Black Myth: Wukong Early Impressions Are Out Amid Review Guidelines Controversy

After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong has finally arrived, and initial reactions are mostly positive. Let's delve into the details and see what critics are saying.

Black Myth: Wukong: A PC Launch

Since its debut trailer, Black Myth: Wukong has generated considerable excitement, and early reviews largely support the hype. The game currently 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 its well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its beautiful world also receive high marks. The game's adaptation of the Chinese mythological tale, Journey to the West, is lauded, with GamesRadar+ describing 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 Game of the Year potential, points out potential drawbacks shared by other reviews: subpar level design, difficulty spikes, 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 also noted.

Importantly, all early access review copies were for PC. Console performance, specifically on PS5, remains unreviewed.

Controversial Review Guidelines Surface

(Image from SteamDB)

Reports emerged of a co-publisher distributing guidelines to streamers and reviewers, outlining "Do's and Don'ts," including restrictions on discussing "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, others express no concern.

Despite this controversy, anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong remains high. Steam sales data shows it as both the best-selling and most wishlisted game prior to launch. While the lack of console reviews presents some uncertainty, the game appears poised for a significant launch.