Black Myth: Wukong Review – A Stunning Action Epic Held Back by Technical Woes
Black Myth: Wukong is a visually breathtaking and mechanically thrilling action RPG that offers some of the most satisfying combat and boss battles in recent memory. Developed by Chinese indie studio Game Science, the game adapts and expands upon the legendary tale of Journey to the West, delivering an unforgettable experience wrapped in mythical lore, fluid combat mechanics, and artistic brilliance.
However, while its highs are almost legendary, Black Myth: Wukong is also riddled with technical issues, immersion-breaking bugs, and some narrative confusion. It’s a tale of two extremes: on one side, jaw-dropping gameplay and presentation; on the other, frustrating crashes and polish problems that can’t be ignored.
Let’s dive into this detailed Black Myth: Wukong review—exploring everything from its combat system and boss fights to narrative direction, visuals, and bugs—to help you decide if this mythical journey is worth taking.
Black Myth: Wukong – Final Trailer | PS5 Games
A Legendary Tale, Reimagined – But Confusing
At its core, Black Myth: Wukong is loosely based on Journey to the West, one of China’s Four Great Classical Novels. You play as The Destined One, a mysterious simian warrior searching for six sacred relics connected to the legendary Monkey King, Sun Wukong.
However, unless you’re already well-versed in the original text or its characters, the storytelling might leave you bewildered. Characters like Zhu Bajie and other mythical figures appear with little context. The narrative rarely offers clear exposition or background, leaving many players to turn to the internet to piece together who’s who and what’s happening.
The moment-to-moment storytelling suffers from a silent protagonist, underdeveloped NPCs, and frequent exposition gaps. Fortunately, each of the six main chapters ends with a mesmerizing animated vignette—presented in varied art styles like anime, storybook, or stop-motion—that delivers emotional punches far stronger than the main campaign.
These vignettes are visually gorgeous and narratively compelling, offering glimpses of the deeper lore and antagonist backgrounds that the main story fails to flesh out. If only the core narrative could match that level of engagement.
Combat That Rivals the Greats
Though the marketing and presentation might suggest it’s a soulslike, Black Myth: Wukong leans more towards a fast-paced action brawler in the vein of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, with only a few surface-level inspirations from FromSoftware’s design.
There’s no soul-recovery mechanic, no shared currency to level up stats and buy gear, and no crushing penalty for death beyond a checkpoint restart. This accessibility makes it more inviting without sacrificing difficulty.
In fact, Black Myth: Wukong can be brutally hard—with boss battles that demand mastery, timing, and strategy. There are no difficulty settings, so every player is expected to rise to the challenge. Yet, the game never feels unfair. Each loss teaches a lesson, and every victory feels well-earned.
Focus Meter & Combat Depth
Combat is elegantly simple but hides a rich tactical layer. The Focus Meter charges through successful attacks and perfect dodges. When full, it provides a Focus Point, which can be used to enhance combos, charge powerful attacks, or activate transformation abilities.
You also manage a Mana Meter for spellcasting. Spells like Immobilize, Cloud Step, Rock Solid, Ring of Fire, and the fan-favorite Pluck of Many (which spawns clones) add versatility and depth. However, mana is scarce, forcing you to strategically plan your spell usage. Cast too early, and you might run dry during a boss’s second phase.
Transformations & Spirit Skills
One of the most enjoyable aspects is the ability to transform into defeated bosses. These transformations offer new movesets and attacks, powered by the Focus Meter but balanced with long cooldowns. Turning into a fiery dual-blade-wielding wolf, for example, feels not only cool but also tactically rewarding.
Then there are Spirit Skills, earned from elite enemies. These single-use special attacks (also with cooldowns) can stun, stagger, or heavily damage foes and are upgradable to stay useful throughout the campaign.
This multilayered system ensures combat never becomes repetitive. Every boss fight demands different combinations of powers, transformations, and timing—making experimentation not just fun, but necessary.
Boss Fights – Brutal, Beautiful, and Brilliant
If there’s one area where Black Myth: Wukong excels consistently, it’s the boss battles. These encounters are not just obstacles—they are showstoppers.
Each boss has multiple phases, unique mechanics, cinematic transitions, and varied arenas. Some are massive monsters, while others are quick and deadly warriors. All require quick reflexes and deep understanding of the game’s mechanics.
