Journey to the West is a pantheon of celestial beings, deities, and mythological creatures known as Yaoguai, and Black Myth: Wukong is perhaps even more so with its inclusion of Yaoguai not found in the novel. The Destined One encounters dozens of "lesser" Yaoguai in Black Myth: Wukong that we haven't see in Journey to the West , including the Croaky, the Crow Diviner, the Tenner, and the Pitstone, Poisestone, and Palestone. Some of Black Myth: Wukong 's bosses we also have not seen in Journey to the West , though almost every major boss

As far as locations go, most of those that players can travel to in Black Myth: Wukong are mentioned in Journey to the West . Others, like Crouching Tiger Temple, Turtle Island, Mirrormere, and the Pagoda Realm, are not — although the novel does include various pagoda structures. This is just another way that Black Myth: Wukong sets itself apart from Journey to the West to give players an experience they wouldn't even be able to get from the 16th-century novel the game is based

Best Armor Sets Best Transformations Best Spirits Best Curios Best Soaks Best Drinks Best Enemy Designs Major Characters And Their Voice Actors Best Journey To The West References Every Chapter, Ranked Every Vessel, Ranked Most Memorable Quotes Best Easter Eggs And Hidden Details Hardest Achievements To Unlock In Black Myth: Wukong Games To Play If You Like Black Myth: Wukong Hidden Areas In Black Myth: Wukong Everyone Completely Missed Lingering Questions We Have After The End Of Black Myth: Wukong Things To Do After You Beat The Game All Bosses In Chapter One, Ranked By Difficulty Black Myth: Wukong's 8BitDo Controller Is Available Now On Amazon China Eclipses 1 Exabyte of Steam Data After Black Myth Wukong Launch Black Myth Wukong Players Are Already Fed Up With Its Invisible Walls Chinese Landmarks Are Offering Free Entry To Players Who Beat Black Myth: Wukong Black Myth: Wukong's Latest Patch Has Nerfed One Of Its Toughest Bosses PSA: You Can Make Certain Bosses Fight Each Other In Black Myth: Wukong Black Myth: Wukong Players Really Hate The Pagoda Realm Black Myth: Wukong Gave Me The Boss Fights I Wanted From God Of War Black Myth: Wukong Has Caused A Huge Spike In Journey To The West Book Sales Black Myth: Wukong Is Reportedly Getting Its First Expansion In Early 2025 Black Myth: Wukong’s Erlang Shen Has 73 Attacks Based On His 73 Transformations If Black Myth: Wukong Isn't Nominated For GOTY, Fans Are Gonna Be Insufferable Black Myth: Wukong Is Getting A Physical PS5 Release "Very Soon" Black Myth: Wukong Gets Rated For Xbox Series X/S Release Black Myth: Wukong FPS Mod Lets You Take Down Erlang With An Assault Rifle Black Myth: Wukong Is The Lowest Rated Game To Get A Game Awards GOTY Nomination Black Myth: Wukong's GOTY Nomination Proves It's Gaming's Barbie Black Myth: Wukong Already Has Its First Game Of The Year Award Black Myth: Wukong Director Teases A Surprise For "Later This Year" At Golden Joystick Aw

While the Destined One is an original character created specifically for Black Myth: Wukong , many of the game's other major characters are almost explicit copies of those from Journey to the West . As the game's story takes place five centuries after the events of the novel, these characters help maintain the game's connection to its "past" and, in turn, give substance to its present. The major boss of Black Myth: Wukong 's first chapter, for instance, is the Black Myth Wukong cheats Wind King, who is based on the Black Wind Demon from Journey to the West . Both the Black Wind King and the Black Wind Demon wield a Black Tassel Spear, can transform into a ferocious black bear, and serve as the guardian of Black Wind Mountain. The Black Wind King is also the first character to confirm Black Myth: Wukong 's place in Journey to the West 's timeline when he mentions it has been 500 years since his last encounter with Sun Wuk

The presentation in Black Myth: Wukong is out of this world. Game Science utilized the Unreal Engine 5, and it shows as there’s nothing quite like what they’ve been able to create. Whether it’s the volumetric clouds interacting with every swing of the staff or the atmospheric lighting effects, the Chinese studio has finely crafted one of the most beautiful games ever created. With that said, there are still flaws that seem to come with Unreal Engine and non-linear releases. Namely, some of the rock geometry and their textures can be low quality. Looking at this high-quality environment only for you to turn your camera and see a low resolution chunk of rock sticking out like a sore thumb takes you out of the experience. It’s far less prevalent than something like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth , but it’s still present.

Newcomers like Bunnyhug, Gummycat, Sabotage Studios, and FoamPunch are pushing boundaries and catering to a more diverse audience that might be looking for something other than a big-budget shooter or an MMO filled to the brim with microtransactions. With lots of exciting diverse new talent and advances in technology making game development more democratic and easily accessible, it's no wonder that the output from indie developers has increased both in scope and variety. Game engines like Unity, Unreal Engine, and GameMaker Studio 2 are more intuitive and capable than ever , with different strengths for both 2D and 3D production to open up the possibilities of design and game mechan