Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong is a sincere offering from the newcomer Game Science studio, featuring exquisite artistic production that incorporates multiple World Heritage sites like Quanzhou Kaiyuan Temple and Dazu Rock Carvings, with stunning attention to detail. The combat system adopts Soulslike design with well-balanced boss difficulty overall, combining satisfying combat with cinematic camera work that demonstrates directorial competence. Though the black monkey protagonist is mute (officially joked about), the presentation is surprisingly effective. Various hidden boss sidequests reveal the backstory of the old Journey to the West path, thought-provoking. The Journey illustrations at each chapter's end show the team's respect for the source material. However, as a newcomer studio, accessibility is lacking - there's no alternative solution for dense spiders, forcing many arachnophobic players to abandon the game at Chapter 4. Invisible wall issues seriously affect exploration enjoyment, and some bosses like the Chapter 5 chariot can get stuck outside the arena. Large bosses can only be locked onto partially (usually the feet), making it impossible to maintain battlefield awareness. Technically, loading efficiency is slow, especially when switching chapters. Indoor lighting transitions have issues, and the stop-motion puppet animation style of "Past Shadows" feels jarring. Maps for the first four chapters are well-designed, but Chapter 5 suddenly becomes linear, and Chapter 6's addition of the Somersault Cloud lacks guidance. The ending, merely inheriting Wukong's name, fails to fully satisfy. Overall, this is an ambitious, sincere domestic AAA title that, despite flaws, opens new possibilities for Chinese game development.