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Ever since its announcement back in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong has been a hot topic of discussion among gamers, especially fans of the souls-like genre. This has been compounded by the game's recent resurgence into the spotlight, thanks to a hands-on media preview as well as the announcement of Black Myth: Wukong making an appearance at the upcoming Gamescom 2023.
The recently held hands-on preview gave a good look at the most recent playable version of the action role-playing game, showcasing its mesmerizing visuals powered by Unreal Engine 5 as well as the robust combat system and boss fights.
Here are 5 key takeaways from Black Myth: Wukong's preview, including its updated visuals, expanded role-playing game mechanics, fast-paced combat, and more.
From expanded RPG mechanics to a fast-paced combat system, here are five key takeaways from Black Myth: Wukong's preview
1) Enhanced visuals
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One of the very first things that is immediately seen in the game's preview is the massively enhanced visual fidelity. Being built on Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 already made Black Myth: Wukong one of the most visually impressive games out there, which was further enhanced by the impressive and unique art design.
However, it seems developer Game Science has made some significant improvements to the game's lighting and tesselation, as well as the texture resolution and general fidelity of the character models.
2) Switching weapon stances
One of the most intriguing new gameplay mechanics that was showcased during the preview was the weapon stance system. Although the protagonist of Black Myth: Wukong only has access to a single melee weapon type, players can switch between different stances on-the-fly during combat, giving options for long-ranged and close-quarters combat.
The stances basically unlock different offensive and defensive movesets that can be executed during combat. Weapon stances can also be switched in between combos, extending weapon movesets and allowing players to deal a lot of damage in a single combo.
3) Slow healing, emphasizing a more methodical approach to combat
Black Myth: Wukong's combat is fast-paced and features some really flashy combos and weapon movesets. However, it is also as methodical as FromSoftware's Souls games. The preview gave a good look at the game's healing system, which isn't as fast-paced as Bloodborne or Sekiro but is more akin to the Estus Flasks from the Dark Souls Trilogy.
While there are chances that the healing speed can be increased via upgrades, similar to how it worked in Dark Souls 2, via the "Adaptability (ADP)" stat, it's not disclosed in the game's preview.
4) Spells, as an extension of melee combat
Alongside the game's stellar combat system, weapon switching, and methodical approach to certain elements of gameplay, Black Myth: Wukong also features spells that players can use to compliment their melee playstyle. The spell system in Game Science's action RPG works quite similarly to Team Ninja's Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.
The spells that are showcased during the preview include Stone Solid, Immobilize, and Ring of Fire, which seemed to be quite useful not only in boss fights but also in keeping fodder enemies at bay.
5) Challenging and thrilling boss encounters
Boss fights are a key aspect of any souls-like action RPG, something that can make or break a game, depending on their quality. Fortunately, boss fights are Black Myth: Wukong's highlights, featuring a diverse array of adversaries for players to go up against to test their combat skills.
The preview showcased three major story bosses, each of which is inspired by ancient creatures from Chinese mythology. The bosses also seem to be quite challenging, possessing multiple fast-hitting combos and unique magical abilities, requiring players to make creative use of their combat tools in order to stand a chance at victory.
Currently, Black Myth: Wukong does not have a confirmed release date. However, developer Game Science plans to officially release the game in the Summer of 2024.
