Black Myth: Wukong is a rare moment when a Chinese-developed game made a global splash at AAA scale. Game Science draws on Journey to the West, uses Unreal Engine 5 to recreate real Chinese landmarks, and builds a demanding soulslike action experience.
The game launched on August 20, 2024 on PC and PS5, with the Xbox Series X|S version arriving August 20, 2025. On day one it hit 2.2 million concurrent players on Steam and sold 20 million copies in its first month.
Quick Facts
- Release: August 20, 2024 (PC, PS5); August 20, 2025 (Xbox Series X|S)
- Developer: Game Science; directed by Feng Ji; Unreal Engine 5
- Genre: Action RPG with soulslike elements
- Critic scores: Metacritic 81 (PC), 76 (PS5); OpenCritic 81%
- Sales: 2.2 million concurrent Steam players on day one; 20 million copies in the first month
Story
The protagonist is the Destined One, a monkey inspired by Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. After Wukong ascends to Buddhahood but rejects celestial life, he is sealed away by Erlang Shen. Players recover six relics corresponding to his lost senses across six chapters.
The chapters draw on real Chinese locations such as Kaiyuan Temple and the Dazu Rock Carvings, offering a cultural sense of place rarely seen in games.
Behind The Scenes
Game Science spent four years on location research across China to build its asset library, and martial artist Yin Kai performed the motion capture. During preload, Steam's download bandwidth peaked at 70 terabytes per second, surpassing Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020.
The game is considered the first Chinese-industry AAA to achieve global mainstream success, boosting tourism to sites that inspired it. Black Myth: Zhong Kui is in development as the series' second installment.
Experience
Staff combat
Players wield a staff in three stances: smash, pillar and thrust. Landed attacks build focus points for heavy strikes, while stamina drains from sprinting and dodging. The game features four spell categories, transformations and equippable spirits and vessels with passive bonuses. Difficulty varies throughout and cannot be adjusted manually; New Game+ and a boss rush unlock after completion.
Visuals, music and staging
The team spent four years on location research across China to build an asset library, and martial artist Yin Kai provided motion capture. The music blends Chinese instruments with Western orchestra and vocal traditions such as Shanbei storytelling and Buddhist chanting. Six animated cutscenes use different styles, from Shanghai Animation Film Studio to lianhuanhua comic strips.
Strengths
- Striking visuals and art direction tied to real locations
- Flexible staff combat with transformations and spells
- Music blending Chinese traditions
- New Game+ and a boss rush mode
Weaknesses
- Uneven mid-game pacing according to some critics
- Difficulty cannot be adjusted manually
- Lower scores on PS5 (Metacritic 76) than PC (81)
What Critics Say
Metacritic scored it 81 on PC and 76 on PS5, with OpenCritic at 81% recommend. GamesRadar called it a great action RPG that feels like God of War for Chinese mythology, and Polygon described it as both confounding and spectacular to behold. Praise centered on combat design and artistry; some noted uneven mid-game pacing.
The game won Best Action Game and Players' Voice at The Game Awards 2024, Ultimate Game of the Year at the Golden Joysticks and Game of the Year at the 2024 Steam Awards, and was nominated for Game of the Year. It is also the fastest-selling game based on a classic novel per Guinness.
Who Is It For
For players who like challenging action RPGs, striking visuals and Eastern mythology. Newcomers to soulslikes should prepare, since difficulty cannot be adjusted. If you want deep Western-style scripts, treat this as an art- and action-forward experience.
OtaHub Score
Verdict
Black Myth: Wukong is an impressive start for Chinese AAA games, beautiful and fun in combat, though the mid-game pacing is uneven. OtaHub scores it 8.9/10.
FAQ
Is Black Myth: Wukong on Xbox?
Yes, the Xbox Series X|S version launched on August 20, 2025.
Can I choose the difficulty?
No, difficulty varies throughout and cannot be adjusted manually.
Does it have New Game+?
Yes, along with a boss rush mode unlocked after completion.