Souls-likes and motion RPGs come and go, and because the Summer time of Gaming showcased, there are many new titles in each genres to tide followers over for a very long time. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers by Leenzee Video games is essentially the most imminent, launching on July twenty fourth for PS5, Xbox Sequence X/S, and PC. From its announcement in September 2021 to now (and a subsequent bounce to Unreal Engine 5 later), it’s shaping up into one thing particular. The query is: How does it evaluate to Black Delusion: Wukong, which additionally dabbles in motion RPG and Souls-like mechanics? Let’s discover out by evaluating their 15 largest variations.
Settings
Regardless of each titles using some fantasy parts, their settings differ considerably. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers unfolds within the Land of Shu, an actual historic kingdom that ultimately turned the Sichuan Province. It was in the course of the late Ming Dynasty, which loved a big ruling interval from 1368 to 1644 however ultimately collapsed. This isn’t to say that Wuchang is traditionally correct. Some historic figures seem, however the setting diverges from the true world Shu.
Black Delusion: Wukong, in the meantime, is predicated on the novel Journey to the West. All of its areas – from Black Wind Mountain to Yellow Wind Ridge and the Flaming Mountains – are fictitious. Nonetheless lovely, although.
Weapon Sorts
Wukong’s trusty weapon all through Black Delusion is the stave. There’s loads of selection within the 21 completely different choices, particularly because the majority have distinctive expertise that both improve your stances, strategies and combos or create lava bursts, spines that hit close by foes, and so forth. Wuchang has a number of weapon sorts, from spears and golf equipment to two-handed swords and even a flamethrower. There are 25 distinctive weapons in complete, every with distinctive expertise (together with a sick counter the place Wuchang jumps again and tosses a spear at an enemy).
Stances vs. Weapon Switching
Regardless of the dearth of various weapon sorts, Black Delusion: Wukong affords three stances, every with distinctive features that you could change between at any time. For those who performed an honest quantity of Wo Lengthy: Fallen Dynasty, you’ll discover that Wuchang employs the identical lack of stances. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to change between two geared up weapons, which ends up in completely different results.
Parries, Counters, and Dodges
Wukong is notable for not having a devoted parry button, as an alternative asking gamers to give attention to Good Dodges (which restore Give attention to prime of different advantages). You finally unlock choices to counterattack, particularly with Smash Stance’s Resolute Counterflow and Thrust Stance’s Fortunate Strike, however these have to be unlocked. Wuchang can also be closely reliant on dodging, and whilst you can parry, it’s weapon-specific (and even have to be unlocked on sure sorts). Not all weapons can block both, however you’ll be able to ignore each defensive choices and beat the sport by simply dodging, even when it’s not really useful.
Skyborn Would possibly vs. Qi and Focus
Whereas Wukong has Focus and Qi, the latter required for utilizing Spirits and Transformations, Wuchang depends on Skyborn Would possibly. It’s accrued in a lot the identical method as Focus – by performing a Good Dodge, generally known as a Shimmer, towards enemy assaults – and spent to reinforce the weapon’s expertise and charged strikes.
Spellcasting
Wuchang additionally affords 40 completely different spells with no restrictions – at the very least primarily based on gameplay and impressions. You may equip 4 at a time and combine them into your combos as you please. Wukong solely affords six default spells, grouped below Mysticism, Strand, and Alteration, and you’ll equip one in all every sort. Nonetheless, you even have Transformations and Spirits, which each require Qi.
Transformations vs. Insanity
Transformations in Wukong every have completely different sorts of assaults and talents, and although they devour Qi like Spirits, they’ve a separate meter that signifies their period. In Wuchang, there’s Insanity. For those who take harm and even die, Wuchang shall be with the Feathering illness’s Insanity, which will increase harm dealt but additionally harm acquired.
You may enhance it additional by slaying human foes, and at larger ranges, new talents and weapon expertise develop into out there. The most important tradeoff of Insanity, nevertheless, is that dying at larger ranges will spawn an Interior Demon. It guards your dropped forex and have to be defeated to get it again (although it additionally assaults close by enemies, which can be utilized to your benefit). For those who’re feeling particularly assured, Wuchang may use objects to lift her Insanity, and there are even Insanity-focused choices within the talent tree.
