Wuchang: Fallen Feathers received its highly anticipated 1.5 Patch this week, introducing a plethora of quality-of-life enhancements to the challenging Soulslike game. However, the update also brought about significant story and boss adjustments that seem to have been implemented in response to feedback from Chinese players.
The patch notes detail various improvements, such as faster healing animations and tweaks to invincibility frames during Wuchang’s recovery. Yet, hidden within the patch notes is a cryptic line stating, “Added dialogs for some NPCs to complete some plots. We will further optimize the exhaustion animations in the future to improve the plot performance.”
As revealed by Kotaku and highlighted by YouTuber Lance McDonald, these changes translate to key bosses, particularly those linked to the Ming dynasty, no longer meeting their demise after fierce battles with Wuchang. Instead, they now collapse from exhaustion, remaining in the boss arena and occasionally engaging in dialogue if Wuchang interacts with them. For instance, the encounter with the renowned general Zhao Yun, who hails from China’s Three Kingdoms period but appears as a surprise NPC and boss in the game, is now portrayed as a “trial” orchestrated by his immortal soul to test Wuchang.
Furthermore, this alteration results in certain enemies associated with the Ming dynasty, such as peasant loyalists and imperial guards, no longer being hostile. This drastic shift significantly transforms the fourth region of the game, Worship’s Rise in Ruins, where these foes were once abundant. Suddenly, the majority of adversaries in this area are now friendly, making it a much easier segment compared to its original challenging nature.
It appears that these modifications were made by the developers, Leenzee Games, in response to criticism from the Chinese gaming community, which has been vocal about the game’s portrayal of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 AD).
The Ming dynasty, led by ethnic Han Chinese, was succeeded by the Qing dynasty (1644-1912 AD) ruled by the Manchu people. Wuchang: Fallen Feathers notably lacks Manchu enemies, instead featuring several bosses inspired by historical figures like Zhu Youjian, the final Ming ruler known as the Chongzhen Emperor. In the game, Zhu Youjian appears as a corrupted version of himself obsessed with immortality and preserving the Ming dynasty. Following Patch 1.5, Wuchang can no longer permanently defeat Zhu Youjian, and his character arc is reframed, hinting at a retreat into seclusion with his consort rather than a definitive demise.
While the English-speaking player community has largely criticized Patch 1.5, expressing surprise at the surviving bosses and noting the unfinished post-battle animations, the reception among Chinese players has been mixed. Some Chinese-language Steam threads suggest that the changes catered to a vocal minority and propose offering players the choice to battle Ming enemies instead of converting them into friendly NPCs.
Others argue that these alterations dilute the game’s narrative, which revolves around the Buddhist concept of samsara and Wuchang’s journey of letting go of her obsession with resurrecting her sister, set against the backdrop of the declining Ming dynasty.
As someone who invested 90 hours into Wuchang: Fallen Feathers for guide creation purposes and has a Taiwanese-Chinese background, I believe the initial criticism was unwarranted and stemmed from a group promoting ideas of Han Chinese superiority. Nonetheless, it is understandable that Leenzee Games felt compelled to make these adjustments. Operating in Mainland China entails navigating social pressures and nationalistic sentiments, and featuring real-world figures in a game titled 明末 (“Last days of the Ming”) undoubtedly invites scrutiny. Despite this, it is regrettable that these changes have overshadowed the positive quality-of-life improvements introduced in the patch.
If you’re interested in witnessing me take down the immortal Zhao Yun with a fire axe build in just over two minutes, be sure to check out my boss guide.
