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Right, so, I'm here with my chest bandaged and feathers sprouting out of my arms like wild weeds, and I don't know what's about to happen, but I'm sure I'm doomed to fail – that's what makes this Wuchang: Fallen Feathers demo I'm playing at Summer Game Fest such a compelling Soulslike.
When I call Fallen Feathers a Soulsborne "clone," I mean that as the highest compliment; as a card-carrying FromSoftware sicko, I tend to bounce off most titles that are clearly heavily inspired by Dark Souls, but unwilling to steal its best parts for the sake of originality. Fallen Feathers isn't like that – Fallen Feathers is bold, adopting FromSoftware's signature mix of dark fantasy, body horror, and wily motherfuckers trying to kill you and dropping them all into its joyless version of the Ming Dynasty.
The – naturally, poreless, D-cup – pirate warrior Wuchang doesn't remember how she ended up nearly topless and bleeding in a sick house reminiscent of Bloodborne's Oedon Chapel, but she soon finds out: she's been impacted by the Feathering, a hideous disease that slowly morphs humans into deranged monsters – again, like Bloodborne.
I also sense similarities between Wuchang and Sekiro's ninja protagonist, who requires players to act with more calm and cool than my typical roll-spamming involves. Our beautiful heroine – whose design I find appealing to me as a woman the same way a fashion model is appealing, and not lazily exploitative – performs lengthy and deliberate attack animations from far distances, so I learn to control her with the mind of a fox looking for an opportunity to bite.
That is, when I'm not totally ignoring the boss fight I'm supposed to complete during this demo and hyperfixating on this random guard who keeps making me upset. I don't know what it is about him that has me completely transfixed for most of my approximately 40 minutes with Wuchang: Fallen Feathers – maybe it's the glint in his too-attentive eye. The second I dare to put one toe into a 10-foot radius around him, overcome by the need to know what's behind the closed gate he's protecting, he snaps.
Time and time again, he decimates my measly heath bar, matching my resolute Wuchang's insistent barrage of attacks with animations that seem even more aggressive, drawn-out, and downright rude. Doesn't he know I have a boss to fight and can't waste my time with this?!
But, of course, each time I die to this inconsequential enemy that's obviously guarding an area I'm way too weak to even think about, I only get more stubborn. I know I can do it. I know it!
But first, a quick break to enjoy the scenery, which features pretty woodlands and losers to murder without remorse. I slide over to this guy that always respawns with half health – what a nerd! I practice Wuchang's ballet-like special attacks on him to boost my confidence before jogging over to where I dropped Fallen Feathers' version of "souls," or Elden Ring's runes. The sight of them reminds me I'm getting dangerously cozy with my Inner Demon.
As a unique iteration on the first Dark Souls' Hollowing effect, Fallen Feathers utilizes the Inner Demon System, which makes it so each kill you collect and death you suffer boost your strength while lowering your defences until, finally, out comes a literal demoness you have to defeat in order to continue. It's a clever mechanism – it tells me developer Leenzee has internalized the FromSoftware formula enough to even evolve its atmosphere, the most intangible, misty gray quality of a Soulslike. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers could be only a successful clone, but it seems to have its own soul, too.
And mine has just left my body – finally, I've killed the armored guard, that bastard. See, it was easy! I told you I could do it! Now, let me find out what's behind this door he's been concealing… Oh, I can't open it. It looks like I'm missing a key.
Well, if it doesn't make you ponder your own idiocy, then is it even Dark Souls?
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is out on July 23 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
With Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, Chinese studio Leenzee aims to soar to the heights of its field.
