Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Patch 1.5 Sparks Backlash Over Censorship and Gameplay Changes
- Sagar Mankar
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a dark fantasy Soulslike from developer Leenzee, has been out for just a few weeks, but its journey has been far from smooth. After a rocky launch plagued by performance issues — particularly on PC — and a flood of negative reviews, the game is once again in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
The latest controversy stems from its newly released 1.5 update, which has altered core gameplay and story elements in ways that many fans feel undermine the game’s identity.
The update, released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, introduced a series of quality-of-life improvements such as faster healing animations, increased invincibility frames after being knocked down, and new light attack combo options. On paper, these tweaks should have been welcome additions, but according to players, they came with a major trade-off — significant censorship of certain bosses, NPCs, and story moments.
As per reports by TheGamer, the patch made it so some "historically" inspired bosses, such as Zhao Yun and Liu Wenxiu, no longer die when defeated. Instead, they enter a state of “exhaustion” and remain alive in the world. Likewise, a large portion of enemy encounters in Chapter 4 — particularly Ming Dynasty soldiers — are now non-hostile, turning one of the game’s most grueling sections into an unexpectedly easy stroll.
These changes have disrupted the game’s original narrative tone. Wuchang’s story revolves around dark, tragic themes of grief, mortality, and the moral burden of ending the suffering of characters driven mad by resurrection rituals. By removing the finality of certain boss battles, players argue that the emotional weight and thematic consistency have been severely diluted. Reddit threads also noted the removal of the “Pray” emote from a Portuguese Christian NPC, adding further fuel to the censorship debate.
Soulslike community figure Lance McDonald suggested on X (formerly Twitter) that these edits were not mandated by government authorities but rather implemented to appease nationalist sentiment within China.
"Like actual censorship due to pressure from Chinese players who were upset about being able to kill historically significant characters from the end of the Ming Dynasty," Lance said.
This claim has not been officially confirmed, but it has amplified community frustration, especially among Western players who see it as an unnecessary compromise to the creative vision.
Unsurprisingly, the game’s Steam reviews have dipped back into “Mostly Negative” territory following the update.
Leenzee has stated in the patch notes that some changes, such as “exhaustion” animations and altered dialogues, were made to “complete some plots” and that further optimization is planned. However, for many players, the damage is already done.
If Wuchang’s first months are any indication, the road ahead will be challenging. While it still boasts stunning visuals, intricate level design, and a deep combat system, the current situation has raised concerns over the long-term integrity of the title — and whether future updates will prioritize creative storytelling or cautious political compromise.