I didn’t really have Black Myth: Wukong on my radar, but it turned out to be an unexpected masterpiece for me. This is exactly what AAA games in 2024 should feel like.

The episodic, linear story follows 'Journey to the West', a mid-age roman that picks up on the topics of buddhism and chinese mythology. While the plot isn’t overly complex, it does a good job of drawing you into the world of the Monkey King. This also reflects in the playstyle, with the main weapon being the Monkey King's magical staff.

Gameplay is focused on boss fights, with combat that feels mostly satisfying and smooth. While not as in-depth as games like Elden Ring in terms of movement or weapon variety, the fights remain engaging. The game's pacing kept me hooked, even if it was very linear in terms of exploration.

The graphics are, without a doubt, one of the strongest aspects of BM:W. The game is visually breathtaking, with environments that are rich in detail and atmosphere. However, keep in mind that this level of detail comes at a cost—this game is GPU-heavy and might not run on older systems. As a quick tip here, the developer has published a benchmark tool for free which you can use to test your performance.

The soundtrack complements the atmosphere and is well-themed for the eastern mythology.

+ No Microtransactions: it delivers a complete experience with no in-game purchases or paywalls.
+ Smooth Combat: Fights feel fluid and responsive, even if the mechanics aren’t as complex as other soulslike titles. The game nails the feeling of weight behind each hit.
+ Beautiful Graphics: The visual design is stunning
+ Polished at Release: The game feels optimized and mostly polished. I encountered only minor bugs—like getting stuck in certain spots—but nothing game-breaking.

- localization: translation was incomplete / missing on release, but most of this seems to be fixed already
- 'invisible walls'; There are areas that look reachable but are out of bounds, resulting in running into invisible walls.
- I didnt like the heavy motion blur (I already set it to 'low'), that would sometimes generate artifacts on my screen

This game might not be for everyone though. It is not advertised as a soulslike, but that is a bit misleading. Yes, unlike in Sekiro or Elden Ring you do not have this heavy punishments for death (like losing your stuff). However, the boss difficulty is still high in this game and you will most likely die a lot. So there is some patience required.

Overall, if you love mythology, challenging combat, and stunning visuals, this is a journey you don’t want to miss though.