WuChang: Fallen Feathers A Full Review
The genre of Soulslike games is growing, with big hits like Elden Ring and new ones like Lies of P rising up often. Now, there's a new game: WuChang: Fallen Feathers. After playing it for nearly 100 hours, finding every hidden thing, and seeing many ways it can end, I'm here to tell you all about it. This game has high points and some clear low ones, feeling both old and new at the same time. Let's dig into this bold action RPG.
Gameplay & Combat: The Core
At its heart, WuChang wins at making fighting good. Each type of weapon is unique and useful. Moving from slow, strong axes to quick, light dual blades feels totally different. The game shines in how it lets you grow and choose skills.
The Power to Try New Things
The best part is you can change your skills and weapon skills any time for free. Tried a strong build for 30 hours and found a great quick weapon Easy fix. In a few steps, you can move your points and level your new weapon up to match the old, without needing extra items. This lets you try out many styles without pressure.
Main Mechanics
Fighting focuses on two big ideas:
Skyborn Might: You don't just have a normal magic bar; you build up might by dodging well and hitting often. Then, you use this might to do powerful moves and spells. It’s a smart way that rewards bold, timely plays.
The Madness System: Killing human foes or dying grows your madness level. This makes the game risky but thrilling: you hit harder but also get hurt more. Die at full madness, and you have to beat a demon version of yourself to get your stuff back. It's a smart touch that makes exploring and fighting bosses more deep.
World Design: A Maze of Paths
The land of Shu is vast and all linked in ways that remind you of the early Dark Souls game. It’s amazing how the paths connect. You might walk through green forests, fiery woods, or snowy hills, and find a shortcut that takes you back to where you started.
While this setup is great, it can be hard to figure out the first time. Some spots, like a thick jungle town, don't have clear signs, making it easy to get lost. But once you know the place, finding new ways and hidden spots feels great. The game rewards your curiosity with top gear, better items, and secret stories, making looking around a big part of the play.
Story & Hard Bits: A Hard and Mysterious Path
Like other games before it, WuChang shows its story through the world around you, things you find, and vague talks with characters. You are Bai Wuchang, a fighter who can't recall the past and suffers from a strange sickness. The tale is more about setting the mood than moving the action. With many endings based on hidden quests, those who love digging into lore will like it, but others might want a clearer story.
The game is hard, one of the toughest of its kind, with no help from other players. Often, the real test is getting through tough spots and smart enemies. Boss fights seem too hard at first, but once you know how they move and use all your skills, they become doable puzzles. Yet, the game gets less balanced later on, where some fighting styles get too strong and others, like magic, get weak.
Technical Quality and Small Issues
Made with Unreal Engine 4 and then moved to UE5, WuChang looks good but won't top any charts for looks. The movements are smooth and places look rich, but some old-tech stuff shows up. On PC, it runs okay, but it may not be as good on consoles.
There are minor annoyances, too. It's hard to spot items on the ground, and losing a connection to the world with invisible walls can be jarring. Only having four quick-use item spots is also frustrating in a game with many handy things to use.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Deep and fun fight style with real feel for each weapon.
- Very easy to change skills, making trying new things fun.
- World setup is smart, like the well-loved Souls games.
- Lots of cool hidden stuff to find if you explore.
- New bits like the "Madness" thing make you think more.
- Great buy for the money it costs.
Cons
- Big trouble with keeping things fair in the late game, some ways to play get weak.
- Some spots look too much the same, feel boring the first time you see them.
- Missed some easy-to-add things, like not enough quick use spots and hard to spot dropped items.
- Graphics aren't top-notch; show signs of being made for new and old systems.
- Story is hard to get and might not grab everyone.
Verdict
Final Rating: 8.5/10
WuChang: Fallen Feathers is a top and bold game in the Soulslike world. It knows what fans love and does well with those parts, and brings in cool new things like easy skill shifts and the think-ahead Madness bit. Though it drops a bit with late-game play fairness and could use a bit more polish, the good fights, smart world setup, and lots of things to find make it a must-try for lovers of this kind of game. It’s fun, tough, and pulls you deep in, putting it right up there with the best Soulslikes.
