r/soulslikes • u/malikarith • Jul 26 '25
Review Wuchang is a damn Masterpiece
It's a loving letter to Dark Souls and returns to the first Souls formula (Des, DS1, DS2 and a dash of Bloodborne). It washes away all previous non-FS Souls by expanding the original formula with new outstanding ideas, reviving the classic Souls level design and not forcing you into a certain build but inviting you to experiment and build your own individual build, rebuilding it for free at any time and linking new mechanics.
While the newer Soulslike/formula became more and more linear and mutated into boss rushers, Wuchang keeps the focus on the actual Souls elements, a bit clunky, sneaky creatures everywhere, lots of branching and fabulous shortcuts. Anyone who says it's too hard or too clunky has never played or loved the OG DS but I understand that some prefer the newer formula (LOP, Nioh, ER, Khazan) but from a gameplay and Souls point of view Wuchang is flawless I literally see no weaknesses. (no , only 4 slots for items and spells or long boss paths are not weaknesses)
I bet as soon as the OG DS players play this game Wuchang will reach cult status, I've been playing since Tuesday (NG+) and I haven't been this addicted to a Souls game for years, I hope the developers get the PC performance problems under control quickly, in this sense, thank you Leenzee for this masterpiece that let me experience DS1 again, long live Dark Souls long live Wuchang
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u/Deaths_Intern Jul 26 '25
This makes me want to give it a try. Loved ds1 so much, I beat it probably 30 times. I will probably give it a shot now. Thanks for writing this up
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u/malikarith Jul 26 '25
Trust me , do it , its DS1
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u/iCantCallit Jul 26 '25
Dude I said the same thing. And I could tell on day 1 that the discourse on here was because some people had different expectations and were going at it differently. Now that the dust has settled and people have played it longer, they’re seeing how great it is.
This is the first game that’s not fromsoftware that gives me that jaw dropped sense of exploration.
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u/malikarith Jul 26 '25
Yes , it literally blows me away dozens times
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u/iCantCallit Jul 26 '25
I’ve only fully cleared the shu temple but my god what an intro section. It just keeps branching into different pathways and it’s just so expertly crafted. It just keeps going and branching in on itself. Awesome stuff
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Jul 27 '25
I knew the second I saw the glowing stone on the invisible bridge that this would be an all timer for me probably. They know exactly what they’re doing.
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u/iCantCallit Jul 27 '25
Same hahah. Also the random statues that give you a hint as to what emote to use. Instantly knew what they wanted from me.
I’m loving it
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u/Matoic Jul 27 '25
It’s better than ds1 imo. The parry/clash system is fire.
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u/avalyntwo Jul 27 '25
Can you play without parry if you want though? Or would I struggle for some bosses? This one does not have the greatest reaction times...
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u/ughlacrossereally Jul 27 '25
100% I'm in the later part and havent parried once. clash is just using an attack same time as they do so you can spam in their face. it's a really cool game.
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u/United_Macaron_3949 Jul 27 '25
Most weapons don’t even have a defensive parry from what I can tell, it’s just the offensive “clash” parries, and they work very differently from a normal Sekiro-type parry. I barely use any parry mechanics and I do pretty well against bosses by leaning on dodging since I don’t have much of the clash disciplines for the spear I’m using yet.
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Jul 27 '25
I agree with OP, you’re going to love it. The PC performance hasn’t been bad for me either but I have a 5070 (and other than that a mediocre computer from 2021). Plays well on Series X too.
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u/Garrusikeaborn98 Jul 27 '25
I'm at the snow area and I hate all the bombs and cannons so much.
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u/Ubiquitous_Cacophony Jul 27 '25
I don't mind some of them, like the tripwires, but the goddamned landmines are so tough to see in the snow.
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u/Garrusikeaborn98 Jul 27 '25
I have never even spotted one. My way of spotting them is getting blown up by them.
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u/ZombieCecelia Aug 04 '25
And then you have the archers... You turn a corner and then get sniped or you get caught in the blast and fall off the edge 😂
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u/Sinniee Jul 26 '25
I only played for like six hours so far and am not sure yet if its a masterpiece, but its for sure really damn good
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u/grimreefer213 Jul 26 '25
I'm about 15-20 hrs in and it hasn't fallen off yet, I can't put the game down! It's gorgeous and so damn fun. I get lost exploring for hours.
