Black Myth: Wukong was advertised as a high-resolution action RPG with a Chinese touch to mythology. Many fans were afraid the game might have poor performance on the PS5. That’s why I tested the game for 5 hours straight and I can tell you, it’s worth it.
Who is writing here? With over a thousand hours in “Dark Souls” titles and hundreds more in Souls-like games such as Nioh, Remnant, Lords of the Fallen, and more, our MeinMMO author Christos Tsogos boasts his expertise in this genre.
If it’s hard and frustrating, Christos will play and test it. That’s why Black Myth: Wukong, the new “Soulslike” from China, was the next game on the agenda. He wanted to know how well this graphical violence plays on the PS5 and whether it could be a competitor for other well-known brands. Here is his conclusion.
SPOILER WARNING: Occasionally, I will mention examples from the game. So if you want to play “blind,” you should stop reading here.
Strong PS5 Performance and Immersive Atmosphere
How good/bad is Black Myth: Wukong? First of all, Black Myth: Wukong is really good, not only because of its story but also due to how the developers managed to create such a detailed game that doesn’t make your PS5 melt.
I played for 5 hours straight and 7 hours in total, and I was able to complete the first chapter of the story. The world is magical, the atmosphere is consistent, and the music and sound are immersive. Everything harmonizes together and lets you dive into ancient China.
As for the graphics, there are two settings you can choose from on the PS5:
- Balanced: A compromise between more FPS and resolution
- Performance mode: Lower FPS, better resolution
- Quality mode: Lower FPS, better resolution
If you want to enjoy the game, you should play in performance mode. This way, the fights are nice and fluid at 60 FPS, and you can respond better to your opponents’ attacks. The loss in graphics quality is minimal.
During wild fights, I had hardly any graphical glitches, which really surprised me. Elden Ring at launch and even with its DLC struggled with performance, which is not the case with Wukong.
One Feature Saves the Clunky Combat System
Since we’re talking about combat, I have to split this section into their presentation and the actual fights you engage in. When fighting large story-relevant bosses, you feel like you’re in a movie. The fights then occasionally switch to cinematics where you simply stand and think “WOW, how intense is this?”
In the first major boss battle, Sun Wukong faced a giant army as well as the four elements and Erlang, the holy deity. Both fight at such a high level of power that they can destroy entire landscapes and sweep everyone away. That was purely a goosebump moment.
A short glimpse of that can be found here:
As for the actual fights, at the beginning it’s mainly just button smashing until you absorb spirits and gradually learn magic. Without this system, which somewhat resembles Nioh 2, Black Myth: Wukong would become boring over time, as you would always use the same combos – with some exceptions that come from skill points (but they are few).
Conclusion: It’s Worth it, Even if It Doesn’t Reinvent the Wheel
Black Myth: Wukong offers something for every player. Whether you are looking for massive boss battles, exploring beautiful landscapes or experiencing a great story. The game offers all that and much more.
Moreover, the developers have implemented a kind of “lexicon” in the game where you can learn information and lore about the beings you have defeated. This is nicely integrated into the menu and is further complemented by the developers. Unfortunately, the collection is not yet complete at release, as the developers are still working on the translation of the writings.
However, it is definitely a beautiful game and especially interesting for those looking for a bit of variety from Elden Ring. However, do not expect an innovative game that reinvents the wheel, as Black Myth: Wukong has many similarities to games in the genre.
Besides our conclusion, the gaming community also has a strong opinion about the game, and they are visibly impressed by the performance. The game is so popular on Steam that it even managed to beat games like Counter-Strike 2 or Palworld in player peak: Over 1 million players on Steam: Black Myth Wukong even surpasses Elden Ring in popularity
