After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong is finally here! Read on for a summary of early reviews and a look at the surrounding controversy.
Black Myth: Wukong's Arrival
PC Exclusive (For Now)
Since its debut trailer in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong has generated significant hype. Initial critical reception is largely positive, with an 82 Metascore on Metacritic based on 54 reviews.
Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing precise and engaging combat, particularly in its well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its richly detailed world also receive high marks.
Drawing inspiration from the Chinese classic Journey to the West, the game's portrayal of Sun Wukong's adventures has been lauded. GamesRadar+, for example, described it as "a fun action RPG that feels like the modern God of War games viewed through the lens of Chinese mythology."
However, PCGamesN's review, while acknowledging its GOTY potential, points out potential drawbacks shared by other reviews: subpar level design, uneven difficulty, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, has also been criticized for its fragmented storytelling, requiring players to piece together the lore from item descriptions.
Importantly, all early access reviews are based on the PC version; console reviews (specifically PS5) are currently unavailable.
Controversial Review Guidelines Surface
(Image from SteamDB)
Reports emerged over the weekend detailing review guidelines issued by one of Black Myth: Wukong's co-publishers to streamers and reviewers. These guidelines allegedly included a list of prohibited topics, such as "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse."
This has sparked considerable debate within the gaming community. While some express concern about the restrictions, others see no issue. One Twitter (X) user commented, "It is WILD to me that this actually made it out the door... creators casually signing this and not speaking up is just as wild, unfortunately just less surprising.."
Despite this controversy, anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong remains high. The game currently holds the top spot as both the best-selling and most wishlisted title on Steam before its official release. While the lack of console reviews is a notable caveat, the game's launch is expected to be significant.