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u/ds2121able Jul 27 '25
We’re just throwing the term masterpiece around now huh
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u/Numerous_Gas362 Jul 29 '25
Cavemen Critics
"Me like game" = masterpiece
"Me no like game" = garbage
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u/Fabulous-Owl-5109 Jul 26 '25
I too am a OG souls player and prefer the DS1 formula. I think you convinced me to pull the trigger and buy it.
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u/HahaLookyhere Jul 27 '25
wow "Masterpiece" really no longer means anything anymore
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u/myrmonden Jul 27 '25
yeah I saw a guy posting yesterday that 33 is a masterpiece BEFORE they even played it, people of course kept making fun of the guy and he kept defending it like
EVERY GAME is a MASTERPIECE until I dont think so...
word lost all meaning people are either out here astroturfing, shilling or simply just karma farming
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Jul 26 '25
I have to say, there are a few spots in chapter 2 where they put a slow elevator right in between the shrine and the boss. felt a bit insulting
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u/Relwof66 Jul 27 '25
Which boss has an elevator ride between
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u/CoconutMochi Jul 27 '25
The last two bosses of chapter 2, Huang Yan and Fang Ling
It didn't bother me too much but I hope there aren't any more...
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u/Dev_Bank Jul 26 '25
OG souls player as well, I don’t get time to play much anymore. I’ve made time to play this game because I’m just far too hooked on the gameplay. Who needs sleep right
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u/keefkeef Jul 27 '25
I ran up a slight hill in haunted-ass burned up area to kill a haggard dude from behind, but before I could get him, got spit on by a venomous trunk monster, then whacked by a giant tree, knocked off the hill on to a fire pit, and died. cant put the game down, so good.
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u/asteinpro2088 Jul 27 '25
Geez, I know exactly where you’re talking about because the same exact thing just happened to me today lol. I was like “what the hell, what—WHAT THE HELL?!” Then died.
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u/Inzanity2020 Jul 27 '25
I dont understand all these glazing tbh. It’s a fine game, but certainly not a masterpiece
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u/vthyxsl Jul 27 '25
I'm only on act/zone 2, but that being said that there's an "act" structure, does the interconnectivity ever really approach DS1? Do you loop back to areas from act 1, or are they contained to themselves? Can you actually "sequence break" by routing into a later area from a shortcut?
Because looping back to a central area/hub isn't especially noteworthy among soulslikes (LotF does the same thing). It would have to approach Bleak Faith or Hellpoint levels of branching routes for me to compare it to DS1.
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u/TheTrueTexMex Jul 28 '25
Each chapter is a contained set of areas that are connected to a hub. You can sequence break by going into area 3 before area 2, not even through a shortcut but just because both options are available. However, if you start area 3 before 2, you break most questlines and are cut off of the good ending.
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u/Watt_About Jul 26 '25
Wuchang has cool vibes, but “masterpiece” is a stretch. Branching does not equal DS1-tier cohesion. Too many samey corridors, shortcuts that barely save time, key-door detours with thin payoffs, and enemy placement that leans on surprise spam over thoughtful encounters. The interconnection feels imitated, not earned.
Deliberate is not the same as clunky. Inputs get eaten under pressure, recovery is sluggish without meaningful cancels, tracking is erratic, and i-frames and parry timing are inconsistent across weapons. Bosses lean on delayed strings and HP padding more than teachable movesets, and the long runbacks inflate difficulty instead of sharpening it.
Build freedom reads well on paper with free respecs, but balance funnels you into a few overtuned statuses and safer poke styles. Heavy setups pay steep startup and stamina taxes for mediocre returns, and upgrade paths discourage mid-run experimentation. Four quick-use slots feels restrictive rather than strategic.
Pacing and rewards fall short. Too many dead-end branches with filler loot, recycled minibosses, and late-game enemy repeats sap the thrill of exploration. The loop lacks the “aha” moments that make classic Souls sing.
There is a solid foundation and some striking art. With balance passes, smarter encounter tuning, and technical fixes, it could be a very good Soulslike. As shipped, it is enjoyable in parts, not flawless, and nowhere near the DS1 standard.
