Now that Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is finally out and players have already formed their own opinions on the game’s first few hours, one question still lingers in a not-so-serious way: is Wuchang: Fallen Feathers just a gooner Dark Souls?
Obviously, it’s not that deep, and it doesn’t have to be. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is its own kind of Soulslike, with a female protagonist at the center. What sets it apart from other games in the genre, though, is how intentional the clothing selections are.
As you explore the corpse-strewn remnants of the Ming Dynasty, you come across cosmetics and armor pieces with very deliberate, often risque designs. You can equip Wuchang, the game’s main character, however you like, just as you would in other Soulslikes, but the sheer number of unlockable undergarments and skimpy attire is definitely attracting a certain kind of audience that enjoys this sort of thing.
Granted, this isn’t the core of what Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is about. It’s a Soulslike through and through, and the cosmetics are just icing on what’s essentially an 8-out-of-10 cake. Besides, it’s not like other Souls titles are immune to this kind of thing. Even FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, and Elden Ring, for that matter, have their share of revealing outfits for both body types.
Modding, on the other hand, is a whole other story. A game like Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is bound to open the floodgates for modded content that ranges from hilarious to outright questionable.
Some might argue that Wuchang’s fixed role as a female protagonist gives room for this kind of risque content to thrive. But it’s not like this is a new concept in video games in general. Stellar Blade by Shift Up is right up that alley with its own deliberate, attractive character designs, though those elements are rarely the actual focus, unless, of course, you’re the type of person who’s really into that, in which case, sure.
It’s kind of like the NieR: Automata situation with Yoko Taro. There doesn’t need to be an explanation for why 2B is designed the way she is. He just likes designing it that way. Her doll-like android appearance is irrelevant to the game’s core themes of existentialism and the meaning of life. In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, our silent protagonist, wearing nothing but undergarments, isn’t essential to the game’s story about death and resurrection. Unless?
That said, looking back, Wuchang’s story doesn’t really need to revolve around a fixed character like Wuchang. It could still work with someone else in her place.
Maybe Leenzee Games just wanted to make a solid Soulslike with an attractive female lead. But at the end of the day, does it really matter? And what’s more, would gooners even care?
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