What you should know before playing Black Myth: Wukong

Highlights

• Get ready for stunning graphics and Chinese mythology in Black Myth: Wukong.
• Due to performance issues, some patience may be required while bug fixes are made after release.
• Don’t expect an open-world experience like Elden Ring, but enjoy the large space to explore.

Black Myth: Wukong is one of the most anticipated games in recent years. Since its announcement in 2020, it has attracted a lot of attention with its beautiful graphics, unique concept, and heavy reliance on Chinese mythology. It is also the first multi-million dollar AAA game made by a Chinese developer, so there is a lot of hype around that as well.

Fortunately, the wait is over, because Black Myth: Wukong has finally been released and has immediately received a lot of praise from critics and players. However, since the release of the title, many misunderstandings and problems have arisen that should be addressed. Therefore, here are some Things you should know before picking up Black Myth: Wukong.

5 Performance issues

The game still needs a few patches

• There are some bugs that need to be fixed.
• Players may want to wait until these issues are resolved before purchasing this title.

Black Myth: Wukong is visually stunning, there’s no denying that. Even in the game’s early presentations, the graphics looked crisp and balanced, offering an attractive color palette that complemented the game’s aesthetic very well. Even before the game’s release, many gamers knew that even with DLSS, they would need to own pretty powerful PCs to get a smooth experience at the max settings.

However, top-of-the-line PCs don’t seem to be enough to deal with some of the performance degradations gamers have experienced while playing Black Myth: Wukong. Of course, this is to be expected with almost any game in the first few days, and as long as the issues don’t affect the gameplay experience, it shouldn’t be too serious. However, players who want the best possible experience may want to wait a few days or even weeks until the developers have fixed all the existing bugs.

4 It is not an open world

Attention Elden Ring players

• Some areas feel like it’s an open world.
• Players expect a Elden Ring-like experience might be a little disappointing.

The various trailers released since 2020 gave players a detailed look at what Black Myth: Wukong would look like, but it was still hard to say if the game would feature open-world features. Now that the title has been released, it’s safe to say that, unfortunately, it is not the case.

That is not to say that the game is bad or that players should not buy it for that reason alone. Additionally, while there is no true open world exploration like players have seen in titles like Elden RingThere are many areas that feel like part of an open world and offer players plenty of space to roam freely.

3 The playing time is decent

100% completion could leave some players wanting more

• The duration of the main game is about 15 hours.
• It takes about 32 hours to complete 100%.

Trailers and early presentations often create certain expectations in gamers when it comes to games. When it was first announced, Black Myth: Wukong seemed to offer a huge, complex world full of life, enemies, and areas to explore. And while the game delivers on and exceeds most of its promises, players looking for an extremely long gaming experience might be a little disappointed.

Before the wrong impression arises, it is important to clarify that Black Myth: WukongThe main game lasts around 15 hours, which is great compared to other titles that don’t even reach the 10 hour mark. At the same time, 100% completion is expected to take around 32 hours, which again is amazing. However, due to the length of similar games, players may expect a completion time of over 60 hours, and unfortunately that is not the case. However, in many cases it is about quality over quantity, and so far the 32 hours it took to complete the Black Myth: Wukong to the fullest extent and in no way disappoint.

2 The cutscenes are nice, but long

It is worth several hours of it

• Some players may not like the three hours of cutscenes.
• The cutscenes add wonderfully to the story, but sometimes interrupt the pace of the game.

The subject of cutscenes in video games has long been a topic of debate. Some gamers love them, while others constantly complain that they feel more like they’re watching a movie than playing a video game. Both points are valid, as everyone’s tastes are different. How much is objectively too much?

As already mentioned, Black Myth: WukongThe main game takes about 15 hours to complete, while 100% takes about 32 hours. In total, the game has just over 3 hours of cutscenes, and while they are visually beautiful, they make up 20% of the main game’s duration and almost 10% of the total content. Players who like games like the new God of War or Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will probably have no problem with this, but for those who want to have as little time as possible to play, the number of cutscenes in Black Myth: Wukong could be irritating.

1 The game is not a Soulslike

Black Myth: Wukong is much more forgiving

• Players do not lose all their skill points when they die.
• Bosses and enemies are challenging, but they are not as hard as those from the Souls Series.
• Upgrades can be done from anywhere in the world, not just at rest stops.

Last but not least, it’s important to discuss what is probably one of the biggest questions about this game in years. Is it a true Soulslike? Well, the answer is yes and no. Black Myth: Wukong can be considered a Soulslike to some extent due to the many bosses scattered throughout the world, the heavily dodge-based combat mechanics, the lack of ability to adjust the difficulty level, and the overall concept of the game.

However, this title is much more forgiving of mistakes and deaths than any other FromSoftware game. For one thing, dying doesn’t cause players to lose their entire skill point pool. Additionally, upgrading and leveling is possible from anywhere in the world, not just at rest stops. In addition, bosses, while challenging, are not as frustrating or difficult to defeat as those in the Souls Series. Weapon variety also plays a role in determining whether a game is Soulslike or not. The Staff of the Chosen is fun and a great weapon once you master it, but unlike the Souls Games in the series, Black Myth: Wukong has no other weapons to choose from.