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 reviews are in! This article summarizes early impressions and a recent controversy surrounding review guidelines.

Black Myth: Wukong is Almost Here (PC Only, for Now)

Since its debut trailer, Black Myth: Wukong has generated significant hype. Early critical reception is 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, particularly its well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its beautiful world also receive high marks. The game's interpretation of the Journey to the West mythology has been 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 GOTY potential, points out potential drawbacks shared by other reviews: subpar level design, difficulty spikes, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative's fragmented nature, reminiscent of older FromSoftware titles, requiring players to piece together the story through item descriptions, is also noted.

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

Controversy Surrounding Review Guidelines

Reports emerged of a co-publisher issuing guidelines to streamers and reviewers, outlining "Do's and Don'ts" that reportedly included restrictions on discussing "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse." This has sparked considerable debate within the gaming community, with some criticizing the guidelines and others expressing indifference.

Despite this controversy, Black Myth: Wukong remains highly anticipated, currently topping Steam's best-selling and most-wishlisted games charts. While the lack of console reviews creates some uncertainty, the game is poised for a significant launch.