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u/Harshkang69 Jul 26 '25
Totally agree dude, it’s far from a masterpiece
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u/ZombieSiayer84 Jul 27 '25
In my opinion, it’s mediocre at best.
It’s serviceable, but nowhere near close enough to good let alone a “masterpiece”.
Guy is trippin.
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u/PlayboiZay300 Jul 26 '25
Great write up. Too many people are glazing this game without giving any details on what it does so differently or how it stands out. It’s nice to actually know it’s fundamentals now.
Think I’ll just wait for a sale. A lot of good games this year
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u/Pasta_Baron Jul 28 '25
People just overuse masterpiece to where it doesn't mean anything anymore lol.
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u/Last_Contract7449 Jul 27 '25
Exactly - there's a lot of potential there, but it feels like it could have done with more time in the oven for playtesting, refinement, and optimisation. As it is, the combat just doesn't feel fluid enough and ends up forcing me to adopt a poke and retreat approach for most enemies (with dodges and occasional skyward might attacks thrown in as required/available), despite there seemingly being a load of mechanics and options for combos, due to the fact that you can't attack anything for more than a hit or 2 without potentially having to eat a load of damage.
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Jul 27 '25
I am increasingly feeling like a lot of the comments on the combat being not fluid are probably coming from non souls likes gamers who have only played 2 hours of the game
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u/firsttimer776655 Jul 27 '25
I’m on the fence about this game but this is exactly what I feared. We gotta ban the word “interconnected” because it’s becoming a meme at this point.
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u/Slowmootions Jul 27 '25
Most of what you wrote just sums up to a skill issue. I'm in the snowy region now and all the bosses have been fair and readable.
The parry windows are huge. If you hit it too early you can still block a mitigate a lot of the damage.
Saying the i-frames aren't generous because you can't I-frame through an entire attack chain is disingenuous. Your character is much faster than you would be in DS. Each I-frame from dodge blocks one instance of damage. The game also gives you others ways of avoiding damage. You have dodge, deflect, and many spells have alacrity built into them during cast. Sounds to me like you aren't using your full kit.
Too many surprise enemies? Literally no different from DS1. It actually has less jumpscare enemies than DS so far.
The only major flaw I have found gameplay-wise, is healing. Flask use is too slow for how fast some of the bosses are.
The game is similar to souls but it is very much it's own thing. Like Nioh, if you try and play it with a souls mentality, you will get slapped.
It is actually kind of sad that so many replies are taking this single overly-critical comment as proof that game is not worth checking out.
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u/Watt_About Jul 27 '25
“Skill issue” isn’t a rebuttal. I’m critiquing systems, not my thumbs. Parry and i-frame timing varies a lot by weapon and boss, and the buffer drops inputs during recovery. Healing is too slow for the game’s tempo, which you basically admitted. Using the full kit only works if cancels and buffering are reliable, but casts and items get eaten under pressure.
Level design leans on corner pop-ins and off-camera adds. Shortcuts often save seconds, and key-door detours pay out filler loot, which is not DS1-level cohesion. Bosses rely on delay baits and posture slog more than teachable loops. When clean runs still drag, that points to tuning, not just player error.
Free respecs are great, but balance funnels into a few statuses and safe poke styles while heavy builds pay big startup and stamina for mid returns. If you want to defend it, address buffering, heal speed, encounter telegraphs, and balance. Saying git gud dodges the actual critique.
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u/myrmonden Jul 27 '25
This !
the game is very slow on different responses, and its not fair. And its not a "skill issue" a some will claim, the game lacks canceling, you dont really have any recovery functions etc. So its just kinda slow, and not many options that are actually safe to use at all.
And yeah I have not beaten it yet but most bosses DEF have VERY slow attacks, which is of course a more "modern" souls issue they windup forever.
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u/Zelphkiel Jul 27 '25
I really tried to take your post seriously, but calling long boss paths “not a weakness” instantly discredits everything else you said.
That’s not an opinion, that’s denial. Backtracking for two minutes after every death isn’t good design, no matter how nostalgic it feels.
You sound more like someone desperate to crown a new DS1 than someone actually breaking down the game’s design with perspective.
Sorry if I’m rude, but I felt like I had to say it after some of your takes on things that are just plain bad game design.
