Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong is an action role-playing game deeply inspired by Chinese mythology. Embark on your journey as the Destined One, facing numerous trials and wonders along the way, to reveal hidden truths shrouded in the splendor of an ancient legend.

Story and World
The game follows the story of the Monkey King and is based on the novel Journey to the West. The novel is an extended account of the legendary pilgrimage of the Tang dynasty Buddhist monk Xuanzang, who travelled to the “Western Regions” (Central Asia and India) to obtain Buddhist sutras (sacred texts) and returned after many trials and much suffering. Journey to the West is considered one of the most important novels in Asian literature.

During his journey, the Monkey King gains almost god-like abilities, such as shape shifting and cloning himself. These abilities are showcased in the gameplay trailers, where the Monkey King transforms into a fly and leaves an image of himself when dodging.

Not much has been revealed about the story by the developers, but anticipating gamers theorise that the character might already be a clone and that the journey involves reuniting with the true Monkey King.

There are many similarities with Souls-like games, such as the timing required to dodge in boss battles, followed by well-timed attacks, the sheer size of these bosses, and the ‘campfire’-like safe havens seen in the original Dark Souls games. However, the developers assert that this is not ‘just another Souls-like game.’

Demo players have noted that while it plays similarly to a Souls game, the gameplay is much more forgiving, akin to the God of War series. Another distinction is that players can pause the game, even in mid-combat, which is a significant advantage. The game is not open-world and will be largely linear, with some larger open areas to explore. It sure sounds God Of War-like to me.

Gameplay and Progression
The main weapon is a staff, which is customisable and upgradable. Players also have three stances that change their attack style: Smash Stance, Pillar Stance, and Thrust Stance. These stances can be toggled between mid-combat.

The game features a focus mechanic, where if players time their dodges and attacks correctly, they gain focus, which can be used for devastating attacks. However, spamming dodge requires a recovery period before the next dodge, so players must be strategic or be penalised. This mechanic offers a tactical approach to planning attacks, making landing high-damage attacks more satisfying. Spells that immobilise opponents, including bosses, will also play a crucial role.

Image credit: Game Science

The game includes classic skill points and skill trees with options for magic, attacks, and buffs.

From the gameplay trailers, we’ve seen a fair number of bosses featured. However, the official number of bosses has not been announced.

The game is slated for release 20th of August 2024 by the developer Game Science.