Black Myth: Wukong—Stunning art piece, flawed gameplay

Black Myth: Wukong was released by the Chinese game developer company Game Science, which has broken records and stolen hours from people around the world. It is a culturally significant masterpiece in art direction and an experience that will be remembered for years to come. However, at the end of the day, does it succeed at being a good game?

It has a 96 percent positive rating on Steam and an 8 out of 10 from IGN. The reception has been overwhelmingly positive, but there are a few things that have stood out to me that warrant a reaction more than just “wow that was good.” To preface, the game’s title refers to Sun Wukong, a character of the literary and religious Chinese canon who is essentially an all-powerful monkey. He was first established in Journey to the West, the 16th-century Chinese novel from which all the characters and setting for the game are derived. There is, truly, so much about him that can be discussed, far too much to fit into this article. For my purposes, all you need to know is that he’s a stone monkey.

The game is a revisitation of these characters, and a peek into how their lives have transpired after Journey to the West, after their encounters with Wukong. Contrary to the title, Wukong is not who we play as, but rather who we seek to resurrect, as the story is built upon his death. Instead, we play as a nameless monkey who travels the world, collecting six pieces of Wukong to bring him back to life.

Black Myth is stunning. Every frame is as close to a painting as a game could hope to capture. The settings of the world and the designs of the characters are detailed and ornate. Each chapter has its own unique environment and climate: the mountains are wintry and unforgiving, the forests are misty and shrouded in an evil fog, and the desert is a rugged and gritty dust bowl. All of the chapters are inspired by real locations in China, and the buildings are direct video game adaptations of real-life Buddhist temples and monuments.

The soundtrack takes inspiration from the original 1986 TV show, such as in songs like “Where lies the path ahead” and even the Wukong Theme. My favorite musical moments, however, take place in Chapter two, where a headless monk is your balladeer. He plays a sanxian, a Chinese three-string lute, and after each boss, he belts out a song in the traditional storyteller style of the Shaanxi province. While the headless monk is my favorite, every character is full of little details that set them apart. This creates a colorful catalog of non-playable characters and a level of enemy variety that is near-overwhelming.

While the art excels, the gameplay itself holds Black Myth back. With very simplistic combat and an even more linear progression system, the game is fun but needs a sense of sophistication and direction that holds it back from being an innovation. Enemy variety is abundant, and every fight feels different in that aspect, but the gameplay feels so simplistic and basic that entering combat out of a cutscene comes with a tinge of disappointment, and it seems unworthy of the game. Every enemy can be fought in essentially the same way, meaning after the first chapter, you have learned most of what there is to know about combat.

While the art and look of Black Myth still make it a worthwhile experience, the gameplay keeps it from feeling complete. Out of every single trait of this game, my least favorite is the very grail it centers around. If the gameplay is lacking, then it’s not easy to call this a good game. I commend its art. I commend its soundtrack. I commend this game for being so undoubtedly amazing in every single aspect except for its gameplay. I had fun. It warrants a seven out of ten, play it.