Wuchang: Fallen Feathers review – too generic to be great

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In Dark Souls, it’s generally straightforward to defeat common enemies. They often fall with fewer attacks than your stamina gauge allows, so even if they manage to hit you a few times without a bonfire respite, it won’t normally send you back to the bonfire. There are some tricky enemies that might take you by surprise, like the bugged dog in Elden Ring that inflicts bleed, but for the most part, you can easily spot a challenging enemy from afar, and as long as you’re cautious, the smaller groups won’t pose much threat to you.

In Wuchang, even seemingly harmless opponents are prepared to take you by surprise. For instance, what appears to be a weak, old individual might unexpectedly grab and eliminate you if you’re not completely healed. Additionally, insects that seem to vanish into their surroundings can inflict Blight and eventually kill you if you aren’t cautious. And, believe it or not, a decaying corpse in a sack of flesh hanging from a pole could suddenly scream and immobilize you, summoning the Blight insects to swarm and finish you off.

While Dark Souls and Elden Ring do have enemies that might jump out at you from doorways or catch you unawares with a swift attack, such instances aren’t too frequent, allowing players to recall when and where they occurred. However, in Wuchang, nearly every non-boss encounter can spring a surprise, and if you opt for experience farming, there’s a good chance you’ll be taken off guard more frequently.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers embodies a classic Soulslike experience, with gameplay reminiscent of early Dark Souls rather than its later iterations. The character, Bai Wuchang, is a realistic protagonist who navigates through challenges by nimbly dodging enemy attacks and counterattacking at the opportune moment. Unlike some other games, such as Sekiro, there’s no jump or deflect mechanic; instead, mastery lies in understanding enemy attack patterns and timing your dodges effectively.

As a skilled gamer, mastering the art of dodging and weaving through enemy attacks using iframes is key in Soulslike games. However, instead of just using them to survive, I found that deliberately abusing these iframes yields Skyborn energy. This energy can be spent on powerful special attacks and spells that outshine regular strikes, making me a formidable force on the battlefield. Essentially, I’m rewarded for playing well and staying agile, giving me access to a diverse arsenal of moves to keep my opponents guessing.

In Wuchang, you start off on the right track, guiding players through a series of diverse bosses, interspersing levels with shortcuts and elevators for swift traversal upon respawns. The death mechanic in this game is unique; it triggers a descent into Madness, which increases your offensive power against enemies but also makes you more vulnerable to their attacks. This two-sided aspect means that as you master boss attack patterns and succumb to them repeatedly, you’ll find it easier to deplete their health faster.

Overcoming madness involves vanquishing formidable adversaries or succumbing to your inner tormentor, a menacing figure who surfaces when your madness reaches its peak. This entity will obstruct your efforts to retrieve the vital red mercury for leveling up, making the encounter quite challenging and reminiscent of Wuchang’s retribution rather than a normal battle. Navigating the game in this state can be more aggravating than rewarding due to the constant danger posed by even common enemies if you’re not vigilant.

Bosses offer an improved gaming experience, generally boasting moderate-to-high health levels that make them formidable opponents until you grasp their behavioral patterns. Much like when you first fight a challenging boss in Dark Souls or Elden Ring, each attempt gradually chips away at the boss’s health and advances you slightly further. This process can be gratifying, but the initial level of difficulty in each encounter often borders on frustrating. Upon defeating a tough boss, it’s hard to determine whether I’m more relieved it’s over or annoyed by how long it took to win.

Fallen Feathers, yet it doesn’t particularly entice me to come back when I’m not playing. With an abundance of Soulslike games in 2025, a game needs a distinctive style or feature to captivate players. I’m unsure if Wuchang offers enough of either, and the alterations made don’t significantly improve its combat and advancement compared to similar games. There are certainly worse Soulslikes than Wuchang, but there are also superior ones available.

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2025-07-23 15:46