August 20, 2024 is not far away – and that means the release of Black Myth: Wukong is approaching. Not since Ghost of Tsushima have I been looking forward to a game as much as the action RPG from Game Science. From what we can see so far, we can expect a real feast for the eyes and a fresh take on a history steeped in tradition – for me, this is also a little childhood dream come true.
A comment from Felix Gräber
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Black Myth Wukong: This action RPG has what it takes to be the game of the year
Black Myth: Wukong casts its shadow ahead: The fantasy hit from the Far East is here It's been on my wish list for years. To be more precise, since the developers started with their first builds The limits of Nvidia's newly released graphics card generation were explored have.
That must have been over three years ago and after several postponed releases – as gamers are unfortunately used to it by now – “Journey to the West” will finally launch on PC and next-gen consoles on August 20th. I think it's about time. By the way, I'm not alone in this. Black Myth: Wukong has recently made the top list on Steam most wanted new releases at.
Although I also have to admit: I've been waiting for the game that Black Myth: Wukong promises to be for decades anyway – and would probably have held out for a few months longer. There are a number of good reasons for this:
Chinese Mythology on the PS5: Gamer hearts, what more could you want?
I've been that way since Genji for the PS2 in 2005 (!) Asian setting and mythological storytelling expired anyway. So Black Myth hits the right notes for me. Graphically, Game Science's action RPG promises to deliver anyway – if not even push the current console generation to its limits. You can see a first impression of the sheer visual power in the trailer:
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For me, with successful games that I enjoy spending a lot of time with, that's just it also on the optics. And the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” on which Black Myth: Wukong is loosely based, offers plenty of opportunities to let off steam both visually and narratively – which the Game Science studio obviously makes the most of.
This also applies to games based on mythology in general. Genji was also based on Japanese folklore. One of my absolute favorite titles is Age of Mythology – and I'm not alone. And we don't even need to start with the European dance of gods in God of War. Mythological tales from all corners of the world clearly offer lots of material for great games. Black Myth's predecessor at the top of the wish list also underlines this.
My big concern: How quickly will Black Myth Wukong wear out?
What that Gameplay As far as Black Myth is concerned, I'm still a bit into it skeptical. Unfortunately, the moves we've seen so far from the eponymous main character, Wukong, seem a bit limited. The jumps, attacks and dodges look great, but could wear out.
For me, this lack of diversity is one of the most serious problems with Ghost of Tsushima – which, by the way, will finally be making it to the PC soon. If you want to get lost in a huge open world and spend countless in-game hours there, you just need some variety. That's exactly what should be Monkey god Sun Wukong, which Black Myth is ultimately about, don't let boredom arise.
You can hardly wait until Black Myth: Wukong finally starts, but you don't want to pass the time with manga until then? Conveniently, Lego's Monkie Kid series is also based on “Journey to the West”:
Because in the original story he is a classic trikster and no good. In “Journey to the West” – one of the four great novels of classical China – he accompanies a monk on his journey and becomes wiser step by step along the way. The cunning and mischievous character But he doesn't take it off – just like his Rod that can grow at will.
Black Myth Wukong: The Dragon Ball game I always wanted
Sound familiar? Then you, like me, probably know the story primarily from a retelling (which, however, only reveals a few elements of the original): The journey to the west is that Basewhich featured the recently deceased Akira Toriyama at the time Dragon Ball has developed. In Japan, this connection is no secret at all. Because the monkey king Sun Wukong has in Japanese a slightly different name: Son Goku – but Toriyama was never known for any particular creativity when choosing a name.
We'll probably have to do without Dragon Balls and other characters from manga and anime, but a lot of things in Black Myth: Wukong should still seem familiar to you. The original story is known in one version or another in many Asian countries from India to Japan and has been recorded many times.
Would you rather play real anime games? We have prepared something for you:
This is how the well-known one plays Martial arts star Jet Li plays the role of the Monkey King in an admittedly mediocre film at best “The Forbidden Kingdom.” The film is rather infamous as the only meeting between Li and Jackie Chan.
It is also not the first time that The Journey to the West has been taken up in the gaming world. But in my opinion it is the first time that a real hit is on the way. And that's what I've been waiting for more or less since I found out that Sun Wukong's story is based on Dragon Ball.