Black Myth: Wukong Reviews Emerge Amid Guidelines Debate

After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, reviews for Black Myth: Wukong are finally here! Let's delve into the critical reception and a recent controversy surrounding review guidelines.

Black Myth: Wukong is Almost Upon Us (PC Only, for Now)

Since its debut trailer in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong has generated considerable buzz. Initial critical response is largely positive, with an 82 Metascore on Metacritic based on 54 reviews.

Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing its precise and engaging combat system and well-crafted boss fights. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its beautiful world are also frequently highlighted.

The game's interpretation of Chinese mythology, drawing heavily from Journey to the West, receives significant praise. GamesRadar+, for example, describes it as "a fun action RPG that feels like the modern God of War games viewed through the lens of Chinese mythology."

However, PCGamesN, while considering it a potential Game of the Year contender, points out potential drawbacks shared by other reviews: subpar level design, difficulty spikes, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, requiring players to piece together the story through item descriptions, is also noted as a potential issue.

Importantly, all early access review copies were for PC; console versions were not provided. This means there are currently no confirmed reviews assessing its performance on PS5.

Controversial Review Guidelines Surface

(Image from SteamDB) Over the weekend, reports emerged that a co-publisher of Black Myth: Wukong distributed a document to streamers and reviewers outlining guidelines, including a list of "Do's and Don'ts." These guidelines reportedly restricted discussion of "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse."

This has sparked considerable debate within the gaming community. While some express concern, others have voiced no objections. One Twitter (X) user commented, "It is WILD to me that this actually made it out the door... creators casually signing this and not speaking up is just as wild, unfortunately just less surprising."

Despite this controversy, anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong remains high. Steam sales data show it as the best-selling and most wishlisted game on the platform prior to release. While the lack of console reviews presents a caveat, the game appears poised for a significant launch.