After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong has finally received its initial reviews! This article summarizes the critical reception and a recent controversy surrounding review guidelines.
Black Myth: Wukong's Arrival (PC Only, for Now)
Since its debut trailer, Black Myth: Wukong has generated significant hype. Early reviews are largely positive, resulting in 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 richly detailed world are also frequently highlighted. The game's adaptation of the Journey to the West mythology has also earned commendation, 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, among others, notes potential drawbacks including subpar level design, uneven difficulty, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, has been criticized for its fragmented storytelling, requiring players to piece together the complete story through item descriptions. It's also important to note that all early access reviews are based solely on the PC version; console performance remains unreviewed.
Controversial Review Guidelines Surface
Reports emerged of a document distributed by one of Black Myth: Wukong's co-publishers, outlining guidelines for streamers and reviewers. These guidelines reportedly restricted discussion of "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse." This has sparked considerable debate online, with some criticizing the guidelines as censorship while others express no concern.
Despite this controversy, pre-release Steam data shows Black Myth: Wukong as both the best-selling and most wishlisted game on the platform. While the lack of console reviews remains a factor, the game's launch appears poised for significant success.
