Verdict
Buy itA visually stunning, boss-obsessed action RPG that channels God of War through Chinese mythology — narrower in combat depth than it looks, but consistently spectacular from start to finish.
Black Myth: Wukong arrived as Game Science's first major release, and it's rare for a debut to look this confident. Built around a loose retelling of Journey to the West, it puts you in the boots — well, paws — of the Destined One, a monkey-warrior working through a gauntlet of mythological bosses across strikingly varied Chinese-inspired landscapes.
The essentials
Structurally, Wukong is a linear action RPG built almost entirely around boss encounters, closer in spirit to a God of War game than an open-world Souls title. You move from chapter to chapter, fighting increasingly elaborate monsters and demons, picking up gear and skills along the way, with light exploration between the big set pieces rather than the sprawling, interconnected worlds the genre's other big names favor.
Image credit: Game Science (official cover art, via Wikipedia) - verify rights before publication
That structure is a deliberate choice, and it lets Game Science focus its resources where they matter most: presentation. This is one of the best-looking games in its genre, with environments and boss designs that consistently feel handcrafted rather than reused, and cutscenes that show off a level of cinematic polish uncommon for a first-time studio.
The experience: spectacle-driven combat
Combat is built around three staff stances, a roster of magic spells, and a shapeshifting mechanic that lets you transform into other creatures entirely, each with a distinct moveset. On paper, that's a lot of tools, and the build variety is real — you can lean into aggressive staff play, spellcasting, or transformation-focused hit-and-run tactics depending on your preference.
In practice, the moment-to-moment feel is narrower than the toolset suggests. The Destined One only has one real light-attack combo (two with certain weapons), so a lot of fights boil down to chaining light attacks and looking for windows to land a charged heavy hit. It's satisfying when it clicks and the animations sell every hit, but across dozens of hours the repetition becomes noticeable, especially compared to genre peers with more varied basic movesets. The difficulty curve is well-tuned, though — demanding enough to make boss kills feel earned, without the relentless punishment of a From Software title.
Where it stumbles
The biggest asterisk on Wukong is technical. PC performance has been inconsistent across different hardware configurations — some setups run comfortably in the 75-80 FPS range at 1440p on medium settings, while others struggle to hold a steady 60 FPS even on strong rigs, particularly with the higher-end visual presets enabled. Since so much of the combat depends on precise dodge timing, uneven frame pacing isn't just an aesthetic annoyance, it can directly cost you fights. Console performance has generally fared better, running smoothly with minimal stuttering during combat.
The other trade-off is structural: Wukong's linearity means less player agency than you'd get from an open-world action RPG. If you want to sequence-break, build a character entirely your own way, or wander off the critical path for long stretches, there isn't much room for that here.
Who it's for
Wukong is an easy recommend for anyone who wants a visually spectacular, boss-focused action RPG with a strong mythological hook and doesn't mind a more linear structure. It's less suited to players who prioritize deep, varied basic combat over presentation, or PC players without hardware headroom to spare — check performance expectations for your specific setup before buying on that platform.
The verdict
Black Myth: Wukong is a remarkable first outing from Game Science: gorgeous, ambitious, and packed with memorable boss fights that carry the whole experience even when the underlying combo system shows its limits. The PC performance hiccups keep it from being a flawless recommendation, but as a genre debut, it's one of the most confident in years. We're scoring Black Myth: Wukong an 8.3/10.
Image credit: Game Science (Steam store assets) - verify rights before publication
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Pros
- Some of the most striking art direction and environments in a modern action RPG
- Deep skill trees: three staff stances, spells, and full shapeshifting into other creatures
- Boss encounters that are consistently inventive and demanding
- Balanced difficulty that's tough without tipping into Soulslike punishment
Cons
- Core light-attack combo is thin, and fights can lean on repetition
- PC performance is inconsistent, with frame drops even on capable hardware
- Linear structure gives less freedom than genre peers like the Souls series
Elena has reviewed AAA releases for close to a decade, with a rule she never breaks: no score until the credits roll. She has covered everything from sprawling open-world epics to tight roguelike runs, and she is known for pros/cons lists that actually help you decide whether to buy. Off the clock she is replaying old JRPGs on hard mode and arguing about ending twists.
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