Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has immediately obtained a brand new patch on PC, providing improved efficiency and much-needed steadiness changes to tweak a few of its infuriatingly low-cost issue.
Because of this, the rougher edges of the Soulslike are being smoothed out, permitting the extra distinctive parts of the sport to shine by.
Initially, Wuchang did not sit properly with me. I previewed the sport again on the Recreation Developer Convention however, thrown right into a demo partway by the sport with little clarification of its intricacies, all of it felt intensely by-product. I anticipated that to proceed when taking part in the sport in full, however as a substitute I have been pleasantly stunned.
A part of the difficulty with Wuchang is it does not clarify its finest concepts very properly. The early recreation is stuffed with terminology and features – skyborn would possibly, alacrity, feathering, to call three – however with little clarification or readability. That results in frustration and at first I used to be merely taking part in this like every other Soulslike with out actually participating in its methods.
However there are attention-grabbing concepts right here. Take skyborn would possibly: that is an additional useful resource that is spent on particular skills and magic spells alike, and is gained by last-minute excellent dodges (in addition to different means later unlocked on the talent tree). That is the core of fight and, as soon as totally comprehended, lends Wuchang its personal peculiar fight rhythm. It is virtually Bayonetta-esque, with protagonist Wuchang swiftly dancing round enemies earlier than attacking with typical Soulslike heft, aided by stunning wuxia animations.
Then there’s the insanity gauge that, when full after repeatedly dying, forces the participant to struggle a demonic reflection of Wuchang to regain misplaced forex. Certain, it is a enjoyable twist on Hollow Knight, however having the ability to lure your demon to preventing different enemies for you is splendidly cheeky.
Components like this guarantee Wuchang is not simply one other by-product Soulslike however does have its personal identification throughout the typical confines of the style – the looping degree design, say, or the excessive degree of issue. Together with its a number of weapon varieties, unlockable particular strikes (disciplines), buffing weapons by acupuncture (tempering), and progressively increasing Wuchang’s stats on a Sphere Grid-esque talent tree, there’s a stunning quantity of depth right here as soon as gamers overcome any preliminary Soulslike fatigue. Very similar to final yr’s Stellar Blade, when you get previous all that costume fetishisation, there’s some actually robust fight right here.
However it’s additionally too tough across the edges, significantly in terms of that issue degree. Wuchang takes an age to get off the bottom when knocked down, for example, with enemy combos seemingly completely timed to knock you again down once more. Equally, therapeutic takes far too lengthy, turning boss battles right into a irritating lesson on when to heal, quite than when to assault.
Fortunately, each of those frustrations have been tweaked within the new patch: the invincibility frames of Wuchang’s get-up animation have been adjusted and her therapeutic animation sped up (and may now be cancelled with a dodge). Different tweaks embrace making it simpler for mild assaults to interrupt enemy animations, and decreasing the variety of traps, whereas a future replace will enable gamers to decide on to respawn at shrines or a boss door after dying.
These are all very welcome adjustments that arrive on high of numerous efficiency optimisations on PC. The patch notes do not point out console updates, although presumably this can observe quickly – I have been taking part in the sport on PS5 and even now there are stutters and poor textures that mar the twisted, grotesque visuals.
It is these kinds of particulars, I believe, that separate the by-product Soulslikes from the unique work of FromSoftware. Certain, the Darkish Souls and Elden Ring studio launched loads of post-launch patches to regulate issue ranges, however to me its video games are difficult with out feeling low-cost. That is a distinction many lesser builders have not fairly mastered.
Wuchang, at instances, has felt like a laborious slog regardless of its attention-grabbing twist on the components. However it’s reassuring to see its developer provide tweaks to enhance the expertise – now it deserves to face alongside Lies of P as Soulslikes capable of transcend the ever-present FromSoftware comparability.
