Story and Gameplay
The moment I was caught my first glimpse of WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers, I was curious and cautiously optimistic. After a few hands on sessions, I was even more confident this could be something special. Now that I have spent several weeks with WUCHANG, I can confidently say it’s one of the best soulslike in years and even though not perfect, as no soulslike is, it’s dark, brutal but oh so satisfying.
I won’t get deep into the story as like most Soulslikes, it’s a slow burning dark fantasy that unravels through clues, stories, and bits of lore left behind. Let’s just say Wuchang has no memory and awakened in the middle of nasty plague. ‘Nuff said but it’s good stuff and fits great with the solid atmosphere and gameplay.
Speaking of gameplay, this is where Wuchang truly shines. Tight combat, awesome spells, solid weapon choices and tons of customizable styles really seal the deal. I will say though, this game is not for the faint of heart. Some of the bosses aren’t bad at all but some are absolutely brutal in the difficulty ranges. Either way, when you finally defeat them, you will be over the moon. Also, we have give the publishers massive props for pricing this fairly at $49.99 for the regular version and $59.99 for the deluxe version. It’s more than worth the price of entry.
Graphics and Sound
My oh my! Leenzee Games has come out of the blue and delivered one of the most gorgeous and atmospheric Soulslikes ever. No really, just check some of the screenshots and video for how amazing this game looks in action. On PC, it takes a monster machine to max out at 4K and 60+ FPS but with DLSS and other awesome upscaling features at least you aren’t dependent on raw GPU power. Dark caves, jade green forests, and effects like fire and magic all shine in a beautiful graphical and artistic package.
Equally impressive is the audio portion of the game which sounds and FEELS powerful in combat with subtle and bombastic moments in the soundtrack hit like they should, when they should. This is an audiovisual feast that is incredibly impressive.
Feedback and Verdict
Like most soulslike games, very few are perfect. Luckily with Wuchang, my feedback is short. Some of the level design, while all looks stunning, some are a bit too maze-like and confusing for my taste. Also, sometimes, I felt like dodging and evading were way too slow, no matter what I did, resulting in taking way too much damage. Some bosses are fantastic, others are a NASTY skill check that will leave newcomers frustrated. Lastly, some bosses are so tough, with no option to get past them, some players may just get stuck which is too bad because there is so many amazing areas to explore and enemies to fight. The madness system, which you will discover for yourself, is also a bit wonky but despite these bits of feedback, the game is just works and is such a unique banger.
In the end we just can’t stop playing! Wuchang has come in like a 1 ton wrecking ball crashing into a very crowded genre. It’s beautiful, the combat is tight, it’s priced more than fair and we cannot wait to see what Lenzee does next! If you like Souslike games, you should pick this up ASAP. If you love Soulslike games: Welcome to your new addiction. Highly recommended!