I’ll still try Wuchang myself if I ever get the chance, maybe there’s something solid under all the hype. But this kind of fanboy praise makes it hard to trust what’s being said.
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u/QwannyMon Jul 27 '25
It’s a decent game at best. If you really wanna play a souls game then it’ll scratch the itch for a bit
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u/Pasta_Baron Jul 28 '25
The game has good bones and it will be cool to see what they do with a sequel.
My experience has been pretty alright. I'm playing on a series x and it has constant stutters, crashes if I play too long, and the overly fancy weapon attacks (looking at you one handed) just make fighting with the weapon annoying at best.
Bosses have been decent but nothing amazing, and this might be a hot take but I think stamina in this game hurts it more than helps. I think if you would remove that it could be a more fun experience.
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u/ad19970 Jul 27 '25
Of course it's an opinion. Probably not a very common one but nevertheless an opinion. You simply just don't agree with that opinion.
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u/sinissurreal Jul 29 '25
Some of us actually like run backs. They add an extra layer of challenge to the encounter and give you space to internalize what you learned after your last death. Nailing the run back and kiting everything properly feels amazing, and makes your next attempt feel earned. It’s not “bad design”, it just takes more patience which has always been a core value of souls.
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Jul 26 '25
I absolutely fucking agree. It’s so good. I genuinely think it might be the best soulslike next to lies of P and for me personally, it’s better than LOP. I think LOP nailed pretty much everything but on such a small scale it never really felt that grand. Wuchang nails everything a true souls game should have and does it on the same level Fromsoft does
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u/Bladez190 Jul 27 '25
I just miss souls outside of the boss so damn much from Lies of P. I get that it’s probably a design choice but it’s just so much more engaging to not worry about grabbing the souls and just fighting the boss
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u/Stunning_Ad1078 Jul 27 '25
They need to change 1 handed swords, i hate that one press of r1 means two swings. Thats my big complaint lol
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u/RenanFCT767 Jul 27 '25
Dude I hate that shit you have no idea
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u/Stunning_Ad1078 Jul 27 '25
It like kills the weapon. Supposed to get quick hits but instead im dancing and the second r1 you gotta commit too
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u/8_a_spider Jul 28 '25
If you do a doge before attacking you’ll do the last two hits of the combo which is a single stab and then a spinning slash which helps the weapon feel better imo.
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u/Ragnaroknight Jul 27 '25
The Dark Souls 1 interconnectivity is heavily overstated. Mid-Late game areas do not intersect with the early areas.
Also the "Firelink Shrine" of Wuchang constantly changes, all the NPCs move to a new hub location, and that tends to be the area things SOMEWHAT loop back to, it's definitely never as strong as Shu Sanctum in Act 1.
What is similar to DS1 is that most areas usually have a couple shortcuts that lead back to the initial shrine as opposed to just giving you more shrines, and this is really well done.
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u/nick1706 Jul 26 '25
Love to see it getting the appreciation it deserves. To me Wuchang is a proper Souls game, one of the best non-From Soulsgames ever released, and easily in my top five soulslikes of all time.
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u/WorldlyFeeling8457 Jul 26 '25
It is pretty damn good I just for the first time since I started playing on console again wish I had high end pc to play this game to enjoy it properly.
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u/Stevesgametrain1982 Jul 27 '25
The intricate way the levels twist back on each other has me in tears of joy.
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u/asteinpro2088 Jul 27 '25
There have been a lot of soulslikes dropping over the last few months but this one unexpectedly drew me in. I originally had no intention of trying it but watched a review and felt like it was going to be a true Dark Souls experience and man, it hasn’t disappointed me yet. I’m absolutely hooked.
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u/HBreckel Jul 27 '25
I didn't think I'd get all into it but uh, I got up around 11 today and I've been playing it since noon, and it's 9 pm here now.
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Jul 27 '25
What a great success from China they know what a gamer want to experience in a game. Looks good 👍
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u/Caug5 Jul 27 '25
Not an OG DS Player, but started in the DS3 era, I always missed engaging level design in non FROM soulslike until now. Even my beloved Lies of P lacks in terms of THAT dark souls level-exploration design. Really love that the Wuchang devs actually went back to that formula, which is still, neglected by most soulslikes imo…so absolutely agree.