The sense of scale and spectacle in these fights is awe-inspiring. Whether you’re dodging flaming blades or countering magical barrages, every clash feels like a high-stakes duel between mythical titans.
Even optional secret bosses scattered throughout the world offer unforgettable showdowns and rich rewards—like new Spirit Skills or gear upgrades.
Exploration & Level Design – Wide, Linear, and Rewarding
While Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t have a true open world, its “wide-linear” design encourages off-path exploration. Each area features a main route but offers numerous side trails, hidden chambers, and optional content.
Exploring yields meaningful rewards:
- Rare crafting materials
- Permanent stat boosts (health, stamina, mana)
- New weapons and armor
- Curio items to enhance abilities
- Secret bosses and Spirit Skills
However, the lack of a map system can make exploration unnecessarily frustrating. Some chapters are so vast and intricate that it’s easy to get lost or backtrack excessively. This is worsened by the inconsistent environment navigation—you often can’t tell what you can climb or where an invisible wall might block your path.
Still, the game’s sheer beauty motivates you to explore.
A Visual & Audio Masterpiece
Let’s make this clear: Black Myth: Wukong is one of the most beautiful games ever created. From ancient forests with rays of golden sunlight filtering through, to icy cliffs with crunching snow deformation, every frame is a painting.
Character animations are incredibly detailed. Your monkey warrior shifts posture when locked on, drags his massive staff through the snow, and performs fluid acrobatics mid-fight. Enemy design is equally impressive, blending Chinese mythology with grotesque fantasy.
Sound & Music
The soundtrack and sound design are masterfully done. Thundering drums and traditional flutes enhance every encounter and lull you into moments of mystery between fights. Each spell, strike, and transformation is accompanied by impactful audio cues that make every action feel weighty.
But Then, the Bugs Ruin the Magic
As incredible as Black Myth: Wukong is, the technical issues are impossible to ignore.
On a high-end PC with an NVIDIA RTX 4090, crashes were frequent—especially during loading screens or fast travel. The worst offender? A boss fight that glitched out during its second phase, sending the player character falling endlessly through the floor. It happened repeatedly until, for no clear reason, it didn’t.
Audio Problems & Localization Issues
There are other immersion-breaking problems too:
- Dialogue randomly switches from English to Chinese
- Entire cutscenes drop audio and subtitles, leaving plot points incomprehensible
- Lip-syncing for English voices is wildly inaccurate
- Some journal entries remain untranslated
It’s deeply frustrating, especially during crucial narrative moments. These issues can severely disrupt player immersion—and in a game this rich in lore and worldbuilding, that’s a real loss.
Final Verdict – A Must-Play Marred by Imperfections
Black Myth: Wukong is a masterpiece in progress. It’s visually breathtaking, mechanically exciting, and emotionally rewarding in moments—especially during boss fights and animated story vignettes. Combat is deep and satisfying, with just the right blend of simplicity and strategic depth.
However, the game’s many technical flaws—from game-breaking bugs to localization mishaps—hold it back from true greatness. It’s an unforgettable ride, but one with plenty of bumps along the way.
Pros:
✅ Visually stunning environments and animations
✅ Deep, satisfying combat with flexible builds
✅ Incredible boss fights
✅ Unique transformation and spell systems
✅ Beautiful musical score and sound design
Cons:
❌ Frequent crashes and game-breaking bugs
❌ Poor localization and missing subtitles
❌ Confusing story for newcomers to Journey to the West
❌ No in-game map; navigation can be frustrating
Is Black Myth: Wukong Worth Playing?
Yes—if you can tolerate some rough edges. For action RPG fans, especially those drawn to mythological settings and challenging combat, Wukong offers something truly special. It has the DNA of classics like Sekiro, God of War, and Bayonetta, yet crafts its own identity with Chinese lore and unique gameplay systems.
If Game Science can address its bugs and optimize the experience, Black Myth: Wukong could become a generational title. As it stands today, it’s still a must-play for fans of the genre—but be prepared for the occasional fall through the floor.
Black Myth: Wukong is an unforgettable journey of power, myth, and perseverance. Just don’t be surprised if that journey occasionally kicks you back to the desktop.
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