RPS Advent Calendar December 23, 2024

It’s an old story that’s often retold – and that’s the story of the development studio that made it.
This is a boss rush “Souslike Black Myth: Wukong” inspired by “Journey to the West”!
Jeremy: I’m half Taiwanese and have lived in Taiwan and Hong Kong for most of my 20s. So the general plot of The Monkey King and Journey to the West has become as ingrained in my consciousness as someone who grew up in England or the United States might have read the King Arthur stories as a child. While there are many games inspired by Goku’s journey across China to obtain scriptures and evolve into Buddha, none have as much panache and flair as Game Science’s Souls.
Black Myth: Goku doesn’t actually have you playing the role of the Monkey King, instead you’re the one destined to be, a quasi-descendant who might one day be able to exploit Goku’s if you collect all the MacGuffins left behind by Goku. Force fell behind after failing to rebel against Heaven. To get these MacGuffins, you’ll need to perform missions in six well-designed chapters that aren’t open world but are still pretty big. Along the way, you will encounter boss after boss, all of which will be smashed by you with your stick, which is a replica of Wukong’s famous Ruyi Golden Cudgel. If you play your cards well, it will The game ends with thunderous heights. Oh, and yes, in the final chapter, you can also ride on Goku’s flying clouds – Hi, Dragon Ball fans.
There was a lot of controversy before the release of Black Myth: Wukong, mostly due to the developer making some misogynistic sensationalism on Sina Weibo, which spread across the wider internet thanks to IGN’s coverage. There are also guidelines telling streamers not to criticize the Chinese government, mention the coronavirus or indulge in “feminist propaganda” while playing games. Game Science has been legitimately criticized for these scandals, and it’s unfortunate that Black Myth became a flashpoint for tankers and people on X who like to rally behind “anti-woke” games that they feel are unfairly “censored” .
All this head-scratching stuff makes me not want to like Black Myth. But as I continued to upgrade my staff, fight a variety of magnificent enemies inspired by Chinese mythology, and write strategies for each of the game’s six chapters (please allow me to shamelessly insert our comprehensive Black Myth strategy center), I couldn’t stand it. It’s amazing to see a story I grew up with come to life in such an exciting way. This is a very good Souls-like game (invisible walls aside), which is even more impressive considering it’s Game Science’s first major release. Any criticism behind its development is valid, and I sincerely hope the developers avoid indulging in sexism before releasing a sequel. But having said that, this is a journey worth watching, and when I think about how I drew Wukong when I was 12 years old, I must admit that I felt a certain level of pride when I saw the whole world. The achievements of “Black Myth”.
Nick: I’ve only played about three bosses, but what great bosses they are! Realizing that boss combat is such an integral part of what makes a FromSoft game so exciting, and translating that into a full game (especially one with such fluid combat) is a neat trick, I think. This is a true piece of ingenuity and vision. Additionally, your ability to quickly climb up a pole to avoid ground attacks is unprecedented.
Ed: That got me interested in Chinese mythology and Journey to the West, which I thought was really cool.
Return to the Advent Calendar and open another door!