After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong is finally here, and initial reviews are in! Read on for a summary of critical reception and a look at a recent controversy.
Black Myth: Wukong's Arrival
PC Launch Only
Since its debut trailer in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong has generated immense hype, and early reviews are largely positive. The game boasts an 82 Metascore on Metacritic, based on 54 critic reviews.
Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing its precise and engaging combat system, particularly in the well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its beautiful world are also frequently highlighted.
Drawing inspiration from Chinese mythology's Journey to the West, the game's portrayal of Sun Wukong's adventures has received considerable acclaim. GamesRadar+, for instance, describes it as "a fun action RPG that feels like a modern God of War game filtered through 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's fragmented nature, similar to older FromSoftware titles, requiring players to piece together the story through item descriptions, is another recurring criticism.
Importantly, all initial review copies were for PC. Console performance, particularly on PS5, remains unreviewed.
Controversial Review Guidelines Surface
Image from SteamDB. Reports emerged over the weekend detailing 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 over these restrictions, others see no issue.
Despite this controversy, anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong remains high. Steam sales data currently positions it as both the best-selling and most wishlisted game on the platform prior to release. While the lack of console reviews is a caveat, the game appears poised for a significant launch.
