Black Myth: Wukong Review - Monkey Business

As a seasoned gamer with over three decades under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of video games that range from masterpieces to… well, let’s just say “unique” experiences. Black Myth: Wukong certainly falls into the latter category, and while it isn’t without its charms, it’s a game that left me scratching my head more often than not.

Black Myth: Wukong surprised me. Going in, I knew not to expect a souls-like, despite it seemingly sharing many of the genre’s hallmarks. The game’s Chinese developer, Game Science, has been adamant that it’s not a souls-like, preferring to define it more generically as an action-RPG. This is at least partially accurate, as Black Myth: Wukong is definitely not a souls-like. What I wasn’t expecting was for it to be essentially a lengthy boss rush. It’s not uncommon to go from one boss fight into another and then another, and it’s in these elaborate battles where Black Myth: Wukong shines. The moments in between, however, aren’t quite as strong, sometimes devolving into aimless tedium. But its satisfying combat and unique variety of boss fights mostly manages to overcome these flaws.

Black Myth: The story of Wukong is inspired by the timeless Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” which was first published in the 16th century during the Ming dynasty. This epic tale has remained influential over time, inspiring works like Ninja Theory’s Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga. In Black Myth, Wukong’s interpretation of this lasting narrative takes place after the original story but still features many familiar characters such as Zhu Bajie, Kang Jinlong, and the Bull Demon King. These names will be recognizable to those who are acquainted with “Journey to the West,” even though some characters may have allegiances that differ from the source material.

In this game, you assume the role of a silent monkey character, known as the Chosen One, who bears some resemblance to the famous Sun Wukong – also known as the Monkey King. As the Monkey King is a well-known figure from Journey to the West, your appearance in the story adds an intriguing twist. Could you be the Monkey King reborn, or maybe one of his offshoots embarking on a separate journey? The truth may not come as a shock, but it certainly provides an exciting climax to the experience.

The main story of the game didn’t quite resonate with me personally, as it seems to deviate significantly from the original source material, Journey to the West. Although each chapter tells a relatively self-contained tale, dealing with universal human emotions, I found myself lost while trying to follow Black Myth: Wukong’s narrative due to frequent references and concepts from Chinese mythology that were not familiar to me. This made it challenging for me to fully immerse myself in both the broader storyline and its more intimate tales. Despite the game having some wonderful moments, like my encounters with a headless monk playing a Sanxian, and beautiful character designs, I feel it might be best enjoyed by those who are well-versed in Journey to the West or Chinese folklore and mythology. It’s a pity, as it’s intriguing to finally see a Chinese adaptation of such a classic story, and it appears that a lot of care and attention have been given to its creation.

Black Myth: Wukong showcases Sun Wukong’s incredible powers within its swift-moving battle system. The Monkey King is renowned for utilizing his enchanted staff, Ruyi Jingu Bang, which can stretch or shrink at will. He also has the power to create multiple copies of himself from a single hair strand, freeze enemies with a mere touch, and transform into numerous forms. These skills are all featured in the game, demonstrating the Monkey King’s remarkable combat prowess. When executing combos with the staff, you’ll notice it grows larger to deal extra damage before returning to its standard size. Furthermore, various spells can be employed that consume mana and have cooldown periods. These include creating copies of yourself to confuse enemies, or casting a spell called Immobilize that freezes foes for a few seconds, allowing you to attack them without retaliation, or taking the chance to heal or retreat.

In the game, you have the ability to change forms, taking on the appearance and moveset of enemies you’ve previously defeated. One such transformation is called Red Tides, which you obtain after defeating the giant wolf Guangzhi. By assuming this fierce canine form, you can wield his flaming glaive, dealing burn damage to your opponents as you spin and execute a range of combos. Each transformation also has its own health meter, essentially giving you an additional life. When this health is depleted or when you’ve exhausted all your Might by performing various attacks, you revert back to your normal form.

Black Myth: Wukong’s combat essence resides in an unconventional combo mechanism. Transforming abilities and swift spells to immobilize foes with ice and overwhelm them with mirrored figures offer satisfying experiences, but the heart of the battle system can be found in this unique combo system.

