Black Myth Wukong is a challenging action RPG released in August where the player takes the place of the Chosen One. This game is based on Journey to the West, a famous Chinese Mythology story that follows Sun Wukong, the strongest monkey to ever exist. This game is a contender for Game of the Year and is highly praised by many gamers, but not without any shortcomings.
Ever since I was old enough to hold a controller I’ve always been into video games. Playing feels like an escape from everything, I could easily play for hours without having any track of time. As I was a young kid I played a lot of Sly Cooper and Ratchet and Clank, but as I’ve grown older I’ve experienced and played many more mature and different genres of games. The games that always interest me are games that try to immerse you into a different time period as they capture my attention a lot more aggressively, meaning I can have a fun time for hours without feeling burnt out.
Black Myth Wukong starts in an epic battle of Sun Wukong against multiple godly deities also acting as the tutorial of the game. This is because Wukong was granted immortality but wouldn’t take it; this made the gods feel disrespected and angered. You end up being punched into a mountain before being sealed away but before the rock seals, Sun Wukong splits his power into 6 relics, each coordinating with one of Wukong’s six senses.
The monkeys of Mount Huagoa would keep sending young warriors to recover these relics to gain an immense amount of power. It was pointless until this special monkey came along, he later goes by The Destined One. He goes to the Guanin Temple to recover Sun Wukong’s glowing eyes. The Destined One gained more and more power and is on track to find the sixth and final relic. As he is searching he is told Wukong’s armor was in the area and decides to recover it all, to keep it out of the wrong hands. The Destined One reaches where the sixth relic shall be but doesn’t find anything. This is when The Destined One realizes he is the last relic, Wukongs mind. This role he played was never to revive or reincarnate Sun Wukong, but it was to wield his power and name, to be better.
There are a lot of things to do in this game, with over a hundred bosses, customization, many hidden areas, and many different builds and skills to equip your character. This game is long, with the story mode spanning from 30-40 hours depending on your skill level. The game is stunning with high-quality 4k graphics. With back-to-back bosses the game will never feel too easy or boring. Black Myth Wukong is filled with amazing boss fights, fun customization, and beautiful visual appeals.
Despite this, the game has some specific cons. The game has one set difficulty, meaning if it is too hard, you can not change it. The combat system can lack depth; according to IGN, “Performing light attacks or dodging perfectly builds focus, which allows for more powerful moves. While intuitive and simple, this whole spiel can feel repetitive.” This can feel repetitive as there is only one weapon type in the game, a staff. There is also no parry system so you only have the choice to dodge attacks. The story may be hard to understand without watching or reading outside sources.
That said, I definitely recommend this engaging and complex game if you are looking to unwind and get immersed in another world!
