After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong is finally here! Read on for a summary of early reviews and the controversy surrounding review guidelines.
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 has been largely positive, with an 82 Metascore on Metacritic based on 54 reviews.
Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing its precise and engaging combat system and well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its richly detailed world are also frequently highlighted.
Drawing inspiration from the classic Chinese tale, Journey to the West, the game's interpretation of Sun Wukong's adventures has resonated with critics. 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, fluctuating difficulty, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, requiring players to piece together the story through item descriptions, has also been noted.
Importantly, all early access reviews are based on the PC version; console reviews (specifically PS5) are pending.
Controversial Review Guidelines Surface
(Image from SteamDB) Reports emerged of a controversial document distributed by one of Black Myth: Wukong's co-publishers to streamers and reviewers. This document allegedly outlined "Do's and Don'ts," restricting discussion of "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse."
This has sparked considerable debate within the gaming community. While some criticize the guidelines as censorship, others express no concern.
Despite this controversy, anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong remains high. Its Steam page boasts top positions in both sales and wishlist rankings before release. While the lack of console reviews presents a caveat, the game is poised for a significant launch.
