For fans of soulslike games, there is no shortage of studios that are looking to put their own spin on the popular genre, vying for attention. Announced back in 2021, developer Leenzee is close to releasing their take on the soulslike with Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and during Games Days at Summer Games Fest, I had a chance to get some hands-on time with the title. While I may be feeling a bit of souls-fatigue, Wuchang’s unique mechanics and setting may just be enough to pull me back in.
Set during the Ming Dynasty in the land of Shu, Wuchang puts players in the role of Wuchang, an amnesiac woman suffering from an affliction known as Feathering that has caused feathers to grow on her arm. Her quest to regain her memory will put her on a path that will require her to kill all sorts of horrors and foes, many of which are inspired by Chinese mythology. The visuals and aesthetic alone, with its lush green forests, temples, and waterfalls, all of which look gorgeous, set it apart from its more dark fantasy-inspired peers.
My favorite aspect of Wuchang, and the biggest tweak to the established formula (at least in the small bit I played during the demo), was the removal of a magic bar, with it instead replaced by a charge-based economy. Spells and weapon special abilities utilize these charges, with stronger options requiring more of them. Recovering and gaining charges comes naturally during combat, including by dodging out of the way of an attack as one of the primary methods, with some skills that you can learn allowing you to gain them simply by attacking.
What I appreciate most about Wuchang’s approach is that I never felt out of options like I would if I had to use a consumable item to regain my MP. I was never locked out of using my preferred spells or weapon’s special attack for a fight, because I knew a good couple of dodges or swings of my longsword, and those options would be back on the table. Working moments or combo strings into an attack, specifically to regain a charge, feels so much more rewarding than trying to find a moment’s breath during a boss fight to swig a potion. Though if that is more your style, there are items you can get that will serve the same purpose.
Leveling in Wuchang seems to be more expansive than FromSoftware’s offerings, and I found it to be more akin to, say, the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy X or Path of Exile’s Skill Tree (but nowhere near as gigantic or menacing, so not to worry). I’m a sucker for options in my RPGs, so any game that has a branching skill tree for me to mess around with, I’m here for. Each of the five types of weapons has its own tree that you can invest Red Mercury into — Wuchang’s version of experience — that will expand the combo potential of weapons of that type, such as long swords or spears, or grant different properties. One of these properties I touched on briefly a moment ago, which allowed the second attack in a specific combo to gain a charge.
I’m looking forward to diving more into these skill trees and really seeing what sort of wild combos and tricks I can figure out and unlock in the final game.
While I may be feeling a bit burnt out on soulslikes these days, thanks to Wuchang’s change in scenery and those gameplay tweaks, I really want to get my hands on the final game to sink some solid time into. I really want to dive in and see what sort of combos all of the different types of weapons offer and see just how deep the skill tree system goes. Only time will tell if Wuchang’s wings are strong enough to soar alongside the genre’s greats — but after my demo, I’m hopeful.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is due to arrive soon, on July 24, 2025, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam.
