After a prolonged period of relative silence, the hype for the upcoming Soulslike Black Myth: Wukong is set to intensify over the coming days. Since its initial unveiling three years ago, precious little has been shared from developer Game Science aside from a few trailers. But Black Myth: Wukong is confirmed to feature a 'World Premiere' at this Gamescom 2023, and fans should expect to learn even more about the upcoming action RPG.
Black Myth: Wukong is based on the 16th-Century novel Journey to the West, set in Ancient China. It puts its own spin on the story of the Monkey King and his adventures. The game looks to fuse Chinese mythology with traditional Soulslike mechanics in order to provide gamers with an exciting experience. The Monkey King has been shown to be a highly capable and acrobatic protagonist who wields a staff to devastating effect. As well as his staff, he can also wield magical powers and even transform into other forms should the need arise. Now, Gamescom 2023 offers the chance for a deeper dive into the game's mechanics.
Black Myth: Wukong Has a Chance to Shine at Gamescom 2023
Black Myth: Wukong has been built on the impressive Unreal Engine 5, and the result is a game that looks well and truly next-gen. One encounter in the heavy snow pits the Monkey King against the dangerous, fast-moving Macaque Chief boss. As the protagonist moves quickly around the terrain, the surrounding snow begins to accumulate in noticeable piles. Another boss fight against the Tiger Vanguard takes place partially in the water, which acts incredibly naturally as the fight thrashes around it. These are subtle but noticeable examples of Unreal Engine 5's power and Gamescom 2023 could well show off more of this in full effect.
One of the biggest remaining questions in terms of the game's combat mechanics is whether the Monkey King will have access to weapons other than his staff. The staff itself seems incredibly versatile and is capable of changing its length and move set, depending on which stance the protagonist is in. While this already shows good variety, it would be highly unusual for a Soulslike not to offer any other choice of weapons, and for those who are drawn to the genre for its build variety, this could be a blow. Answers here would be much more appreciated as a result.
Gamescom 2023's Black Myth: Wukong coverage could also offer the first glimpse of how the character progression works, as there has been no indication of a skill tree or leveling up as yet. This is another key aspect of the genre and is one that the game needs to get right in order to be a success. Black Myth: Wukong still has a ways to go before its release, but for fans who can't wait that long, the Soulslike sub-genre seems to constantly produce other games to get excited about.
Two that stand out, in particular, are Lies of P, a grim, Bloodborne-esque Soulslike based on the tale of Pinocchio, and Lords of the Fallen, a reboot of the 2014 Soulslike of the same name which looks very similar to Dark Souls in its style and aesthetic. Both of these are set to release in the next couple of months. Black Myth: Wukong, alongside these titles, could make the next couple of months an exciting one for the Soulslike genre.
Black Myth: Wukong is scheduled to release in summer 2024 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.