Wuchang: Fallen Feathers – PS5 Review

I’m not one to buy into soulslike fatigue. I think, as long as the execution is good, I will persevere with it. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is an effort from Chinese developer Lenzee. It has it’s own twists on the blueprint with some solid level design. Unfortunately, it also frustrates me with some specific combat choices. At times, it’s a joy just to wander and discover but the core act of crossing swords is not all there.

The premise centres around Wuchang, a woman afflicted with the feathering. This disease provides the conceit for her ability to return after death but it also worms its way to the rest of the cast. Enemies suffer from it and there’s heavy supernatural overtones to make for some interesting set-pieces. Characters will move around the world and that activity does help them feel more like people with their own motivations and goals. Even vendors move along with you.

As for the finer points, I’ve not been digging into it too much. There is some lore within the item descriptions but I sense this is more explicit with the cast being very talkative and open. I’ve had the English voices on the whole game and the performances seem solid. For a more authentic flavour, Chinese voices are available.

I feel Wuchang: Fallen Feathers‘ true strength is in the level design. Even though the tale is split up into five acts, they flow together across a single landmass that is cohesive and intricate. It’s not always the easiest to follow. There’s an early area that really loves to show off shortcuts, to the point where a couple are incredibly close by. I’ve found myself lost more than a few times and I have that down to some of paths not offering much distinction. It’s not always the most readable in terms of progression. It does make exploration rewarding. Each spoke of the bicycle wheel leads to something.

That said, the variety is good. Enemy design freshens up with each new locale. Whilst the majority are humanoid, they have their own gimmicks and elemental attacks. It has unique enemies to slaughter for armour sets and key upgrade materials and those guys are unique in their look. On foe you’ll run into a lot is your inner demon. Their appearance is tied to your madness attribute. This builds as you die and, whilst it can be daunting, it has some positive benefits.

As madness increases, so does your attack power. Meanwhile your defence diminishes slightly. Your ability to garner mercury (the game’s currency) from slain foes also increases. In the beginning, your inner demon feels like a real threat. They can emerge where you last fell and will effectively act like another enemy. It can tackle opposition for you but sometimes it’ll only have eyes for you. It’s geared to mimic Wuchang but I’ve managed to outpace it’s deadliness. What began as a real terror is now a minor inconvenience.

Another interesting tweak is the skill tree. Rather than pump points exclusively into stats, your mercury can be spent on new weapon-specific skills. It’s not laid out in the most elegant way. Whilst you can try to remain focused on one branch, things like additional healing flasks will be off in another. I don’t think you can really push the numbers up without seeping into different disciplines. Certain abilities will also be pre-requisites to get something you really desire from the tree. Thankfully, you can reset your build at any point for no penalty. That allows for some experimentation or more efficient build-making.

The combat is probably where I’m the most frustrated. Wuchang has a light and heavy attack and her main form of defence is a dodge that doesn’t have the greatest of range. Sprinting away from damage also feels ineffective and it can lead to damage being traded. She’s not the most robust combatant. I still feel like two or three hits will completely clean me out. A block is available for some weapons and that augmented with a counter ability. That it’s not available by default means dodging has to be your first port of call.

Dodging is also a means of filling up your mana bar for magic and special attacks. A well-timed evade will charge it up and it can allow you to use magic more freely than other genre dwellers. It’s got a lovely audio and visual cue for when it lands. You start with a maximum of three charges and holding them can also grant Wuchang more power. I think it really encourages you to be mobile, although there are situations where enemies and bosses will outnumber or out-manoeuvre you.

When it comes down to it, I don’t feel the mobility is enough. Invincibility is very scarce supply. Enemies will confidently launch into flurries and any knockdowns you suffer can lead to further punishment. This is where my frustrations lie with Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Whilst mobs of enemies tend to be well-placed, I have been ganged upon or ambushed in some cruel ways. Early level design loves to favour exposed catwalks which inevitably invites gravity to murder you.  Whilst you can be interrupted, I’ve ran across foes that will simply finish a combo regardless.  Exchanging blows is something you have to put up with.

Some of these irritations cut both ways. You can certainly capitalise on a heavy attack flooring a foe and then following up with more slices. Unfortunately, there are a few tough bosses that, rather than act as skill checks, test your ability to be lucky. As energetic as enemies can be, the bosses can really stretch out attack strings. They’re not all controller-breakers but a couple have already garnered a reputation. There’s nothing worse than realising how narrow the windows of opportunity can be.  It can make for a tense battle but it would often have me seeking ways to make the fight shorter.  Bosses have a lot of options and seemingly a wealth of stamina.

It’s a shame because, in those moments where Wuchang: Fallen Feathers comes together, it can showcase a connected world and a decent combat suite. Whilst not all the bosses hit the sweet spot, they do well to create some real spectacle. I’m not one to advocate or rebalancing either as these decisions indicate a specific, intended design.  That said, I’m finding this game to be a struggle too far.  With dozens of hours on the clock, I don’t see this clicking.