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Is Black Myth: Wukong more of a Souls-like experience, or does it lean towards a traditional action role-playing game?
Ever since it was first announced, Black Myth Wukong has showcased itself as a game that’s very much inspired by the works of FromSoftware, especially their iconic action RPG series, Dark Souls. However, despite some obvious similarities to Dark Souls and the “souls-like” genre of games, Black Myth Wukong also features some aspects that don’t necessarily align with the souls-like genre.
While there are some structural similarities, like the “bonfire-esque” checkpoint system, and challenging boss fights, developer GameScience’s upcoming title doesn’t entirely fit into the mold of souls-likes. Based on the gameplay trailers released by GameScience so far, Black Myth Wukong seems to be doing its own thing that’s more akin to games like Sekiro than your average souls-like RPG.
However, given the structural similarities to games like Dark Souls and even Lies of P, is it safe to put Black Myth Wukong under the “souls-like” moniker, or should it be categorized as simply an action RPG? Let’s find out.
Why does Black Myth Wukong feel more like Sekiro than a traditional soul-like?
Based on the gameplay trailers, especially the one GameScience released very recently, Black Myth Wukong seems to be way more action-focused than traditional souls-likes. That’s not to say souls-likes don’t feature ample action, just take a look at Lies of P for that matter. However, the point of distinction here is the methodical nature of combat in most souls-likes, which is something that seems missing in Wukong. Even visually, Wukong looks very different from something like Elden Ring.
Furthermore, Wukong’s previews mentioned that the combat system in Black Myth is much more combo-centric, meaning your regular attacks won’t deal much damage. Instead, you will have to use combos and finishers to make a dent in the enemy’s health bar. This is quite similar to how combat is approached in character action games, a la, Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and even Sekiro, to an extent.
Judging from the previews as well as the raw gameplay footage provided by GameScience, it’s fair to assume that Black Myth Wukong will play much more like Sekiro. The combat system in Wukong is significantly faster and more aggressive than its slow and methodical souls-like counterpart.
Additionally, judging from the trailers, it seems Wukong only has access to a single weapon type, the staff (inspired by Ryu Jingu Bang), with different combat styles and skills tied to it. This is very similar to how the combat was designed around the Katana in Sekiro. Additionally, while the game does feature a Dark Souls-esque bonfire checkpoint system, it doesn’t punish players for death, akin to most souls-likes.
What is Black Myth Wukong?
At its core, Black Myth Wukong is an action role-playing game, that seems to feature sprawling, albeit linear levels for players to explore, a robust combat system, and challenging but fair boss fights. On paper, it does seem a lot like Lies of P and Elden Ring, but it seems to be doing its own thing, instead of following a set template.
We won’t necessarily rule out the possibility of Black Myth being a souls-like, after all, it’s inspired by games of that genre. However, at least from what can be gathered via the trailers and early impressions of media outlets, Wukong seems more like an action RPG that takes bits and pieces from different genres and also seems to include soul-likes. Thankfully players curious about the game’s true genre won’t have to wait too long as Black Myth Wukong is going live on August 20, 2024, on PC and PS5.
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