The following contains spoilers forBlack Myth: Wukong.
While it first appeared as though Game Science’sBlack Myth: Wukongwould put players in direct control of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King from the 16th-century Chinese novelJourney to the West, the action RPG is set some time after the events of the novel. Ultimately, this means thatBlack Myth: Wukongis separated enough fromJourney to the Westthat it can attempt to establish its own identity as an original story, as opposed to being a direct adaption of the novel. As a result, rather than playing throughBlack Myth: Wukongas Sun Wukong himself, players experience a reimagining of the world brought to life byJourney to the Westthrough the eyes of a humble monkey simply referred to as the “Destined One” — an almost identical physical copy of Sun Wukong.
In many ways,Black Myth: Wukongcould be considered a sequel toJourney to the West, as it makes regular past-tense references to the original story throughout its own roughly 30-hour narrative. However,Journey to the Westis more the bones ofBlack Myth: Wukongthan the muscles, with the novel essentially only serving as the foundation for the moving story and enchanting world Game Science has crafted here. It certainly doesn’t shy away from including some of the most notable characters fromJourney to the West —though many of them have been reconceptualized for the game — and its heavy reliance on Eastern mythology helps to fill in any gaps left in the wake of its semi-adaptive format.
Some of Black Myth: Wukong’s Major Characters and Locations Are Pulled Directly From Journey to the West
While the Destined One is an original character created specifically forBlack Myth: Wukong, many of the game’s other major characters are almost explicit copies of those fromJourney 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 ofBlack Myth: Wukong’s first chapter, for instance, is the Black Wind King, who is based on the Black Wind Demon fromJourney 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 confirmBlack Myth: Wukong’s place inJourney to the West’stimelinewhen he mentions it has been 500 years since his last encounter with Sun Wukong.
One ofBlack Myth: Wukong’s most complex and developed characters isBajie, a major character inJourney to the Westwho now fills the role of partner, mentor, and guide to the Destined One throughout most of the game’s story. In the novel, Bajie is characterized by his laziness to some degree, but his respectful and soft-hearted side is often revealed in his love for Sun Wukong, whom he affectionately refers to as “brother.” His relationship is best defined as warm, and it’s easy for readers to endear themselves to him as a result. InBlack Myth: Wukong, on the other hand, Bajie’s most prominent characteristics are his arrogance and recklessness. However, his unbridled commitment to the game’s protagonist often exposes the same tenderness of the character he is based on, as he can’t help but see his old friend when he looks at the Destined One. The unifying element among these takes on Bajie is how likeabe he truly is.
The game also features many of the same locations fromJourney to the West, though they have been meticulously crafted from the ground up to provide plenty of room for exploration andBlack Myth: Wukong’s countless bosses.Journey to the Westlocations like Black Wind Mountain, Yellow Wind Ridge, the Flaming Mountains, and Mount Huaguo are all explorable locations inBlack Myth: Wukong. However, they have been designed to reflect time-driven change and their current role in a brand-new story centuries ahead of the novel. This helpsBlack Myth: Wukongto set itself apart fromJourney to the Westas a standalone experience.
Black Myth: Wukong Includes Original Characters and Evolved Locations to Define Itself
Black Myth: Wukongmay dig its roots intoJourney to the West, but the significant time gap between the two stories doesn’t require the game to remain true to every single element of its source material. This ultimately grants some leeway for Game Science to include characters not found inJourney to the West, while still honoring its nature as an Eastern mythology-inspired story.Black Myth: Wukongtherefore introduces new characters — primarily enemies — not originally found inJourney to the Westthat are largely inspired by Eastern mythology, in addition to new and revised locations from the novel to reflect the passage of time.
Journey to the Westis a pantheon of celestial beings, deities, and mythological creatures known as Yaoguai, andBlack Myth: Wukongis perhaps even more so with its inclusion of Yaoguai not found in the novel. The Destined One encounters dozens of “lesser” Yaoguai inBlack Myth: Wukongthat we haven’t see inJourney to the West, including the Croaky, the Crow Diviner, the Tenner, and the Pitstone, Poisestone, and Palestone.Some ofBlack Myth: Wukong’s bosseswe also have not seen inJourney to the West, though almost every major boss is.
Black Myth: Wukongintroduces new characters — primarily enemies — not originally found inJourney to the Westthat are largely inspired by Eastern mythology, in addition to new and revised locations from the novel to reflect the passage of time.
As far as locations go, most of those that players can travel to inBlack Myth: Wukongare mentioned inJourney 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 thatBlack Myth: Wukongsets itself apartfromJourney to the Westto give players an experience they wouldn’t even be able to get from the 16th-century novel the game is based on.
Black Myth: Wukongcertainly relies on the story, characters, and locations ofJourney to the Westto establish context for the Destined One’s journey. At the same time, this is a story that takes some time after the events ofJourney to the West, so Game Science has ensured that it feels like a brand-new story by including new creatures based on Eastern mythology and new locations never mentioned in the book. Getting to explore these locations, undertake quests, and otherwise appreciate the beauty ofBlack Myth: Wukongwill go a long way - beyond its boss fights. After all,Black Myth: Wukongis not a boss rush - it’s a journey through a Chinese mythology andJourney to the West-inspired world. Its emphasis on original elements, engaging worldbuilding, and beautiful vistas ensures that even those unfamiliar withJourney to the Westshould be able to appreciateBlack Myth: Wukongas an original adventure.