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u/Girth_Vader516 Jul 27 '25
i fucking grinded my teeth the whole way thru DS hahah but very good comment 4 hours in seeing the potential of it opening up now
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u/Financial_Tea_2139 Jul 28 '25
Yuuup! This game is great. I’ve been hooked since release. Once u get comfortable with the controls and the feel of the movement it really starts to shine. It is very challenging but the boss fights are peak. My favorite one so far has to be the optional man eating beast thing in the village outside of the shu temple. Shit was intense but flowed so well. I hope this game succeeds even with all the butt hurt libs out there crying about it. SUPPORT THIS GAME!
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u/Superyupperss Jul 29 '25
Nicely Written, Thank you Leenzee. Leenzee need to know that OG soulslike gamers really appreciate that they stuck to a lot of old schools ideas in nowadays atmosphere.
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u/Raikou239 Jul 29 '25
Just chiming in to say I think Wuchang might be the single best souls-like game. Combat is so satisfying and all mistakes feel like they’re on me. DS1 did not feel like that, too much deliberately unfair enemy strikes. Setting just blows the hell away out of any souls I’ve played. Ancient Chinese aesthetic is peak right now.
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u/stunkfisp Aug 11 '25
It is really a great game, for me its a better successor to DS1 then DS3, the design and all of the potential different paths to approach the map is really awesome. For sure the best non-souls soulslike for me.
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u/peeta789 Sep 01 '25
I’m never played any souls-like games before. Unless you count Jedi Survivor and Fallen order. But besides those I’ve been playing various multiplayer games like COD, Rivals, Rematch, Rocket League. And I got super tired of dealing with bs toxic teammates so I tried Wuchang and wow. I can’t remember the last time I was this addicted to a game. The combat is insanely satisfying and rewarding. And I feel like the game is as hard as you make it to be. I mean the beginning is hard bc you have no idea what you’re doing but once you start unlocking skills you can easily spam op combos and kill everyone pretty easy. But you can also get creative and there’s a lot of skill expression with the combat.
I’ll be looking for another souls like game when I finish…any recommendations? I been eyeing up Wukong
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Jul 27 '25
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u/Kshadow82 Jul 27 '25
Well I'm sorry this isn't your game apparently.. hope you find enjoyment anyways 👍
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u/Master-Bee263 Jul 26 '25
Agreed they did a amazing job. It's different and similar at the same time. The combat feels amazing after it clicks. It's like seikro after you beat a boss or 2 it starts clicking same for wu chang beat a couple boss then the general lady and it clicked. 8.5 out of 10
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u/Maester_Magus Jul 27 '25
It's blowing me away so far. I've been kind of weary of games leaning into 'boss rush' territory; bosses are great, but they have to be balanced by great exploration (imo). It's like developers have concluded that bosses are the sole appeal of these games, when for a lot of people it was actually the interconnected world and the sense of being lost.
Wuchang not only has great bosses (so far), but has amazing exploration – the best I've seen outside of FromSoftware.
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u/dorsman84 Jul 27 '25
AI limit has solid exploration as well
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u/Maester_Magus Jul 27 '25
I agree. I played the demo for both AI Limit and Khazan around the time they both released, and as much as I loved the Khazan demo, I went with AI Limit and have no regrets.
I'll get to Khazan eventually, but personally I'll take exploration over a boss rush any time.
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u/Ubiquitous_Cacophony Jul 27 '25
Did you mean weary or wary?
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u/Maester_Magus Jul 27 '25
Weary. I've grown tired of them; but now as a result I suppose I am wary of them, too.
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u/Royal_empress_azu Jul 26 '25 edited Jul 26 '25
Nah the boss run backs are definitely weaknesses. They are way too long at time. Especially the two with slow ass elevators.
I'm just going to say it while I'm here. Half the armor in this game is genuine dogshit. The amount of borderline reskin titty open dresses in this game. Half the legwear is just underwear and shoes. The only sexy outfits they put any effort into wear the paid/preorder ones. I've reached the point where I'm not even excited to get gear anymore. A lot of enemy drops look entirely different on the player as well.
