Black Myth: Wukong’s Combat Feels As Good as It Looks | gamescom 2023
26.08.2023 - 10:25
/ ign.com
When it was revealed to the world back in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong set the soulslike community on fire. And with each new gameplay video, that fire burned hotter and brighter. Among a growing crowd of FromSoftware imitators, Black Myth: Wukong stood out thanks to what appeared to be lightning-fast, responsive combat that doesn’t fall into the staple sword-and-board rhythms the genre found its feet with. But that impression has always been based on what we’ve watched. Now, after actually playing 30 minutes of Black Myth at gamescom 2023, I’m thrilled to report that seeing really can be believing. It genuinely does feel as good as it looks.
First, let’s address where Black Myth: Wukong sits along the action RPG spectrum. While it definitely falls under the soulslike umbrella thanks to its punishing centre-piece boss fights and bonfire-like checkpointing, Black Myth isn’t directly comparable to any FromSoft game. It sits somewhere between Sekiro and Bloodborne; it has the relentless speed of the former and emphasises evasive dodging much like the latter. But while the combat encounters pull on some of the same strings as the genre’s established titans, the actual act of fighting feels like its own slick beast.
Much of that comes down to the aforementioned evasions. Your staff-swinging monkey protagonist, based on Sun Wukong of China’s classic Journey to the West story, cannot block incoming attacks. Instead, dodges and leaps are your primary method of avoiding damage. This creates an incredibly kinetic foundation for the combat system, one in which you are constantly running circles around foes. While the lack of a traditional block means there’s not the satisfaction of a perfect parry, the feeling of dashing just before an enemy lands a blow is just as sweet.
The best thing about this speed-focused foundation is that it never feels as if it’s slipping away from you. Black Myth’s controls are incredibly responsive, and that flows from the movement to its stance-based attacks. Switching stances allows you to fluidly mix different strike patterns, from spear-like lunges to a twirling assault reminiscent of Jedi: Survivor’s double-bladed lightsaber. Light attacks build into spectacular heavies that have you pole vault upwards, or even spin on the end of your staff and strike enemies with each rotation. It’s in these moments that Black Myth’s Chinese mythology and martial arts roots really come alive, and each acrobatic feat feels all of your making.
The gamescom demo was split into four segments - three standalone boss battles, plus a longer section with regular enemies and exploration pulled from a dusty, rocky area known as Fright Cliff. Details on those bosses – Centipede Guai, Macaque Chief, and Tiger