The Soulslike genre has gone through many iterations and evolutions over the past decade, with many AAA games and indie teams putting their own spin on it. This has seen plenty modeled after the formula such as Thymesia, Nioh, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and many more. Chinese developer Game Science is also developing its own action RPG, the upcoming Black Myth: Wukong, which is based on the Chinese mythological hero Sun Wukong and Journey to the West.
When it was first announced in 2020, many people were impressed with Black Myth's visuals. Black Myth: Wukong is developed using Unreal Engine 5, which gives the game a realistic look. Some early gameplay videos of Black Myth: Wukong show off even more, focusing on the player character's impressive set of abilities and the giant bosses in an incredibly detailed world.
A new eight-minute gameplay video of Black Myth: Wukong uploaded to NVIDIA GeForce's YouTube channel shows fans what to expect from this Chinese folklore-inspired game. It starts by showing Wukong's transformation ability, where they can fly around as a small insect and then transform back into the Monkey Kong and fight against giant normal enemies. Other powers inspired by Journey to the West's Sun Wukong include his multiplication technique, where the player can summon four AI-controlled clones to distract enemies as they retreat. Players can also use Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang staff to extend himself upwards to avoid attacks and then come down to strike an unsuspecting opponent.
Some of the fearsome enemies that players will find in Black Myth: Wukong are a giant stone monk, a grotesque white hairy beast that can grow roots to cause damage and trap the player, and even a fearsome dragon with the ability to channel lightning into its body to attack. Enemies that have been fought can be recorded in a log book of some kind, which redraws the enemies in a traditional Chinese ink art along with a description of the enemy and its lore. The end of the video shows off another weapon that players can find, which seems to be only obtainable after defeating the aforementioned dragon boss.
Certain shrines can also be found in the overworld that act much like the bonfires from Dark Souls, a spot to rest and level up. These shrines even see Wukong lighting an incense to pay his respects. There's also a beautiful area with a waterfall and a Buddha statue that players can find.
Black Myth: Wukong is scheduled to release in 2023 for PC and consoles.