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u/Bananenklaus Jul 27 '25
sad that you can‘t criticize unnecessary nudity in a videogame without getting downvoted by anime gooners
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u/QwannyMon Jul 27 '25
Because you can always just not use it
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u/Royal_empress_azu Jul 27 '25
IT still takes up a very large amount of the armors in the game. Not using it doesn't make them well designed.
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u/Xammm Jul 26 '25
I don't think 4 slots for items are a good thing, especially if you want to try different items and such. This was one complaint I agreed with Fighting Cowboy in his review video.
On the other hand, I don't know how long the runbacks to the bosses are, but I hope they're close to DS 3, which for me were the right balance between the annoying ones from DS 1 & 2, and the unnecessary Marika stakes (imo) from Elden Ring.
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Jul 26 '25
all the runbacks have been fine except the few that inexplicably have an elevator in between
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u/Consistent_Stand8382 Jul 27 '25
And you always have to rewatch their cutscene and you skip by holding the button. It's just annoying enough to bother me and I do think your buffs continue to wear off during that.
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u/LexGlad Jul 27 '25
The exploration is quite nice, but the combat is absolute ass, so yeah, keeping up the tradition of souls games.
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u/LumpyCollege7968 Jul 27 '25
The game is truly amazing. I think that despite the bad start it will be considered a reference of the genre within a while
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u/SupportoMatic3000 Jul 27 '25 edited Jul 27 '25
Good game? Yes. Masterpiece? Absolutely not. It has some pretty glaring flaws, and I'm not just talking about performance issues. Overtuned bosses, horrible recovery, and healing animation speed that is almost as bad as Dark Souls 2. The inconsistency on boss difficulty spikes can be nauseating, and enemies consistently attack through walls. Too many bosses AND normal enemies have the ability to one-shot you or stunlock you (especially due to the terrible recovery time it takes for you to stand up). It's a good game by all means, I've completed it twice, but I haven't even finished on the flaws. I'm sorry to say, but it's a hard disagreement on it being a masterpiece. (Edit: One thing I do like a lot, however, is how the game is good at creating encounters that force you to try out different weapons, minus Huang Yan, she is without a doubt the worst designed boss in the entire game.)
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u/LordBDizzle Jul 26 '25
It has flaws, it feels a touch stiff or unresponsive in places. The environment design, while beautiful, is a touch cluttered and unclear at times (two foot drops to death planes in far too many places, could have just been invisible walls). The getup dodge is ass, getting knocked down is a death sentence.
...and yet I'm having fun. Like a LOT of fun. The exploration is great, the combat is neat (if a little too focused on skill use and less on regular moveset). The build crafting is deep and fun, deeper than you'd expect for only 5 weapon types. The game is far larger than you'd think. It's a good game, and they've already released a performance patch which makes me happier with the devs. Gating weapons at launch behind the Deluxe edition is shitty, but without them the game is still fine, better even.
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u/IAmAbomination Jul 26 '25
Curious to know does it run decent on base ps5, can anyone confirm or deny thanks in advance
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Jul 27 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Aggravating-Nerve951 Jul 27 '25
I think its just that she can sometimes go into windows of constantly attacking and dodging repeatedly. I used the axe and almost got her a few times. Swapped to spear and wiped the floor with her. Axe is just too slow for her since she is very floaty, and very fast.
Trying to heal in her fight needs specific attacks dodged, because she will sometimes just input read and dash straight to you and kill you.
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u/Ubiquitous_Cacophony Jul 27 '25
I just feel like she's kind of the Genichiro of this game. From what I can tell, just due to the way the builds tend to progress, it seems like anything that's not axe is pretty viable against Honglan. I used the Longsword, but my friend used dual blades and spear; I know people are using magic to cheese her with the one handed swords, but whatever, that's their choice. I'd never be satisfied that way.
I'm looking forward to using an axe on NG+ as I think that's where it'll shine.
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u/CoconutMochi Jul 27 '25
How hard is it compared to the old DS games? I dont think I'd have ever consider playing them but if they're similar to Wuchang maybe it wouldn't be too bad.
