Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Is the Soulslike Underdog Steam Can’t Stop Downloading

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has exploded onto Steam’s trending charts, drawing eager comparisons to Black Myth: Wukong. The indie title from Leenzee Games isn’t a AAA juggernaut, but it’s rapidly gaining traction, and Soulslike fans are paying attention. It launched on 24 July 2025 via publisher 505 Games, and early feedback already paints it as a dark horse success in a year filled with action-RPG giants. If you’ve got space for one more haunting journey through blood-soaked terrain, this one might be hard to ignore.

Steam Charts, Visual Grit, and Eerie Vibes

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers made a notable splash upon launch, despite flying under the radar for many mainstream audiences. It shot up on the global Steam Top Sellers list just hours after release (a peak concurrent player count of 114,132), suggesting a compelling combo at play: the action RPG’s brutal combat, immersive folklore-rooted setting, and some major visual polish grabbed attention with no delay.

This sort of success echoes what we saw with Black Myth: Wukong, another East-Asian mythology-inspired action game that found immediate traction on PC. Wuchang, however, delivers its own distinct twist—less mythical monkey king, more plague-ravaged dynasty collapse. Leenzee’s setting plunges players into Ming Dynasty China, drenched in shadow and disease. It’s a brilliant canvas for the game’s corrupted spirits and eldritch horrors.

Visually, Wuchang punches well above its weight. The Unreal Engine 4 underpinnings mean smooth lighting and oppressive atmosphere. Enemy designs are bizarre and grotesque, which really underscores the game’s focus on decay and madness. If you loved the corrupted dreamscapes of Bloodborne or the fragile grime of Lies of P, there’s a reason to watch this one closely.

While the combat mechanics fall squarely in the realm of Soulslike games, Wuchang adds flair. The game leans more towards deliberate pace and strategic duelling rather than frantic roll-spamming. You wield massive weapons with weighty heft against everything from plague-ridden villagers to nightmarish, towering beasts. Bosses offer the expected challenge curves, but stand out thanks to thematic cohesion that ties back to the disease-ridden narrative roots.

Leenzee Games Deliver a Surprisingly Sharp Indie Hit

One standout element in this Steam success story is just how small the team behind Wuchang is. Leenzee Games is a Chinese indie studio, and while 505 Games has helped distribute their vision worldwide, the creative core remains compact. That’s a crucial talking point, considering how polished and ambitious the launch build is.

Players can expect a traditional single-player third-person RPG experience. There is no multiplayer, co-op, or online invasion play, something many Soulslike veterans may actually appreciate for narrative immersion. And judging the Steam feedback so far, that solo direction seems to be working.

The protagonist’s design and backstory are also worth noting. You play as Wuchang, a pirate-turned-vengeful traveller, infected by a mysterious illness while navigating the dying days of Imperial decline. It’s a blend of character-rich folklore with body horror, a familiar fusion for fans of Sekiro or Nioh, but once again with a very fresh edge. Her transformation is directly tied to gameplay, influencing certain special abilities and world reactions.

The game is now available on PC (via Steam), and it will also arrive on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S later in the year, though the console launch date is yet to be confirmed.

Crucially, Wuchang has piqued interest for doing things the “right way” in a genre dense with imitators. No over-reliance on gimmicks, and no rushed tech issues. Just a polished gothic action RPG drenched in myth, grit, and mystery. It’s early days, but user engagement already suggests a cult favourite waiting to detonate beyond niche circles, especially for players weary of bloated open-world fatigue.

With both Black Myth: Wukong and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers making waves, 2025 looks like a landmark year for East Asian-developed action RPGs. Much like smaller titles that once reshaped genres quietly—think Salt and Sanctuary or Hollow Knight, Wuchang might’ve just opened a door fans didn’t realise they’d been knocking on for years.