its hard to put into words just how much I love this game but I'm going to give it a shot anyway.

First, many people are confused on what genre this game is. While I wouldn't necessarily call it a souls-like, there is an overwhelming amount of souls-like elements in this game, none of which are bad souls elements mind you. Some of these elements include the flask system, the "bonfire" system, and many hidden and secret areas. I have also heard a lot of people compare this game to the God of War games, an while I haven't personally played those, I know enough about those games to agree that there is inspiration from there as well.

Lets talk gameplay. 90% of the areas you explore are very linear with different paths you can take. Much of the sights in these paths are top notch, only really ruined by many and I mean many invisible walls. Once you get used to them, they kinda fade out your mind but at first especially in chapter 1, they are very noticeable. Combat is surprisingly deep considering you only really use 2 weapon types: staffs and spears. The game lets you perform many combos with skill points to spec into any preferred combos you desire. Respeccing is also very easy and in many ways encouraged. I found the combat very engaging and fun the entire play-through.

Lets dive a tad into story with no spoilers. I did not read Journey to The West, and I knew the basics about Sun Wukong. This game definitely has many many references to JTTW that if you read the books you will likely pick up on, but if you didn't read the books, you don't really feel left out. This game is its own original tale so your adventure is yours alone. Some elements of the story left me confused and had me asking questions, but that's usually a good sign as now I am intrigued and want to know more from this universe. This game was a hidden hit for me as it wasn't really on my radar at first, but eventually made its way into my Game of The Year pick of 2024 so far.

An easy 9/10 for me, solidifying itself as one of the greats in my book.