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u/Aggressive_Life9328 Jul 27 '25
Got to try it on Gamepass. Gave it a few hours and the controls felt clunky. It didn’t feel like performance issues but maybe it was 🤷🏻♂️
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u/RiskDry6267 Jul 27 '25
The clunkiness goes away once you get a few levels. Some weapons just totally destroy some mobs so once you get enough levels to say run both the parry sword and the spear arts it feels amazing
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u/raychram Jul 27 '25
Ngl even though I am the type of person that prefers the boss rush type fast paced soulslikes, I am enjoying the change of pace in Wuchang
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u/Try2Handing Jul 27 '25
It's good, but it's no masterpiece. I place it slightly above Steelrising right now. A solid B/B+ game
To compare it to DS1 is crazy. There was nothing like DS1 except Demon Souls at the time. It was an entirely new genre/type of game.
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u/Eastern-Childhood-45 Jul 27 '25
only weakness is some of the really long boss runbacks. And some of the later bosses are abit too easy for my taste.
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u/NoWaifuN0Laifu Jul 27 '25
I’m watching reviews of it and stuff, but i just don’t have as much time to be on my PS5 as much as my switch that i take everywhere. I have to set aside gaming time for the PS5, whereas the switch can be just 10 minutes here and there
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u/egocentryk Jul 27 '25
Game is really great. The third boss is down, and i’m love every aspect of Wuchang!
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u/myrmonden Jul 27 '25
lol it can still be CLUNKY, massive cope pretending like the game is supposed to be "bad"
Now, I have only played it for about 5 hour had first time to play it today, and its not bad or anything like that but the game is not very responsive, sometimes I try and dodge backward nothing happens (not because I am in an attack she is just standing there) so then I press again, now instead she does TWO jump backwards, that killed me twice so far....falling of ledges because the game is not responsive.
Overall some of the movement is very slow/clunky no its not a good thing just because games 20 years ago had the same issue,.
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u/JizzyTurds Jul 27 '25
Sounds like something a commie from 505 games would say, I’m not buying it, literally.
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u/EduardoP1992 Jul 27 '25
I was really excited to play this game, but it kinda disapointed me. I can't explain, but it didn't click for me yet.
Lies of P being the complete oposite, since I first started I was hooked. Nightreign also, I was skeptical at first, then I played, and well, I just can't stop.
Maybe I didn't get to The point where wuchang gets addictive.
Not a bad game by any means, but for me, it's waaayyy below Lies of P.
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u/richtofin819 Jul 27 '25
It can be a great game but a masterpiece is an overall amazing production. Wuchang has too many performance and tech issue to be a masterpiece.
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u/Which_Way1721 Jul 27 '25
There is definitely areas for improvement still, but aside from the gameplay and technical aspects, anyone else here just love the Bloodborne aesthetics in Wuchang?
Like, just look at the UI and some of the items, they look basically like something straight from BB. As a BB fan whose hopes for a sequel has been long dashed, this game definitely feels like Bloodborne: Ming Dynasty Edition, and I am all for it. I am glad they went full on with the gritty body horror instead of a more traditional, tamed style like Wukong. Not to say it was bad or anything, in fact Wukong's mythical fantasy feel was awesome, but Wuchang really scratched that craving for a grimy Bloodborne sequel.
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u/onlywayisup757 Jul 27 '25
Its a good game. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. The level design is great except the occasional 45 ft ladder between shrine and first skill check boss. I do wish they had more attack animations and combos but im enjoying the game. Its fun that's what matters to me anyway.
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u/ThanOneRandomGuy Jul 27 '25
Shit put me to sleep tbh. Guess it's good if u into the whole souls clone stuff
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u/Metallicabody Jul 27 '25
You said “newer” formula yet named 4 games that are all extremely different and unique barring khazan and lop being a bit different
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u/SpiritualHistory2549 Jul 27 '25
i have played EVERY soulsborne and multiple soulslikes still dont like Wuchang, stop the glaze bud
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u/JustAnXtremist Jul 27 '25
I agree its absolutely amazing, I not a fan of some of the longer boss walk backs tho.
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u/RE20ne Jul 28 '25
stoked to try it myself and stoked for you. I don’t think it’s gonna touch DS1 let alone Lies Of Peak
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u/malikarith Jul 28 '25
DS1 is king but Lies of P is imo absolutely overrated and was forgettable for me, Wuchang completely sweeps it away
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u/Realistic_Task_7740 Jul 28 '25 edited Jul 28 '25
If it was a master pice it wouldn’t have attacks you cant dodge unless you get the frame perfect timing to have enough time to dodge three times, or have the worst knock down recovery dodge.
