Welcome back to Backlog Busters, a column dedicated to clearing our never-ending video game backlog. Today, we’re finally delving into the world of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a soulslike action-RPG set in a dark fantasy version of Ming Dynasty China.
Here’s what you need to know: You play as Wuchang, a skilled pirate warrior suffering from amnesia, who must uncover her mysterious past while also managing the effects of a strange curse. Battle against terrifying monsters and challenge the creeping darkness that threatens what’s left of humanity.
A review key was provided by Soft Source.
The game opens with Wuchang, our protagonist, roused by the desperate cries of a masterless voice. Before we can gather our bearings, a torturous pain sears through our left arm, now covered in eerie, glowing feathers. Suspenseful music swells, revealing an ominous altar behind us. Drawn toward the light, we step forward, leaving the shadows behind.
Moments later, we find ourselves in an otherworldly realm, shrouded in mist and heavy fog. A mysterious woman appears without a word, offering only a blade before vanishing back into the haze. Gripping the longsword, we are abruptly transported to the grim ruins of a crumbling nation, its decay wrapped in the beauty of nature and the mysteries hidden within the fog. Brooding Chinese instruments carry us into the title screen, signalling the true beginning of our journey.
Following a narrow path, I encounter my first skirmish against nearby mobs, a simple but weighty taste of the combat system. Soon, I stumble upon a temple housing a cast of enigmatic characters, each with their own tragedies. One, a priest-doctor, introduces the “Feathering”, a curse with no cure, handing me a manuscript that sets my exploration into motion.
On my way down, I speak with other temple dwellers, hearing their suffering and how the curse has ravaged their lives. Outside, I discover a shrine where I must offer my blood to receive blessings and boons that will aid me on my journey. Here, I gain access to the Impetus Repository, the game’s skill tree. Wuchang offers remarkable flexibility where skill points can be reset at any shrine without penalty, allowing builds to adapt freely. Some shrine functions remain locked early on, teasing future mechanics and encouraging me to push forward.
Descending from the temple, I encounter a cynical boatman who cryptically remarks on the latent power within my feathered arm. Without warning, he ferries me, very painfully, into another realm, where I am thrust into my very first boss fight. It is an immediate trial by fire, offering the perfect opportunity to fully engage with Wuchang: Fallen Feathers’ combat mechanics.
At first, survival meant relying on perfectly timed dodges and quick counterattacks to withstand the relentless assault. As the fight progressed, I began to experiment, weaving in enhanced weapon skills powered by Skyborn Might, a resource earned through successful perfect dodges. Each time I nailed the timing, a satisfying chime rang out, granting one Skyborn Might, which I could then unleash for devastating counterattack.
The rhythm was deeply rewarding. Unlike other games that introduce a slow-motion window after a perfect dodge, Wuchang keeps the pace relentless, forcing you to stay sharp and reactive. The combat feels fast, fluid, and adrenaline-charged. I quickly learned that adopting a defensive stance before an enemy’s opening strike, aiming for a perfect dodge to bank Skyborn Might, and then counterattacking was far more effective than recklessly spamming basic attacks. This approach allowed for consistent damage output while minimizing risky openings.
After the arduous boss encounter, I moved on to my favorite part any game – world exploration. The landscapes are lush and almost serene at first glance, yet they are laced with eerie undertones: abandoned villages, moss-covered structures, and the quiet tension of a land long forsaken. Unlike many soulslikes that lean into constant gloom, Wuchang occasionally bathes its environments in bright, natural light, creating a striking contrast between beauty and decay.
That said, the semi-open world design, while offering defined paths, can still be disorienting. With so much overgrowth and similar-looking terrain, I often found myself wandering in circles trying to locate the next shrine. This was a rare shift for me, usually my challenge lies in surviving combat encounters, not in finding a safe haven. Thankfully, once a shrine is discovered, fast travel makes backtracking far less tedious. The shrines also earn bonus points for their helpful quality-of-life feature: marking any pending quests in the current area, ensuring you never leave loose ends behind.
What keeps me glued to Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is the constant pull of its next challenge, those unique, culturally inspired bosses that feel like living embodiments of Chinese myth and folklore. Each one brings its own distinct design, move set, and atmosphere, making every encounter feel like a major event rather than just another checkpoint. The combat system rewards patience, precision, and calculated aggression, every perfect dodge that grants Skyborn Might sends a satisfying chime through my headphones, giving me the power to unleash brutal counterattacks that can turn the tide of a fight. It’s a loop that is both mechanically rewarding and thematically immersive.
Beyond the battles themselves, the cultural authenticity woven into the world is magnetic. From the weathered stone of crumbling temples to the cadence of the Mandarin voice acting, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers feels steeped in the history and artistry of its setting. This isn’t just another dark fantasy, it’s a window into an era and culture rarely explored in games of this genre. That sense of place, paired with the promise of ever more intricate and imposing bosses ahead, keeps me pressing forward even after punishing defeats.
That said, the game isn’t without its frustrations. One sticking point for me is that the block mechanic isn’t a base feature, but rather a skill tied to specific weapons. This means my only consistent form of defense is dodging. More than once, my muscle memory instinctively attempted a block, only to be punished with a direct hit and a swift trip toward defeat. Those deaths feed into the Madness system, a feature I have mixed feelings about. While thematically fitting with the game’s oppressive tone, Madness punishes failure so harshly, especially in boss fights, that it risks discouraging the trial-and-error experimentation that is usually at the heart of the soulslike experience.
Enemy AI can also be inconsistent, particularly in boss battles. There were moments when foes failed to engage properly, standing idle or looping the same attack pattern, draining the tension from otherwise cinematic encounters. These lapses can make certain fights far easier than intended, undermining the satisfaction of victory. Improvements to AI responsiveness, a gentler Madness penalty, and small refinements to defensive mechanics could make the challenge feel more rewarding without dulling the game’s edge.
Still, what keeps me hooked is the tantalizing sense of what lies ahead. The early bosses have already impressed with their creativity, blending grotesque folklore-inspired designs with fast, punishing move sets. If the trailers and glimpses from later areas are anything to go by, the road ahead promises even greater tests of reflexes and strategy – towering monstrosities, multi-phase battles, and arenas dripping with historical detail. The thought of what new abilities, weapons, and Skyborn Might-powered combos I might master before facing these challenges keeps my controller firmly in hand.
Even with its imperfections, Wuchang remains a compelling experience for the right audience. It will appeal most to players who crave atmospheric, lore-rich action RPGs, who enjoy mastering fast-paced, high-stakes combat, and who aren’t afraid of a game that punishes poor performance as much as it rewards skill. For those who also appreciate Chinese aesthetics and mythology, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers offers a world well worth exploring.
This article was contributed by Butterfly, a gamer and cosplayer who’s worked with Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Flash Vision Esports, and more. You can find more of her work over on Instagram.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is available to purchase on Steam. Get the game and top up your Steam wallets on Codashop for extra bonuses.
