With an official release date marked for 2024, Black Myth: Wukong will soon be giving players a Soulslike experience like never before. From all that has been shown thus far, Wukong seems to present a bestiary right out of a hanging scroll paint
Black Myth: Wukong is an upcoming action RPG by Game Science, based on the novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en. Despite being an action RPG, Black Myth: Wukong is also yet another addition to the ever-expanding library of Soulslike titles, which follow, to some extent, FromSoftware’s classic Dark Souls formula and mechanics. However, here lately, many games have been released that only have bits and pieces of the Soulslike genre found in them rather than being Soulslike through and through — like Shift Up’s recent title Stellar Blade — and it seems like Black Myth: Wukong may be one of t
Soulslikes have always been known for having iconic monster designs, often showcasing exceeding creativity and gruesomeness. Just look at the Dark Souls series and their bosses for a masterclass in the nightmarish imagination that’s become a Soulslike signature. Black Myth: Wukong takes a similar approach here. Its designs are brimming with imagination and many carry on that body horror tradit
As the first AAA release from developer Game Science, Black Myth: Wukong is an ambitious venture. Not only is the prospect of the studio’s first AAA title exciting, but its source material offers plenty to be intrigued about. Based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West , Black Myth: Wukong is a retelling of the beloved story. There is a lot of hype surrounding Black Myth: Wukong , and the confirmed gameplay features that are set to appear in the game only make the anticipation that much grea
I, frankly, couldn’t handle the wait, nor did my scummy press pass count for much for this particular game, so I figured I’d do the next best thing and get impressions of those who had actually managed to play it at Gamescom. Here’s what I uncove
Another unique feature of the game’s art is the liberal use of larger-than-life scope. Mighty dragons as long as mountains are tall, titans with heads above the clouds, and gargantuan insects to mount can all be found in the new release date trailer. All these creatures, far greater in scale than what gamers are used to from Soulslikes, are reminiscent of the giants found in Shadow of the Coloss
Hardcore Soulslike fans are very protective of the genre, to the point that they refuse to label any game that might be too easy or accessible a Soulslike. Even Elden Ring , 2022’s Game of the Year , threw some fans of the genre for a loop, as many thought it was far too accessible to be considered a true Soulslike experience. That is because difficulty is one of the most defining characteristics of the Soulslike ge
Another notable aspect of this art design that really sets Black Myth Wukong collectibles|https://blackmythwukongfans.com/ Myth: Wukong apart from its contemporaries is its clear inspiration from older Chinese mythological artwork, specifically Buddhist artwork. Journey to the West is a story with roots in Buddhist folklore and with a strong Buddhist message, things that Black Myth: Wukong wears on its slee
Black Myth: Wukong was a standout at Gamescom this year. Public queues regularly exceeded a four-hour wait, when they weren’t closed due to reaching capacity, and there was a considerable buzz on the show floor. Brave people camped out at the booth with a sandwich in hand, sat on a camping chair, slowly counting down the hours until they got to play Game Science’s upcoming Chinese Mythology-focused Soulsl
While Black Myth: Wukong has been marketed as a Soulslike, and it certainly appears to have elements of Soulslike gameplay, it might not be as true to the genre as it should be to technically be classified as such. Unlike most genres, the Soulslike genre is a very particular one, as it is ultimately defined by its niche characteristics. As such, there are certain traditions a game must observe to be both technically classified and publicly recognized as a proper Soulslike, and although Black Myth: Wukong may observe some of those traditions, there is one key characteristic that may set it too far apart from the genre for it to find its home th
Many other humanoids, even if they carry additional skeletal arms or have insectoid legs, are muscle-bound—almost regal in their depiction. Once players are shown the full scope of Black Myth: Wukong , there may yet be more grit to be found. So far, though, its world is a sunnier one filled with beasts and proud demon kings not marred by horror in the ways we’ve seen bef
If you were planning to buy a physical copy of Black Myth: Wukong when the game launches in August , you might want to rethink that decision. Not because we think the game will be bad, in fact, it looks like another interesting entry in the Soulslike subgenre that’s sprung up. But because the physical edition of the game won’t have a disc at all.
