If you’ve ever wanted to battle ancient demons while slowly turning into a large mythical bird – and really, who among us hasn’t – WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is the fever dream for you. Set during the Ming Dynasty, it’s part historical epic, part cryptic hallucination, all feathers. It’s also a Soulslike, so expect to die repeatedly.
Gaming Heaven
Let’s start with the positives: the bosses are properly grotesque, towering monstrosities that lurch at you with the grace of a haunted wheelie bin. They’re challenging, creatively designed, and occasionally remember to aim in your general direction. Glorious.
The world-building is also genuinely fascinating. Inspired by the Sanxingdui archaeological site, the setting is packed with unsettling lore and even more unsettling chicken-based afflictions. You play as Bai Wuchang, a pirate-warrior who, despite being infected with a terrifying plague, still manages to look quite fashionable in a gritty, “I may sprout wings at any moment” sort of way.
Also, there is a blink attack. It works. Best to just stick with that.
Gaming Hell
The Feathering Disease, while ominous in concept, is about as threatening as a mild seasonal allergy. NPCs don’t care, you don’t need to treat it, and it goes away on its own. So that’s nice.
Combat is largely a polite exchange of underwhelming swings, the level design often resembles a maze made entirely of brown sadness, and enemy AI seems to be actively avoiding you out of embarrassment.
Also, weapons: mostly useless. Specials: decorative. Navigation: abysmal.
Final Judgement
WUCHANG: Fallen Feathers is a beautiful mess – a strangely poetic, bird-themed Soulslike where almost nothing works quite right, and yet, somehow, that’s half the charm. Come for the boss fights, stay because you’ve lost the exit again.
