As anticipation builds for the July 24, 2025, launch of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers—a Chinese-developed action RPG centered on an amnesiac pirate unraveling a supernatural plague—fans of challenging combat and atmospheric storytelling have ample titles to explore. The game’s blend of interconnected level design and myth-inspired storytelling places it among a growing roster of standout Souls-like releases, a genre often criticized for uneven quality. For those seeking preparation for its arrival, seven existing games offer similar thrills, from deflection-based combat to explorations of East Asian folklore.

Lies of P (2023), developed by Neowiz, remains a genre favorite for its mysterious city of Krat and labyrinthine level design. Its recent Overture DLC expands gameplay by 12 hours, making it an ideal primer for Wuchang’s exploration-focused structure. Meanwhile, Black Myth: Wukong (August 2024) has shattered sales records, moving 20 million copies in its debut month. Praised for its accessible difficulty and reimagining of Journey to the West lore, it shares Wuchang’s cultural roots and visual richness.

Team Ninja’s Nioh 2 (2020) and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty (2023) showcase contrasting combat philosophies. The former emphasizes yokai-fueled combos and mission-based progression, while the latter adopts Sekiro’s parry-centric mechanics within a Three Kingdoms-inspired setting. Both highlight the genre’s evolution beyond Dark Souls’ blueprint. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice (2019) itself remains a benchmark for difficulty, demanding mastery of deflection and posture systems—a brutal but rewarding challenge for prospective Wuchang players.

Code Vein (2019) blends anime aesthetics with vampiric themes, allowing real-time class switching to experiment with builds. Its upcoming sequel, teased with blood-draining mechanics, could refine this formula further. Closing the list is The First Berserker: Khazan (March 2025), which merges Dungeon and Fighter’s beat-em-up roots with Sekiro-like precision, offering three weapon types and combo-driven battles ahead of its planned DLC.

These titles underscore the Souls-like genre’s expansion, balancing respect for FromSoftware’s foundations with innovations in pacing, setting, and combat. As Wuchang: Fallen Feathers approaches, its focus on Chinese mythology and interconnected design may further cement this wave of globally influenced, mechanically rigorous RPGs.