Black Myth Wukong

[huxley]

This has been in development for a few years and a first AAA from a Chinese studio it would appear.
Reviews are looking favourable.
Got it preloaded and will commence play this evening

[QualityChimp]

I keep thinking this is the name of a rap group.

[huxley]

I keep thinking this is the name of a rap group.

Great that's in my head now

[Neon Ignition]

Missed polling opportunity!

Key ommissions:

10 - It's on like Donkey WuKong
01 - Wokong Fu: Thanks for Everything Julie NewTao

[huxley]

Sorry didnt think of that.

Well a couple of hours in.............. Not doing it for me, just not finding the gameplay that engaging.
Graphics wise its stunning in 4K on high settings with full ray tracing. Gonna leave this installed and might venture back once I clear some of my back log.

[hudson]

What version you playing @huxley?

Is combat similar to a souls game or Stellar Blade?

I will probs wait until this drops in price.

[huxley]

What version you playing @huxley?

Is combat similar to a souls game or Stellar Blade?

I will probs wait until this drops in price.

on PC, tbh it’s wander from one restricted area to another, kill minions and then a larger one and repeat.
I have heard it does ramp up after about the third chapter. It is visually stunning and beautifully presented.
I will definitely go back to it at some point I just don’t have the enthusiasm for it at the moment.

[QualityChimp]

Well a couple of hours in.............. Not doing it for me,

Not as good as their first album, then?

[Neon Ignition]

I've only done a small taster section of the game so far via PC. First impressions are decent, I'm assuming those crying out GOTY haven't played Stellar Blade which immediately feels like the superior game. It also doesn't give Souls vibes either yet, maybe as I get further in but I already feel like Soulslike for this game has become a lazy byword for simply 'hard' for which Souls was decades late to invent.

[Neon Ignition]

It's interesting playing this whilst reading about it on Era. Quite a range of thoughts over there from mixed to GOTY material and in the past week I've managed to make solid progress thanks to taking the approach of adapting the game to fit me. I played it as standard until the difficulty bellcurved up too steep, with standard enemies often being easy to take out without taking a hit it means the larger and stronger enemies or bosses can get the better of you very quickly. The invisible walls are very prominent yet also randomly have holes in them so a few times a boss or enemy has grabbed me and either thrown me into an abyss or through a wall etc forcing a manual restart.

As expected, Soulslike is becoming a meaningless term thrown around at anything with a difficulty spike. The offering stands suggest a bonfires style system with enemies respawning but despite loads of reports of the game being hard to navigate due to no maps being in the UI I've found that it's pretty straight forward. The game has some pretty big hubs but they are hubs none the less and progress through the game remains linear. It's usually not hard to spot the way to go and so go venturing down other avenues.

I've dialled the hit damage back so that the game plays much more God of War like which to me feels like how it should have been pitched all along, the Souls inspiration outstripping the combat. I have most core spells unlocked, levelling up still in the works, but the standard gameplay largely revolves around one combo and a roll button to evade which can be hit and miss with boss combo's especially as the camera isn't always helpful.

Even with the difficulty reigned in, it's a long game and one of highs and lows. Chapter One is pretty straight forward, Chapter Two has been the best one so far whilst Chapter Three mixed up things more to push the narrative but felt more disjointed and a bit overlong as the gameplay feels like it would make for a decent 12hr game but this will go well beyond that.

I'm enjoying it but without considering any other 2024 title the GOTY aren't where I'm going to land, Stellar Blade delivered a similar plate of core elements in a much, much more stronger title for me. I think I'm hitting around the halfway marker so it'll be interesting to see if it mixes things enough or out stays its welcome.

[Neon Ignition]

After Chapter 4 I'm finding Chapter 5 to be alright, there's still lots of cave and rock sections giving it a very grey look which furthers the times where you feel it's outstaying its welcome. The chapter videos remain nice, the overall story is paper thin so there's a fair degree of knowing I'm nearing the end that's keeping the pull going. It's a post card looker of a game, many sections looking impressive and very detailed but that sense that it's possible because not too much is moving. Enemy variety is a bit of an issue in a game this long too, I keep reading it has loads but it's a bit of a falsehood with animations giving away enemy reskins. That 7/10 is locking in hard now

[QualityChimp]

WU KONG! I got you all in check!

[hudson]

WU KONG! I got you all in check!

"yah yah yaaaah"