Black Myth: Wukong: A mixed bag of folklore and fantasy

The year 2024 has brought forth the long endearing Monkey King on his nimbus cloud from ancient China as 'Black Myth: Wukong' slammed onto the video game community with absolute grace. 

The game has already made splashes, perhaps even bigger than 'Elden Ring' or 'Ghost of Tsushima', with clips of its soulslike gameplay, catching everyone by their breath.

Unlike Soulslike

'Black Myth: Wukong' is not strictly Soulslike. The effort to distance Black Myth: Wukong from Soulslike games can be puzzling, as the game clearly draws heavily from 'FromSoftware's' formula. 

It's a third-person action RPG inspired by the classic Chinese novel 'Journey to the West,' and it's not especially difficult. Its gameplay is similar to modern 'God of War' titles, not only due to the presence of gods, but also because of its use of colour-coded gear, character skill trees, and mostly linear levels with some semi-open sections. At its core, it's an adventure game—more welcoming than punishing. However, it does borrow an element from Soulslike games by hiding a lot of content, including some of the best moments and toughest battles.

Players progress by moving from shrine to shrine (which functions like bonfires), defeating enemies for XP, and healing with a limited-use gourd that can only be refilled at these shrines. Resting at shrines refills health and mana, while also respawning enemies throughout the level. 

Another way the game sets itself apart from most Soulslike games is that players are limited to using essentially one weapon throughout the entire game: the legendary staff from Journey to the West, the novel that inspired it. 

Despite this, players still need to create a "build" by deciding how to level up the Destined One and allocate skill points into different stances. These stances unlock various heavy attacks, which can be executed once the Focus metre is filled. While the limited weapon variety may be a drawback over time, switching between stances helps keep the gameplay somewhat fresh for a while.

While the levels are more linear than in FromSoftware's games, they still feature maze-like designs with branching paths and shortcuts. The game emphasises challenging boss fights, requiring players to dodge as much as their stamina allows to avoid damage. There are no difficulty settings, meaning players must master the game to succeed. One key difference from typical Soulslike games is that Black Myth doesn't allow players to recover lost XP by returning to where they died.

Choreographed combat

Before getting into the gameplay further, the in-game world and environment needs to be talked about. Here, you play as a staff-wielding monkey warrior called the Destined One, who follows in the footsteps of the legendary Sun Wukong by seeking out his six relics, or senses. This journey takes you through five main areas, each divided into chapters with unique settings and subplots, plus a special final chapter that won't be spoiled. 

You can revisit these areas at any time. The quest to gather six MacGuffins provides a fittingly video game-style framework for what is otherwise a complex narrative. Black Myth: Wukong isn't a story that's simply told to you; instead, it sprinkles parables throughout the world for players to discover. It's a story designed for active interpretation rather than passive consumption.

When everything falls into place, the combat in Black Myth: Wukong can feel like a choreographed dance. Players dodge attacks at the last possible moment, land a powerful and heavy strike to disrupt the enemy's next move, immobilise them, and potentially summon a spirit to deliver the finishing blow. It can be highly enjoyable, but players should also expect moments of frustration. 

The combat has a somewhat button-mashy feel, especially noticeable in longer, more gruelling boss fights, making deaths and restarts more tedious than in comparable games. While similar games often reward players with a euphoric sense of achievement after overcoming tough bosses, that feeling is somewhat diminished here.

Underwhelming storytelling

The story in Black Myth didn't leave a lasting impression, though that's not to say it lacks spectacle. The game features a range of bizarre but fascinating scenes, brought to life by its mostly impressive visuals. Some areas look stunning, and the animations and character designs are often eye-catching. 

While Black Myth offers plenty of memorable boss designs, many feel repetitive and underwhelming. I even encountered a secret boss that was just a re-skin of a mini-boss from the same chapter, which was disappointing. 

Despite the visual variety, many of the boss fights feel the same, likely because the Destined One is restricted to using the staff. By the halfway point, it felt like I had seen all that the game's combat had to offer. 

A shorter game length or more freedom in spell selection might have helped reduce the repetition, but as it stands, players can only equip specific spells in certain slots, which feels like an unnecessary limitation that hinders the combat's potential.

The game offers around 30 hours of gameplay on a first playthrough, along with plenty of side content. However, many players may grow weary of the limited combat options before reaching the stunning but equally frustrating final boss fight.

'Black Myth: Wukong' tries to distance itself from the Soulslike label, yet it clearly targets the Soulslike audience. While it's far from the best in the genre, it's also not the worst to follow in Dark Souls' footsteps. If you approach it expecting a fairly standard Soulslike experience—with some intense boss battles and simple level design—you'll likely enjoy it more than if you're hoping for a traditional character action game.