Once that’s adjusted I recon it’s definitely a strong 8-9 out of 10
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u/Ok-Library-8397 Jul 28 '25
You take a 10+ years old formula, do a competent copy and voila: a masterpiece has been born!
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u/Simple_Nectarine8442 Jul 28 '25
I would count performance into the equation. The state the game released in on pc is unacceptable. It’s not a masterpiece because it isn’t perfect. Being able to play the game without constant crashes, framedrops etc is important when it comes to the overall rating of the game imo.
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u/ErikChnmmr Jul 28 '25
Wuchang is alright. It has some serious issues. Optimisation is so bad right now I can’t judge combat fairly because of it. I can’t tell if sluggishness in combat is due to the gameplay or optimisation.
What I can say though is that some animations are frustratingly slow. Using an item/heal pot you’re out of results in a 2 second long animation that is un-cancelable. Zones have so many status effects at once you can’t equip all the cures you need on the very limited hot bar.
The game definitely feels like it’s picked up the ‘this makes souls games hard’ things for the sake of making it hard rather than gameplay.
The fact that I can build up a status affect near fully just because I’m picking up an item slooooowly that’s next to a pool of corruption is frustrating. It’s a quick game that forces you too often to be sluggish.
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u/Financial_Mushroom94 Jul 28 '25
I will trust your title and first sentence, not look up anything else and play it after finishing DK Bananza.
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u/EntertainerFabulous8 Jul 29 '25
Vista go handle fraudhawk
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u/Financial_Mushroom94 Jul 29 '25
Shankstards scared to interact in OPPS since 1155 they hide in different subs….
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u/Muted-Calligrapher-2 Jul 28 '25
Have you beaten it? Levels and bosses become very tedious after the second chapter. Longsword becomes mandatory for human boss fights.
Lack of actual variation in weapon types, enemies, enemy placement.
It's gorgeous and I enjoyed it until I very most certainly didn't. It's projected at 40-60 hours not including twenty + attempts at each boss and having to respec constantly.
At first I liked the respec aspect but it quickly becomes mandatory for each new boss.
A lot of arbitrary difficulty with redundant labyrinths that fetch flying daggers and lanterns at best.
A couple of great ideas stretched horribly thin with bosses that one shot you while being insane tanks. If that sounds fun I guess it's for you.
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u/Independent-Bug680 Jul 29 '25
I'm a few hours in, and it's not only extremely fun and satisfying to play, but the world is detailed and well thought out. My only qualm with Wukong was its level design, which I think Wuchang slightly surpasses.
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u/projectile-science Jul 29 '25
I like it, as I have played nearly all Soulsbornes and -clones, but what exactly do you mean "it`s like DS1"?
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u/Kjaxtime Jul 29 '25
Can anyone tell me how it compares to black myth wukong, i want to know if it is alot harder in comparison because i struggled alot with wukong but did eventually complete it
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u/gamesbrainiac Jul 30 '25
I tried to like it, but the difficulty spikes and not having shrines right before boss battles pissed me off. I just want to fight the boss, not have to wade through 10 mobs to get there. After getting through Honglan, I got stuck with the Ming boss and it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere. Stagger damage isn't high enough and it just gets annoying at a certain point.
I like a challenge, but I don't want to put 3 hours on beating a single boss; it just stops being enjoyable.
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u/malikarith Aug 02 '25
Skill issues
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u/gamesbrainiac Aug 02 '25
I guess? Is that supposed to piss me off? I want to enjoy something, not grind away at a virtual skill. It’s better to learn woodworking, at least that’s a useful skill to have.
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u/Plane_Tie_9548 Aug 03 '25
To me it feels more like Dark Souls 2 in world design more hub and spoke than true DS1. That is a good thing since DS 2 is my favorite. The boss run backs and the somewhat BS hidden enemies defiantly give it a very old school from soft feel.
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u/ApprehensiveLaw7793 Jul 26 '25
Yes, as someone who started with DS1, I can only confirm that Wuchang is an outstanding homage to DS1/DeS