Where the developers for games like Black Myth: Wukong and Phantom Blade Zero have come out and said they aren't making a Soulslike, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a loud-and-proud "Soulslike action RPG" set in a horror fiction take on the late Ming Dynasty. I got this vibe from its reveal earlier this year, and the new trailer fresh from today's Xbox partner showcase seals the deal with phrenetic bosses and plentiful parries that are ringing my Sekiro alarms.
There's thankfully a lot more gameplay this time. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is a third-person action game promising a distinctly darker take on the Chinese history and mythology that's (rather excitingly) becoming more prominent nowadays. Our hero, the female pirate Wuchang, is a one-woman army sporting dual swords, glaives, straight swords, magic clubs, magic flames, a spear gun, a flamethrower, a Sephiroth-esque blood wing, and a shotgun lightning bow. Let's not forget the feathered arm, either – evidently a sign of Wuchang's mixed bloodline.
The sheer variety of weapons and attacks reminds me a bit of Nioh, and the Soulslike DNA shines brightest in the final third of the trailer, a chunk of which is dedicated to a single boss fight with a female avian warrior boss. Throughout the trailer, enemies and bosses stagger in the face of heavy attacks and recoil as Wuchang parries them away, though there's also a clear focus on dodging. In my 10 years of game journalism, I've played a lot of games like this and sat through a lot of their trailers, and so far I have a good feeling about this one. It all comes down to feel in the end, but Wuchang at least looks fast and responsive in combat.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2025, and will be available on Xbox Game Pass day one. Here's hoping there's a demo or test opportunity before then. The Steam page is up now if you want to see more.
