Soulslike fans love unique challenges. One of the most impressive feats you can achieve in Dark Souls is playing through the entire series without taking a single hit , but that might not even be the hardest challenge out there. Someone once beat Dark Souls 3 using only Morse code. Another completed the original Dark Souls using 20 bananas as a controller. Twitch streamer Luality is famous for playing Dark Souls 3 on a Dance Dance Revolution dance pad. Last week I myself faced one of the greatest Soulslike challenges there is: playing Black Myth: Wukong for the first time in front of its developers. You think a deathless run is hard? Try dying to the first boss seven times while the makers of the game silently judge you.

Where Wukong differs is that, rather than being rewarded with a simple skill associated with the boss they’ve defeated, players may be able to take on the form of that boss in one way or another. For example, Guangzhi is a wolf-like boss with a double-headed flaming spear, and upon defeating him, players can then transform into a version of Guangzhi, spear and all. As Black Myth: Wukong ‘s transformations have proven to be one of its most anticipated features, this challenge-reward system is designed to match the boss fight’s intens

As a filthy casual, I can confirm that Black Myth is not going to be a beginner-friendly entry point to the genre, but it’s also easy to see this is the real deal – something that transcends the label of ‘Dark Souls clone’ and stands on its own as a competent, well-designed action RPG. The only criticisms I have are about the generic forest environments that, while beautiful, don’t leave much room for exploration, nor do they inspire the imagination the way Bloodborne’s Yarnham or even Lies of P’s Krat do. This is just the game’s intro though, so I anticipate there’s a lot more to see.

Hardcore Soulslike fans are very protective of the genre, to the point that they refuse to label any game that might be too easy or accessible a Soulslike. Even Elden Ring , 2022’s Game of the Year , threw some fans of the genre for a loop, as many thought it was far too accessible to be considered a true Soulslike experience. That is because difficulty is one of the most defining characteristics of the Soulslike ge

One intriguing part of protagonist Wukong’s personal arsenal is his staff. This is pulled directly from Journey to the West , as the hero Wukong wields a magical staff that can extend and shrink, making it an incredibly useful tool. Black Myth: Wukong embracing Ancient Chinese myth has given the game plenty of material to work with, and it will be fascinating to see how the game uses these bits of myth and legend, like Wukong’s staff, as essential pieces in the gamep

As players come face to face with one of Black Myth: Wukong ‘s many bosses, they may quickly find the virtue of patience to be their strongest ally still. A significant portion of each boss encounter in Black Myth: Wukong involves evading attacks until the opportune, albeit brief moment presents itself for a counterattack. This is common knowledge when it comes to a classic Soulslike game , but where those games rely more on timing, Wukong heavily relies on speed. This is not to say that Wukong ‘s boss fights lack those moments of reprieve that are often so desperately needed in a demanding encounter, but they come and go almost as quickly as players are encouraged to move. Combined with this is the grandiose beauty of each boss fight, as well as the reliance on more direct offense (in conjunction with spe

Windows Central’s own Jez Corden made note of Microsoft’s refusal to comment on the potential deals that Game Science might have made with other companies. The reputable insider took this as a sign that the Xbox manufacturer could be insinuating that there’s some sort of third-party exclusivity deal in place for Black Myth: Wukong . Corden elaborated on this suggestion of his, stating that he became aware “of whispers and rumors while out in LA” to attend the FanFest event for 2024’s well-received Xbox Games Showcase that “Game Science had actually taken some form of exclusivity deal with PlayStation for Black Myth: Wukon

In a surprising move, Microsoft has provided an official response regarding the recent delay of black myth wukong weapons|Https://blackmythwukongfans.com/ Myth: Wukong on Xbox Series X/S. Although the statement itself doesn’t provide explicit answers to any lingering questions about Black Myth: Wukong ‘s postponed release on the platform, a report from a trusted insider suggests that there could be more to this situation than initially belie

A proper Soulslike needs to be punishing, making the player feel as insignificant as possible. Every single enemy in a Soulslike game , not just boss encounters, needs to pose a threat to the player. This is ultimately where Black Myth: Wukong may fall short, based on one major fact about the figure its protagonist is based

While each boss in Black Myth: Wukong has a unique strength, their greatest weapon is often unpredictability. Classic Soulslike bosses generally feature consistent attack patterns that can be learned with enough practice. Black Myth: Wukong ‘s bosses, on the other hand, often use unpredictability to their advantage by changing their timing at the last minute, requiring players to remain eagle-eyed and aware of telegraphs. The only issue there, however, is that Wukong ‘s bosses don’t always noticeably telegraph their attacks, so players may have to push their skills to the limits. While there’s still time to smell the roses and take in the majesty of each boss fight, players are going to have to be more aggressive and more offense-oriented than other genre contemporar