It’s becoming exhausting to keep up with new Soulslikes—they’re everywhere. But for Souls enthusiasts, such as myself, I do continue to retain the excitement and expectation of stepping into a new Souls series for the first time. The law of diminishing returns is poking me in the back with each launch, though, and has me questioning what else can be done that we haven’t seen already.
From the stench of battle emerges Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. Leenzee’s debut title doesn’t shy away from the fact it’s a Soulslike. It ticks every box in the genre: Limited health, which replenishes at a nearby shrine, diverse biomes, respawning enemies, and bosses with outrageous movesets, big health bars, and multiple phases.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn’t do anything drastically different or venture outside the norm, but its production values and interesting world will bring out the Inner Demon in you, crying out for more Souls action.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Review
The outlandish and fantastically fictional story kicks off with Bai Wuchang (our main character) falling foul of the Feathering disease plaguing many in the region of Shu. You explore Bai’s past, and you need to, as she’s amnesic. The trusty plot device is effective as the pieces of the puzzle slowly click into place throughout the game’s tight story, and we make sense of Bai’s woes.
Exposition occurs through in-game lore and cutscenes, and you encounter various NPCs along the way. Many are concealed by tents and other guarded surroundings, so you never see them, but it constantly reminds you of the terror everyone is facing and the need to take shelter from Feathering. If you’re having trouble with a boss and need a distraction, there’s a ton of side quests—usually related to NPCS—to complete that reward you with handy items you can use to strengthen Bai’s position.
Wuchang’s narrative isn’t its strong suit—as is the case for most Soulslikes, I’d argue—but it’s a presentable tale pushed along by the meat of the matter—combat.
More Soul Than Your Usual Soulslike
The First Berserker: Khazan has led the way for Souls games in 2025. Its gorgeous visuals and set-piece battles defined the game. Wuchang feels like a fuller experience with its vast interconnected world. The level of layers to each main area and plethora of shortcuts and ways to go has this feeling closer to OG Dark Souls than any other Soulslike I’ve played in recent memory.
In my 40+ hours with Wuchang, I can tell you for certain I’ve easily missed plenty of pathways. I know I’ve missed chests containing vital health upgrades, and the odd extra boss is surely lurking about somewhere. The OCD coursing through my veins makes me feel itchy even now, knowing what I’ve probably missed. There’s no defined map, so you’ll need to be cognizant of your tracks if you stand any hope of seeing everything.
This trepidation and FOMO are quickly forgotten due to the game’s excellent combat. You can’t have a Souls game without a couple of nifty features to stand out from the pack. Wuchang features a more limited weapon arsenal compared to most, but each one has a unique skill tree, allowing you to create bespoke setups where you can favor certain attributes, Disciplines, and abilities.
I particularly like the skill tree as it gives me a lot more freedom and flexibility in my playstyle and how I want to enjoy Wuchang. When you think of the ‘Souls checklist,’ the usual single-file attribute checklist springs to mind: Health, Magic, Endurance, etc. Wuchang allows you to experiment with new builds and seamlessly get your invested levels back (for free) and gives you a modest but malleable upgrade system.
The bosses are beasts; half-naked warriors can effortlessly cut you down in the prime of your life. On the other hand, more Tiger-ish foes require every square inch of the game’s sizable, amphitheater-like arenas. I wouldn’t say Wuchang’s boss fights are the most impactful and memorable I’ve ever encountered, but you’ll get your money’s worth out of them, and then some.
When you rest at the game’s multiple Shrines, you’ve got even more layers than a harvest of onions to consider. Temperance imbues your weapon with any number of status effects. You can toy with ‘Madness’ and use it to make yourself stronger, weaker, and buy rare items with. Weapons can also be stacked with a myriad of special bonuses which can be tailored to your playstyle.
Going back to the argument of Souls games and what they offer. Wuchang doesn’t do anything revolutionary, nor is it breaking new ground and transcending the icons and behemoths that came before; it capitalizes on what’s worked before.
The Level Design is Maddening
This is Leenzee‘s first proper game since opening as a studio in 2016. So, there’s some leeway for Leenzee. Conversely, director Xia Siyuan is a huge Dark Souls fan. This overt influence bleeds into Wuchang’s map and game design—for better, and most definitely for worse.
Early Souls games heavily emphasized long treks back to where you died, environmental hazards, hidden enemies, and gauntlets to reach boss rooms.
While these ideologies are still prevalent in today’s Souls games, many areas in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers feel designed to intentionally frustrate the player. Blighttown and The Black Gulch feel like a walk in the park compared to Wuchang at times. The game’s relentless in its quest to bombard you with status afflictions. The conditions are reworded, of course, but getting hit by Corruption, Blight (aptly enough), and Despair are frequent. They’ll drain you of health, resources, and instantly kill you, and one location in the game has you battle all three at once while fending off swarms of enemies. I nearly cried.
Areas are aesthetically pleasing and downright gorgeous. Shu makes the Ming Dynasty era sparkle in ways that other games haven’t—I’d even say it’s a level or two above Black Myth: Wukong. But a lot of the time, I opted to run through sections of Wuchang like I was 15 minutes late for a dentist appointment.
You’re shot by cannons off-screen, hit by archers and other projectile-wielding enemies from up high. I also can’t stress my hatred for mines that blend in with the environment—and Wuchang will suddenly put them everywhere. From a logical standpoint, the mines are usually right next to enemies, along with a ton of exploding vases; meaning, they’d die too if they detonate—which makes no sense.
My other gripe is boss rooms. An old-school Soulslike trait that needs to be consigned to history is making you travel 30+ seconds to a boss room. Elden Ring’s Stakes of Marika and The First Berserker: Khazan’s checkpoints are right next to boss rooms, and I love this. I know I’m going to die a lot to your bosses, and that’s fine—it’s what I play for. But Wuchang has several bosses where you easily rack up your daily steps to reach them. Don’t get me started on the bosses requiring an elevator.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Review Verdict: A Cut Above
Looking back on my review, I think it’s quite clear Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a first-time effort. It plays it safe where a Souls game is concerned. If this is your first Souls game, it offers a gritty challenge and more than lives up to its ‘Soulslike’ name. Bosses take up upward of half an hour to an hour plus. The combat’s great, and the sound and environmental art sparkles.
Wuchang goes back to the genre’s roots in terms of level design, and this actually dates the title more than it makes it feel at home in 2025. The area-to-area exploration is some of the weakest I’ve known, and ultimately ends up being frustrating more than fun. Nevertheless, the rest of the game makes up for this weak point, and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is the start of an exciting new franchise Souls fans need to play.
4 – Great
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Wuchang: Fallen Feathers
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