The concept of New Game Plus (NG+) has long been a cherished feature in the realm of role-playing and soulslike games. It offers players a chance to revisit their completed adventures, often with enhanced challenges and the benefit of their hard-earned progress. Yet, in the shadowy world of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, this familiar system takes a rather unconventional turn, presenting a unique challenge not just within the game`s narrative, but also in its very structure.
The Unexpected Reversal: Forced Progression
Upon concluding your journey through Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and witnessing one of its various endings, the game initiates what it terms `Causality Reversal.` For most seasoned players, this would typically be an optional choice, a prompt inviting them to embark on a new cycle. However, Wuchang bypasses this courtesy entirely.
Herein lies the game`s most surprising design choice: New Game Plus is not optional; it is mandatory. Regardless of whether you select `Causality Reversal,` `Continue,` or `Load Game` from the main menu, the outcome is the same. Your journey restarts from the very beginning, with a new NG+ cycle activated. More critically, and perhaps controversially, your original save file is unceremoniously overwritten.
This forced progression deviates significantly from the industry standard, where players typically retain access to their completed save files for post-game exploration, tackling missed content, or simply basking in their victory before committing to another playthrough. For completionists or those wishing to explore all narrative branches without starting from scratch, this design choice can prove to be a considerable hurdle.
Your Sanctuary: Manual Save Backups
Given Wuchang: Fallen Feathers` uncompromising approach to post-game progression, players who wish to preserve their initial playthrough`s state for future exploration or clean-up are left with a single, reliable recourse: manual save file management. For PC players (specifically the Steam version), this workaround is straightforward, though perhaps a relic from a bygone era of gaming:
- Before delivering the final blow to the game`s ultimate challenge and triggering an ending, exit the game.
- Navigate to your game`s save directory. For PC (Steam), this is typically found at:
C:\Users\[Your Username]\AppData\Local\Project_Plague - Locate the
Savedfolder within theProject_Plaguedirectory. -
Copy this entire
Savedfolder to a secure location outside of the game`s installation directory. This copy now serves as your backup of the pre-NG+ state.
Should you wish to revert to your pre-NG+ save, simply paste your backed-up Saved folder back into the Project_Plague directory, overwriting the existing one. Upon launching Wuchang and selecting `Load Game,` you will find yourself precisely where you left off before the game`s credits rolled.
The Unburdened Pilgrim: What Carries Over
Despite the rigid entry into `Causality Reversal,` the New Game Plus experience in Wuchang: Fallen Feathers does adhere to the core tenets of the mode by carrying over a substantial amount of player progress:
- Equipment and Gear: All your meticulously acquired weapons, armor pieces, and accessories will accompany you into the new cycle.
- Resources: Your precious Red Mercury, the game`s primary currency and upgrade material, remains intact.
- Skills and Spells: All unlocked skills and mystical spells are carried over, allowing you to immediately leverage your full combat potential.
- Key Items: Essential progression items such as Temperance Needles (presumably for character upgrades) also make the transition.
A Familiar Yet Sharper Blade: What Changes & Respawn
While your character retains their accumulated power, the world of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers itself adapts to the new cycle, presenting fresh challenges and opportunities:
- Increased Difficulty: Unsurprisingly, enemies across Sichuan Province become significantly tougher, demanding even greater mastery of combat mechanics and strategic thinking.
-
Enhanced Relics: Jade Pendants and Benedictions found in subsequent playthroughs receive a
+1coefficient, meaning their beneficial effects are notably more potent, compensating for the increased enemy strength. - Vendor Inventory: Merchants largely retain their initial inventory. Items that cannot be duplicated (e.g., specific spells) remain unavailable for purchase if you already possess them.
- Resource Conversion: Looting items that cannot have duplicates, such as Manna Vase upgrades or spells you already know, will yield additional Red Mercury-related materials instead, providing an alternative form of value.
- Respawning Adversaries: Previously vanquished unique enemies and collectibles, including Panda Bamboozlings/Bamboo Shoots and Inner Demons, will respawn in their original locations. This allows for repeated collection of their unique rewards.
- Quest Reset: All quest lines are reset, requiring you to reacquire quest items and offering a chance to tackle missions you might have missed in your previous run.
Concluding Thoughts: Embracing the Cycle or Charting Your Own Path
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers presents a New Game Plus experience that is both familiar in its core mechanics and boldly unconventional in its implementation. The forced `Causality Reversal` and the subsequent save file overwrite represent a design choice that certainly stands out, prompting players to either fully embrace the unending cycle of challenge or meticulously manage their digital footprint to preserve past victories. Whichever path you choose, understanding these mechanics is paramount to navigating the post-game world of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers effectively.
Ellis Thorne