Soulslike games are pretty common nowadays, but they’re popular for good reason: The undeniable appeal of the genre’s combat, the surprising mechanical depth, and, of course, the back-breaking, controller-tossing, hair-pulling difficulty. I’m not a soulslike superfan, but I’ve played enough of them to trick myself into thinking that maybe, I too, can be a serious souls player.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers might be the game that converts me. During my hands-on demo at the Summer Games Fest, I was knocked out, backstabbed, and kicked off a bridge. But with every retry, I got a little further, and the little voice in my head telling me to get good grew louder.
(Credit: 505 Games)
Not to be confused with Black Myth: Wukong, a soulslike game based on Chinese mythology, or Wu Long: Fallen Dynasty, a soulslike game based on Chinese mythology, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a soulslike game based on Chinese mythology. You’re placed in the role of the titular Wuchang, who’s cursed with a disease called Feathering. If left unchecked, feathers will cover her body, and she’ll become a man-eating monster.
The demo began with Wuchang emerging from her slumber. I pushed the amnesia-stricken woman forward through a lush green forest into a shrine, where she was greeted by cryptic NPCs who knew of the affliction and how to treat it. A particularly creepy NPC sent me to the shadow realm and delivered an incredible beatdown. That was my first of many deaths, which is par for the genre course.
As a burgeoning soulslike player, I began the journey again. This time, I noticed the game’s visual vibrancy. Souls and soulslike games are often bleak affairs. That’s part of the aesthetic, of course, as many games in the genre take place in disease-riddled, gothic fantasy worlds. However, Wuchang’s visual appeal encouraged me to explore the surroundings rather than grit my teeth and push through the challenge. I know the screenshots don’t totally depict this, but you’ll have to take my word for it—the game is surprisingly colorful.
(Credit: 505 Games)
Gameplay: Weapons, Dodging, and the Madness Mechanic
Four deaths later, I moved upriver to an NPC who claimed to know Wuchang. He tasked me with collecting an item in a nearby shrine, but the bridge was out. I followed the river bank, chopping and cutting and fighting for my life as I made it to what looked like a long wooden walkway. I was bested again.
A few tries later, I found the shrine, which is Fallen Feathers’ version of a checkpoint. There, I upgraded Wuchang’s skills using a substance called Red Mercury. The exploration paid off, as I found a new weapon—a giant axe—to replace my starting staff. You must carefully consider weapons, because they give you different secondary moves. My staff let me unleash a flashy spin attack and a fast kick, while the giant axe allowed me to block incoming blows.
Get Our Best Stories!
Your Daily Dose of Our Top Tech News
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox!
(Credit: 505 Games)
Your weapon choice also comes into play in other ways, as some enemies are weaker against particular armaments. You can equip Wuchang with various armors and weapon-altering talismans to improve her strength, too.
The lack of parries forced me to rely on quick dodges, but they’re rewarding. Executing a perfect dodge just before the enemy strikes imbues you with energy that lets you cast magic spells. After a few more deaths, I made it to the shrine across the river for the reward and moved through a cave to my first mini-boss.
Recommended by Our Editors
Kicking and screaming, I managed to pull off a victory, and with that, an overwhelming sense of accomplishment washed over me. Then I entered the next room and died, but this time I discovered a cool mechanic. As you die, Wuchang’s madness rises. This raises your power on the next run, but it also raises the game’s difficulty. I felt my own madness rising as I added another two deaths to the count.
(Credit: 505 Games)
After side stepping goblins, random bandits, goblins with guns, and one particularly cocky enemy that taunted me with every dodge, I found an item that was basically an ancient Chinese grenade. Just as I chucked it at a few unsuspecting foes, an evil doppelganger emerged to kill me. This is what it’s like to be a soulslike player.
Platforms and Release Date
Although I spent an hour getting the crap kicked out of me during the demo, I wasn’t deterred by Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. In fact, I was enthralled by it. Wuchang’s difficulty is part of the appeal. And priced at $49.99, Fallen Feathers is poised to join Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and other notable AA games that punch far above their weight.
If you’re curious whether you can handle its challenge, mark your calendars: Wuchang: Fallen Feathers launches on July 24 for the PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
About Zackery Cuevas
Analyst, Hardware
发表回复