Summary
- Black Myth: Wukong is a unique action RPG inspired by the legendary Sun Wukong from Chinese mythology.
- Players can expect challenging Soulslike gameplay with a focus on Sun Wukong's transformation abilities.
- The key to Black Myth: Wukong's success may lie in allowing players access to all 72 of Sun Wukong's transformations.
Black Myth: Wukong is an upcoming action RPG by Game Science based on the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en. As a monkey based on the novel's legendary Sun Wukong, players will embark on a fantastical journey and face plenty of challenges along the way. Black Myth: Wukong has been marketed and perceived as a Soulslike up to this point, despite technically being classified as an action RPG, so players should expect it to keep them on their toes at every turn. That being said, the Monkey King that Black Myth: Wukong's playable character is based on is extremely powerful, so his might and supernatural abilities may be more than enough to keep his foes at bay.
As Black Myth: Wukong is ultimately based on a character that has already been created, it will need to ensure it honors Wukong's story and characteristics. One of Sun Wukong's most distinct characteristics is his ability to transform into dozens of different shapes and animals. It has already been confirmed that the monkey players will be controlling in Black Myth: Wukong will also be able to transform, just as Sun Wukong could. While the full extent of these transformations has yet to be revealed, Black Myth: Wukong should arguably focus on this aspect of gameplay more than anything else to give it as much uniqueness as possible in the ever-growing library of Soulslike games.
Black Myth: Wukong's Transformations Should Be Top Priority
One of Sun Wukong's Defining Characteristics Is His Ability to Transform
Based on what has been written about him in Journey to the West, Sun Wukong, otherwise known as the Monkey King, is an extremely powerful religious figure. Not only does he have incredible strength, speed, and intellect, but he can also transform into 72 different animals and objects. After seeking out the immortal Taoist patriarch Puti Zushi, Sun Wukong learns the secrets of immortality through Taoist practices and obtains the ability to transform into various animals and objects, like a falcon, a wolf, and even a pine tree. If Black Myth: Wukong decides to go the full nine yards with Sun Wukong's transformations, it will be one of the first times a Soulslike title has attempted anything to that extent.
Black Myth: Wukong Transformations Will Ultimately Be What Makes It Stand Out
As Sun Wukong is able to transform into various objects and animals, Black Myth: Wukong has something that no other Soulslike title has to this day — especially if players are given access to every transformation that Sun Wukong is recorded to possess. In a world where Soulslike games are coming out at an increasingly regular pace, Black Myth: Wukong needs to do whatever it can to stay set apart from the crowd, and Sun Wukong's transformations may be the key to doing just that.
Black Myth: Wukong can effectively be a one-of-a-kind Soulslike by giving players access to all 72 of Sun Wukong's transformations and allowing them to use those transformations at regular intervals. It would be a massive letdown for players to gain the ability to transform, only to be restricted to very limited use of those abilities. Furthermore, even if these transformations and the godlike powers of Sun Wukong make his fights a little too easy for a true Soulslike experience, Black Myth: Wukong should lean as heavily as possible into Sun's shape-shifting abilities by allowing each one to provide him with unique abilities and access to distinct playstyles that would make them all more than worth having.
It will be interesting to see whether Game Science pulls off something of this magnitude, as giving a video game character 72 distinct transformations feels like a tall task. Nevertheless, it may very well be the key to Black Myth: Wukong's success in the Soulslike genre.
Black Myth: Wukong
- Released
- August 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology and based on Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
You shall set out as the Destined One to venture into the challenges and marvels ahead, to uncover the obscured truth beneath the veil of a glorious legend from the past.
As the Destined One, you shall encounter powerful foes and worthy rivals throughout your journey. Fearlessly engage them in epic battles where surrender is not an option.
Aside from mastering various staff techniques, you can also freely combine different spells, abilities, weapons, and equipment to find the winning strategy that best suits your combat style.
- Developer(s)
- Game Science
- Publisher(s)
- Game Science
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
