Wuchang: Fallen Feathers – The First Hands-on Preview

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In the bustling landscape of games similar to Soulslike, it’s challenging to carve a niche, but after two hours immersed in the intensely difficult Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, it appears Leenzee Games might be onto an interesting concept. Set within a mystical reinterpretation of ancient China, you assume the role of a formidable pirate warrior, wielding elaborate and lethal spells, a versatile collection of weapons, and an upgrade system that surpasses the norm for action-adventure games. This results in an experience where I frequently felt like the fearsome figure others should be afraid of, rather than the reverse. However, my ability to fully tap into the power of a Dynasty Warriors-like character was dependent on my own skill and comprehension of Wuchang’s intricate game mechanics, which I could only explore to a certain extent during my trial run. Nevertheless, the glimpses I’ve had leave me quite hopeful.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers sets itself apart from similar games by providing a more comprehensive arsenal of powerful tools instead of just a few basic attacks, minimal spells, and small health reserves. Each weapon in the game enables you to execute intricate sequences of moves that propel you high into the air, swiftly traverse the battlefield, and perform extraordinary feats of agility uncommon in most soul-like games. I found myself feeling more like a dominating boss crushing my enemies rather than a timid adventurer battling overwhelming odds.

As a gamer, there’s something thrilling about mastering an enemy’s techniques after defeating them. It’s not just about gathering upgrades; it’s about absorbing their skills to use against other adversaries. In no time at all, I found myself feeling like a formidable power-thief in the early stages of this game. I can hardly wait to see what awaits me as I progress further, taking on stronger opponents and learning new, insanely powerful abilities.

I can only imagine how wild things get later on when you’re squaring off against more powerful opponents and presumably unlocking even more insane abilities.

Let me clarify: Despite numerous times when my enthusiasm or unawareness led to some serious setbacks, I also had an abundance of chances to diminish the opposition. For instance, using a massive ax allowed me to jump sky-high in an over-the-top manner reminiscent of anime, only to come crashing down on my foe, flattening them and leaving an imprint of a minion in the ground beneath. Another weapon, swift dual blades, provided me with the skill to launch multiple, adhesive explosives whenever I dodged, which then detonated, causing minor harm but more significantly, halting enemy movement.

As a dedicated player, I found myself unleashing an unprecedented level of aggression with the unique abilities and weapon combinations available in Wuchang. The spell-casting capabilities, such as hurling a scorching disc of fire, added a whole new layer to my gameplay experience. There’s so much more to explore with Wuchang, from mastering the intricate skill trees to customizing my weapons for optimal performance and delving into the depths of its spellcasting system. I barely scratched the surface during my playtime, but it’s evident that this game draws heavily from RPGs and requires strategic thinking if you aim to reach peak badassery.

As a gamer, I can vouch that taking on the two bosses in Wuchang was quite the challenge. One of them was a relentless beast, armed with an array of flashy movesets that had me sweating bullets. It took numerous attempts to decipher her rapid, intricate attack patterns and time my parries just right, especially during the latter half of the fight when each strike of her sword unleashed powerful gusts of wind, sending me flying and dealing way more damage than I anticipated from a mere breeze. However, after much persistence, I emerged victorious over her cunning maneuvers. Instead of feeling like a pushover facing an adversary far beyond my capabilities, battling these Wuchang bosses made me feel more like a worthy opponent engaged in a duel with powerful weapons and destructive abilities, testing our mettle to determine who truly deserved success.

In one aspect, I found Wuchang’s narrative a bit puzzling, as it revolves around a disease causing insanity and feather growth among people. It’s uncertain if this concept will stand out, given the abundance of similar themes in recent years, often referred to as “soulslikes”. Although the illness provides a convenient explanation for why everything in the game wants to attack you, I find myself growing weary of this overused trope. I wish Wuchang could deviate from conventional story tropes just as it appears to be innovating with its combat mechanics.

I get that having a disease that turns people into monsters offers a pretty easy reason to make everything in the world want to kill you, which is very helpful in this kind of game, but man am I ever tired of seeing it.

Apart from its typical gruesome gameplay, Wuchang stands out for its stunning visuals. Despite frequent deaths and battles against grotesque, mutated foes, the game’s beauty was a consolation. However, there were noticeably long load times between each defeat that sent me back to a checkpoint, making me ponder if this could be due to the impressive graphics. Keep in mind, this early version likely hasn’t been fully optimized, so I plan to monitor loading times as I explore future builds on my seemingly capable PC.

In a brief exploration, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers appears promising as it might break free from being just another souls-like game inundating the market. The combat movesets are complex and engaging, the RPG mechanics seem rich with depth and flexibility (though I’m still figuring out some aspects), and the boss fights provided a challenging experience that’s hard to come by these days. These elements have already piqued my interest for further play.

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2025-03-27 22:42