Game Review: Wuchang's Fallen Feathers Misses the Mark of Greatness, Yet Enthralls me in Continuous Gameplay
In the vast and ever-growing landscape of action RPGs, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers stands out as a unique gem, particularly within the Soulslike genre. This Chinese-inspired title, set in a Ming Dynasty-inspired world, offers a fresh take on combat, customisation, and challenge.
At its core, Wuchang introduces two key mechanics - Madness and Inner Demon - that dynamically affect gameplay difficulty and player power. As you delve deeper into the game, your Madness level rises, boosting damage output but making you more vulnerable to enemy attacks. This risk-reward balance allows players to control the difficulty level by managing their Madness.
The Inner Demon system is the soul of the game's soulslike mechanics, though it may take some time to fully grasp. When you die, an Inner Demon is released, haunting Red Mercury drops. Defeating this demon lowers your Madness, but if you succumb to it, your Red Mercury is lost forever.
Wuchang's combat system encourages aggression and is faster, snappier, and more fluid than expected. Each weapon class - long swords, spears, axes, dual blades, and short swords - has unique traits and special attacks. For instance, axes grant a blocking ability, spears have counterattack skills, and dual blades allow for weapon clash parries.
Players can equip two weapons and perform a brutal swap attack called Swift Draw, adding fluidity and combo variety to combat. Dodging plays a central role in Wuchang, generating Skyborn Might that powers special attacks and spells. A unique mechanic called Elacrity allows players to phase shift through enemy attacks if cast at the precise moment of impact, enabling uninterrupted spellcasting.
The game's environments are detailed, immersive, and have a real-world wear and tear. Each weapon can be switched mid-fight, offering new combo options and tactical approaches. The progression system, reminiscent of the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy X, allows free respec at any time. Players spend Red Mercury Essence (souls equivalent) to unlock upgrades in health, stamina, weapon mastery, and special abilities, supporting experimentation with builds unlike many Soulslike games.
Unlike other Soulslikes with fixed difficulty settings, Wuchang offers no traditional difficulty modes. Instead, player challenge is shaped by managing Madness and how they approach combat through weapons, skills, and gameplay strategies.
Comparatively, Wuchang sits somewhere between Sekiro and Ninja Gaiden Black in terms of combat speed. Boss battles are multi-stage duels, demanding timing, observation, and adaptation. Enemy designs are theatrical and terrifying, adding to the overall immersive experience.
Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers offers a compelling blend of traditional soulslike combat with novel mechanics - most notably Madness and flexible weapon systems - that offer players more control over the difficulty and playstyle. Its emphasis on dodge timing with Elacrity and the dynamic madness system sets it apart in gameplay feel and personalization of challenge, making it a must-play for Soulslike fans and newcomers alike.
[1] Source: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Official Website [2] Source: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Gameplay Trailer [3] Source: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Developer Interview [4] Source: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Reddit AMA [5] Source: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Gameplay Analysis Video
- The creative layout of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, designed by artists, combines 3D visuals with detailed environments that have a real-world wear and tear.
- Players can explore the artsy UI and UX of the game, which incorporate unique features like the Madness system and Inner Demon mechanics.
- This Chinese-inspired action RPG, set in a Ming Dynasty-inspired world, boasts a variety of creative logo designs for the game, its weapons, and its enemies.
- The game's technology is powered by Unreal Engine 5, offering a smooth and immersive experience in both gameplay and design.
- In the entertainment industry, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers stands out as a unique gem in the action RPG and Soulslike genres, thanks to its novel mechanics and dynamic difficulty systems.
- The combat system is a testament to the artist's dedication, with each weapon class having unique traits and special attacks, encouraging aggressive playstyles and skillful dodging.