The heart of Black Myth: Wukong’s fighting style revolves around an uncommon combo system. Light attacks serve as a way to accumulate Focus points, which can be expended for heavy attacks. By upgrading your abilities, you can store up to three Focus points simultaneously. The game’s combat mechanics primarily rely on gathering and swiftly spending Focus for substantial damage. Light attacks have a light feel due to their minimal damage output against bosses’ health bars. However, executing a full combo, particularly transitioning from a light sequence into a powerful finisher, provides a strong sense of impact, with your staff glowing bright red as it strikes enemies forcefully. These heavy attacks cause significant damage and often stun enemies effectively. Mastering the timing for openings, using Immobilize to buy time for combos, and skillfully integrating dodges and various techniques turns each boss fight into an electrifying dance of life and death in Black Myth: Wukong.

In essence, the game “Black Myth: Wukong” shines primarily through its engaging boss battles, which are generally of high quality. Each chapter presents an array of formidable opponents, known as Yaoguai, that span from a colossal black bear to legendary creatures such as a traditional Chinese dragon and a blood-splattered tiger. The game doesn’t focus on blocking moves, instead emphasizing evasion skills; parrying is only possible via a magical spell with a cooldown timer. This might seem daunting if you’re not accustomed to playing demanding action RPGs, but most of the game isn’t overly difficult, except for a few later boss fights. Despite this relative ease, it’s important to note that the toughest bosses in “Black Myth: Wukong” remain challenging, as there are no difficulty settings available. However, the game does offer a more lenient progression towards its most demanding moments.

In various settings – from icy lakes bordered by snow-peaked mountains to murky pools of blood – you frequently engage in battles against the Yaoguai, each one a testament to victory. The boss fights exhibit a graceful, balletic quality, blending martial arts styles with supernatural elements to create intense and awe-inspiring confrontations. You’re often tasked with mastering attack patterns to time your dodges perfectly and discover where openings arise so you can land a successful combo. However, there are also chances for strategic play, as certain bosses may resist Immobilize, prompting you to choose different spells or alter your transformations to exploit their elemental vulnerabilities. Despite some bosses appearing easier than others, the excitement never wanes, while the most challenging ones ignite a racing heart and an exhilarating sense of triumph when finally conquered.

Black Myth: Wukong shares some characteristics with Souls-like games, but it isn’t exactly a clone. The game offers a similar checkpoint system, healing flasks, and enemy respawn upon rest. However, Game Science wasn’t misleading when they claimed it wasn’t making a Souls-like game. This is evident in the level design. While each chapter has a main path, it may branch off occasionally for optional bosses or resources for brewing potions and crafting armor. Although there are moments of larger, more open areas with multiple paths, progression generally follows a single route, making linearity a consistent feature, even when it’s not immediately apparent.

Additionally, I want to bring up an instance towards the end of the game that left me puzzled for hours due to its exceptionally precise yet inconspicuous solution. There was nothing in the game resembling it, which made it even more challenging. This perplexity hindered the flow of the last chapter and made me wonder if I had run into a game-halting glitch or was simply missing something obvious.

Black Myth: Wukong Review - Monkey Business

In every location you visit, it’s hard not to be awestruck by the stunning scenery. Be it sprinting through a bamboo grove with leaves fluttering and thick foliage all around, venturing into a spider-ridden mansion bathed in the soft light of the moon, or setting foot on the sunlit rocks of a rugged canyon, Black Myth: Wukong often leaves you breathless with its beauty. Not only that, but it performed exceptionally well on my PC, efficiently compiling shaders at the start to eliminate the annoying stutter commonly associated with Unreal Engine 5.

In the game Black Myth: Wukong, there are more high points than low ones. The thrilling boss battles and swift combat sequences make up for the dull stretches in between, where repetitive level design and a lack of enemies can leave you eagerly awaiting the next confrontation with a powerful Yaoguai. I’m glad it doesn’t simply follow in the footsteps of other games in the increasingly crowded souls-like genre, and its focus on a series of boss encounters is both surprising and enjoyable. It’s unfortunate that it falls short outside of its epic battles against formidable creatures, but creating so many engaging boss fights without causing boredom is no easy task and should be commended.

2024-08-16 18:09

Black Myth: Wukong Review – Monkey Business

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