Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Review

It took me 80 hours to finish Lies of P. I always try to fully explore every area, but that isn’t the main reason why it took me so long. The entire game I didn’t parry. This wasn’t a conscious choice. I didn’t mean to do this type of challenge run. It’s just in my nature to dodge out of harm’s way rather than face it head on, and in that way, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers felt as if it was made specifically for me.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers follows our titular protagonist after she has been struck by a disease known as the Feathering. While there are noticeable drawbacks to slowly turning into a bird, there are also some positives. Whenever Wuchang dodges away from an attack at a last moment, she gains a stack of Skyborn Might. This can be used to cast spells and magic, do quick weapon changes, or launch fast knockback attacks. Holding onto your Skyborn Might can also increase your strength or stamina recovery depending on how you build your character.

Not only does this centre dodging as the main combat mechanic, but it adds to the risk/reward nature that is key to the genre. Wuchang isn’t afraid to throw away classic soulslike elements like overencumbrance and a reliance on parrying to tread its own path. In fact, many of the weapons that Wuchang uses can’t block incoming attacks. This forces the player to be more fast-paced and aggressive, so even when you fall in battle, you’ll be right back there not too long afterwards. This is best shown by bosses, where there is almost always a straight run from a shrine to a boss fight with no one to slow you down on the way.

There are sections where you will be beset by enemies at all times, where fights feel relentless, followed by long sections where you are encouraged to quietly take in the gorgeous scenery. And it is gorgeous. The landscape is as beautiful as it is varied, from snowcapped mountains to lush flowered fields and the bright red leaves of autumn. Wuchang doesn’t escape the traditional dark, gloomy atmosphere of many soulslike games, but it does add some texture. Areas can still become overwhelming; difficult to tell which parts you’ve been in before and which you are yet to explore, but you’ll eventually have that eureka moment where the map fits together in your mind.

Another way it separates itself is with its skill tree, armour and weapons. When it comes to equipment the numbers don’t simply increase the further into the story you go. Instead each item has different weaknesses and resistances, meaning that you’ll want to collect ‘em all and build an outfit for every situation. You’ll wear many different sets depending on the situation and each one has its own niche. I just wish there was a way to save different sets so that I could swap between them more quickly.

The skill tree is broken into the different types of weapons and magic, so you can focus on the weapon that you vibe with best, leaving most of the wheel empty. To prevent you from feeling locked to one weapon, you can rearrange your stats at no cost. It may take some time, but just like your armour, you can switch things up with no in-game drawbacks to best fit the situation.

Because of this bosses feel very strategic. If you are struggling to take one down, you can change your armour, weapons, spells, buffs, status ailments, and even stats. While it is still important to learn attack patterns, you will find that you have far more tools in your arsenal to get out of tough situations beyond just getting good.

There isn’t a huge amount of overt story here. You will find notes which leave breadcrumbs about your sister’s disappearance, but Wuchang is more about world building. The feathering obviously lends itself to supernatural elements, but there is also a real story of war, rebellion, and overthrowing the status quo. It’s not the focal point, but there are some characters that help you along the way, and if you help them, they’ll help you out in return.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers challenges many of the conventions of the soulslike genre, while still maintaining its heart. You will face challenging combat, tense stretches with no healing and many many deaths. But you’ll also find gorgeous landscapes, new ways to fight and ways to change Wuchang depending on the challenges ahead. It feels like a step forward in what is a fairly new and yet saturated genre, which changes things enough to set it apart from the crowd.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is out on July 24, 2025 and will be available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X/S, and PS5 with a $49.99 price tag. This review was done on the PS5 version of the game with a code provided by the publisher.