeting their son gives the family’s concerns some context.
Following the characters does not mean every ending connects neatly to the sequel. The remake has branching outcomes, and the second game has its own starting assumptions. On a first visit, getting to know the people is enough. There is no need to turn the remake into an ending checklist before moving on.
Dugu Jian’s journey leaves you thinking about medicine money
New Swordsman Love suits someone who wants the first generation’s story and is willing to learn martial arts through real-time fighting. Enemies occupy the exploration areas, so attacks and supplies need attention together. A new sword can be tempting in town. Spend everything on it, though, and a shortage of energy medicine leaves less room for both attacks and recovery.
Yun Zheng Xia Wei illustrates the tradeoff. This healing art converts internal energy into health, so energy medicine supports more than offense. A healthy life bar alongside an almost empty energy reserve is a reason to reconsider the next stretch of road. Defensive and healing arts deserve a look alongside the highest-damage attack.
Training also distinguishes these games. An Ali213 guide from 2001 notes that New Swordsman Love removed the separate martial-arts training slot and improved arts through combat use. That is one fewer training assignment to manage while learning, although positioning and resource use still matter.
Conversations ask you to slow down for a different reason. Some progress depends on investigating clues, and certain farewells lead to choices that change what follows. Clicking straight through after a fight can settle a character’s future before you have really considered it. If Dugu Jian’s relationships are what brought you here, give those exchanges a little time.

Game
新剑侠情缘
Xin Jian Xia Qing Yuan is a classic wuxia action role-playing game set during the Song Dynasty, following the heroic journey of Dugu Jian through martial arts conflicts and national turmoil.
Play nowYou can meet Feiyun first; the earlier game adds context
Swordsman Love II gives Feiyun a beginning of his own. Raised by parents living in seclusion in the desert, he grows curious about towns and the wider world, then finally gets to leave home. You can follow that departure without having played the earlier story.
The story walkthrough preserved by Sina Games describes his parents warning him to conceal his background. Zhang Rumeng and Nangong Caihong’s past is entangled with the Song-Jin conflict. Their son carries that history into a world more complicated than he expects. Knowing the parents makes the warning mean more; starting with Feiyun lets you discover the situation as his journey unfolds.
Interest in Feiyun himself is a good enough reason to choose the sequel. His encounter with Yan Ruoxue and his headstrong travels belong to this generation. The “II” in the title need not become homework.
The second game also asks you to plan martial-arts training alongside immediate combat needs. Check the art you are developing, the attacks you can rely on and your medicine before heading out. It is easier than sorting your inventory with enemies approaching. Early wolf encounters give that preparation a practical use. Work from the edge of a group and leave room to retreat.

Game
剑侠情缘 - 贰
Jianxia Qingyuan II is an action role-playing game that follows the emotional journey of young martial artist Nangong Feiyun across turbulent wuxia landscapes filled with factional conflicts and tragic romance.
Play nowChoose Yue Ying Chuan Shuo for a separate journey
Yue Ying Chuan Shuo follows Yang Yingfeng, with a central story of his own. He enters the martial world seeking achievement, encounters friendship and betrayal, and becomes involved in the lives of Nalan Zhen, Yue Meier and others. You can get to know him without learning Feiyun’s family tree first.
It is a particularly useful choice if decisions about people interest you. Winning a fight can still leave the question of how to treat those around you. The game has multiple endings; Japanese publisher Falcom also highlights the way player decisions shape the protagonist’s fate. The outcomes are best left unlisted here, leaving something to discover on a first journey.
Following a guide toward a chosen ending and making decisions as you go produce different ways of reading that story. If you want to follow how Yang Yingfeng reaches each decision, read the conversations first and look up a particular passage when you need help. An entire endings guide can reveal far more than the answer you wanted.
Training remains part of the preparation. Consider the art you want to develop alongside the attack you need for the next encounter. An exciting new technique in the training slot is little comfort if you have left yourself without a dependable combat option. If you enjoy planning martial arts and seeing relationships change through choices, this is a reasonable first pick.

Game
剑侠情缘外传 - 月影传说
A classic Chinese wuxia action role-playing game where players control swordsman Yang Yingfeng as he explores ancient China, masters martial arts techniques, and unravels deep personal and political conspiracies.
Play nowMatch the walkthrough to the single-player version
Adding “2001 single-player” to a New Swordsman Love search helps separate the remake from later titles. For the sequel, “2000 Nangong Feiyun” is useful; for Yue Ying Chuan Shuo, include “single-player Yang Yingfeng.” Swordsman Love II also needs a distinction between the standard and Platinum editions, especially when looking up endings or cheats.
Old walkthroughs describe the PC programs of their time. The linked game pages provide browser recreation entries, so use the current game interface for keys and menu options. Instructions for modifying original PC files should not be treated as browser instructions.
If all three names are unfamiliar, meet Dugu Jian first. When Zhang Rumeng and Nangong Caihong come up again in the sequel, you will have an earlier story to connect them to. If you already remember one of these characters and simply want to follow his departure or revisit an encounter, start there. Returning to an old single-player game need not begin with memorizing an order.