Black Myth: Wukong: Everything You Need to Know Before its August 20 Release Date

Black Myth: Wukong, Steam’s most wish-listed game and top seller, is releasing tomorrow, August 20, and players are already itching to dive into the action RPG inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.

Staying true to its inspiration, Black Myth: Wukong follows the story of Sun Wukong, also known as The Destined One, as he battles demons, gods, and other mythical beings on a quest for redemption.

However, differentiating from the original story, where Wukong travels with Tang Sanzang and his fellow disciples, the story hints at a darker interpretation of the familiar story, with hints suggesting it could be a stray clone of the Monkey King who has broken off on his own quest. We will discuss further details below.

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Everything You Need to Know About Black Myth: Wukong

Is the Protagonist the Same Wukong From the Stories?

As for our argument, several hints support the theory that the main character in Black Myth: Wukong is not the same Monkey King we know as in the first 13-minute gameplay trailer, an enemy refers to the player as “another monkey”.

In another scene, after our protagonist defeats the wolf demon Lingxuzi, a grander version of Wukong dressed in ornate armor traditionally associated with the Monkey King in films and television appears before us, preventing us from delivering the final blow. This mysterious figure seems to embody the “true” Wukong, as Tang Sanzang forbids Wukong from killing, raising questions about the true identity of our protagonist.

Lastly, the appearance of the enemy Kang Jinlong, a dragon with a golden horn, likely confirms that Black Myth: Wukong may explore alternate perspectives or timelines within the Journey to the West mythos as the original Wukong never met him in his story.

Gameplay and Abilities

Regardless of the protagonist’s true identity, many of Sun Wukong’s legendary abilities are present in Black Myth: Wukong. The game appears to offer a robust set of combat mechanics that allow players to experience the Monkey King’s supernatural powers fully. Listed are the detailed abilities you can look forward to:

• The Extending Staff: Wukong’s signature weapon, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, is a magical staff capable of shrinking and extending at will. This weapon is a central combat element, used to bludgeon foes, block arrows, and even ascend to great heights.
• Clone Creation: One of Wukong’s most iconic abilities is the power to create clones of himself using a single strand of his hair. For example, in the Black Myth: Wukong trailer showing the battle against Lingxuzi, players can summon clones to overwhelm the enemy. The skill appears to operate on a timer, similar to other abilities in the game.
• Cloud Traversal: In Journey to the West, Wukong uses a magical cloud to travel great distances, an ability that inspired Goku’s Flying Nimbus in Dragonball. While it remains unclear how extensively it is for the gameplay, we speculate it may serve as a fast-travel system or as part of specific story sequences.
• Shapeshifting: Players can temporarily turn into creatures like a golden cicada or a beast version of Wukong, which deals massive damage. The game also allows for transformations into former enemies, such as Huodaolang, a wolf-like enemy wielding a flaming polearm. In the original novel, Wukong had 72 different transformations, and it will be interesting to see how many of these Game Science has incorporated into the game.
• Time Freezing: Probably the most potent ability featured in the game, Wukong’s power to freeze time and immobilise enemies could be groundbreaking for mastered players. For example, this ability could buy players time to charge up powerful attacks or reposition themselves for a breather when encountering bosses.

An Action RPG with a Non-Open World and Soulslike Mechanics

Besides its gameplay and abilities, Black Myth: Wukong features Soulslike gameplay from Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, focusing on timing, strategy, and mastering different forms of attack and defence. For context, players must learn to parry, dodge, collectable weapons, and challenge battles against bosses to progress the story further.

Black Myth: Wukong will be massive🔥:

-Preload broke the record for bandwidth used on Steam since Cyberpunk 2077 launch
-#1 in Steam wishlists
-#1 in Steam top sellers
-Benchmark Tool 85,277 peak players / 2,277 players right now#BlackMythWukong #黑神话悟空 pic.twitter.com/bRa8dGkoTi

— GermanStrands (@GermanStrands) August 18, 2024

Unfortunately, while you can move through different biomes, each with its unique aesthetic and set of enemies, Black Myth: Wukong is only a semi-open world game, meaning the interconnected environments are mostly for story progression and a place of respite.

Nevertheless, the game features a variety of landscapes that are both visually and thematically diverse. From snowy mountains and lush forests to bizarre, twisting trees and cavernous cliffs, each area is meticulously designed to reflect the mythical nature of the world.

Platforms and System Requirements

Black Myth: Wukong will hit PS5 and PC platforms on August 20, with Xbox console holders needing to wait longer. According to the developers, “We are currently optimising the Xbox Series X|S version to meet our quality standards. So, it won’t be released simultaneously with the other platforms. We apologise for the delay and aim to minimise the wait for Xbox users. We will announce the release date as soon as it meets our quality standards.”

As for the game’s system requirements, listed below are the minimum, recommended, and Ultra experience the developers shared for your enjoyment in the game:

Minimum

• Processor: Core i5-8400/Ryzen 5 1600
• GPU: GeForce GTX 1060/RX 580
• VRAM: 6GB
• RAM: 16GM
• Storage: 130GB (HDD supported)

Recommended

• Processor: Core i7-9700/Ryzen 5 5500
• GPU: GeForce RTX 2060/Radeon RX 6700XT/Arc A750
• VRAM: 6GB
• RAM: 16GB
• Storage: 130GB (SSD)

Ultra

• Processor: Core i7-9700/Ryzen 5 5500
• GPU: GeForce RTX 4080 Super
• VRAM: 16GB
• RAM: 32GB
• Storage: 130GB (SSD)

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Parting Notes

With everything considered, Black Myth: Wukong” promises to be a captivating blend of action, mythology, and storytelling. With its deep roots in Chinese literature, the game offers a narrative experience that is both epic and personal, challenging players to master not only the art of combat but also the philosophical story of its protagonist.

One day remains until reembarking on the Journey to the West!

Destined Ones, worry not! Set off boldly to the west and subdue any yaoguais that dare cross your path!
Purchasing #blackmythwukong now still makes you eligible for pre-order rewards. pic.twitter.com/qNsWOQ24km

— Black Myth: Wukong (@BlackMythGame) August 19, 2024

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