Talent Timber
Wukong affords a number of paths of development – Basis for enhancing your Stamina, Survival and Martial Arts; numerous upgrades for the three Workers Stances; Mysticism, Alteration, and Strand for enhancing numerous spells; and Transformations, the place you’ll be able to enhance the Skills of various Alteration Spells. By comparability, Wuchang dumps every little thing into one huge talent tree, together with expertise, stat upgrades, and extra. 505 Video games model neighborhood supervisor Stephen Takowsky advised the Iron Lords Podcast at Summer time Recreation Fest that it’s not fairly Path of Exile 2 when it comes to scale, nevertheless it’s “up there.” Thankfully, like Wukong, respeccing in Wuchang is free.
Buildcrafting
Each video games strategy build-crafting in barely other ways. Whereas Wukong has Spirits, Transformations and completely different Stances that you could select to give attention to, the core playstyle remains to be closely reliant on melee fight with a single weapon sort. Wuchang permits you to combine and match weapon sorts to create completely different combos and throw in just a few spells in the event you please. Nonetheless, if you wish to focus purely on melee fight or spell-casting, you’ve gotten that freedom.
Seamlessly Interconnected vs. Separate Areas
These starved for a Darkish Souls 1-like world that’s seamlessly interconnected might get a kick out of Wuchang. Being attentive to landmarks and discovering shortcuts is emphasised over merely checking the map. In TechRadar’s preview, Xia stated the group wished “a hub-based exploration system that allowed gamers to traverse the identical areas from a number of instructions to create diversified experiences for various playstyles.” This would definitely tie into the “non-linear” order of tackling bosses.
Wukong, alternatively, doesn’t seamlessly join the areas throughout its numerous chapters. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to fast-travel again to beforehand cleared areas, and there are secret areas in every.
Open-Ended vs. Non-Linear
Whereas progressing by Wukong’s story chapters includes defeating its major bosses in a pre-determined order, you’ll be able to veer off the overwhelmed path and sort out optionally available threats everytime you please. Secret areas await to be found, some with a number of bosses that will overwhelm you. In Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, nevertheless, the story guarantees a “non-linear expertise,” per Takowsky in an official preview video. It’s as much as the participant which bosses they’ll sort out first, nevertheless it’s unknown how this impacts the general stream of the plot.
Multiplayer
Wukong is a primarily solo expertise. Sure, some NPCs might assist throughout particular facet quests, however for essentially the most half, it’s you versus the world. Wuchang is analogous in that some selections might trigger NPCs to offer assist at sure moments, nevertheless it additionally helps multiplayer. Leenzee hasn’t outlined these options and whether or not they’re the asynchronous spirits of Souls-like previous or full-on co-operators, nevertheless it’s nonetheless intriguing.
Playtime
“Meaty” is an efficient approach to describe Black Delusion: Wukong, as ending the story takes about 38 hours on common and 48 hours whereas pursuing facet content material, in keeping with HowLongToBeat. Nonetheless, completionists would require at the very least 67 hours for every little thing. Wuchang is not any slouch, requiring about 40 to 60 hours for a mean playthrough. Granted, we gained’t know till experiencing it ourselves if that’s solely the story or consists of some (or all) facet content material, and so forth, nevertheless it’s a prolonged expertise regardless.
Variety of Endings
Relying on how totally the facet content material in Wukong is accomplished, you’ll be able to unlock the true ending to go together with the default. Wuchang additionally has a number of endings however greater than three, that are “fully completely different” and provide “fully completely different fates,” implying some are much less lucky than others. Nonetheless, the strategy is seemingly extra Darkish Souls-like, the place relying on the facet quests accomplished, you’ll be able to go for a distinct consequence. When you might run by and “kill every little thing” whereas “dismissing all narrative threads,” as sport director Siyuan Xia highlighted in TechRadar’s preview, you’ll nonetheless must face the results.
Worth Variations
Lastly, maybe essentially the most noticeable distinction is that Black Delusion: Wukong prices $60 whereas Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is $50. The latter additionally has the excellence of being out there on Recreation Move – strive (or beat) earlier than you actually purchase. Dare we hope for one more Expedition 33-style value-for-money expertise?