More than any other secret plan released in 2024,Black Myth : Wukongtook the domain by storm . The activeness - adventure title from Game Science , a Taiwanese developer , annihilated Steam records in August , peaking at over 2.4 million concurrent player . It comfortably ride in second place among its contemporaries , according toSteamDB . Most late , Game Science get hold of another milepost by winning Best Action Game and the Player ’s Voice voting atThe Game Awards .
WhileBlack Myth : Wukongis an version of the classic Taiwanese novelJourney to the West , it has an alone different tale hook shot : a lengthiness of the fib itself , set C after the adventures of Tang Sangzang , Sun Wukong , Zhu Bajie , and Sha Wujing . In it , you play as the Destined One , tasked with receive the six token left behind by the Monkey King , Sun Wukong , in an endeavour to renovate him .
The premise seems unsubdivided enough and yet , about 60 hours later , Black Myth : Wukongremains one of the most memorable game I ’ve played this year . That ’s partly because of its high production values , as well as its wealth of bosses and secrets . But part of my appreciation is for the cultural moment it ’s sparked . I ’m a Filipino who lives in the Philippines , and I ca n’t help but feel hopeful about a new era of games from underrepresented Asian country .
Wukong’s cultural impact
For ten , gamers from my part of the domain unremarkably had a blue-ribbon few options when it total to AA or AAA premium / paid titles : Japan and the West . That ’s it . Our people are surrounded by free - to - play offerings and gacha game or , because of the lack of right financial backing for local studios , indie titles with a smaller scope . Black Myth : Wukongis , basically , a rarity in this industry — a nigh - unstoppable juggernaut with high output value , carrying with it the hopes of so many Asian gamers and developer . The fact that it ’s about the most popular folktale or narrative sleep with throughout this region was frost on the cake .
What first draw me toBlack Myth : Wukongwas its level pattern and account . The designs of some in - game fix are actually derived from real - world counterpart , most notably those in the province of Shanxi in northern China . That fact alone helped put China on the map — literally . The South China Morning Postreports that the province saw a huge spike in tourism afterBlack Myth : Wukong ’s release , with gamers eager to see what inspired the studio ’s world .
That ethnical theatrical performance was n’t just inBlack Myth ’s world but its story too . It ’s an adaptation ofJourney to the Westthat both retell and continue a cultural touchstone story in China . Those who ’ve take the novel before might find these nods and references as Brobdingnagian treats . In my case , given that I last readJourney to the Westin high school , some former - game book of facts flew over my head . gratefully , I recognized many other characters , and there was also a handy diary with background lore to keep me inform .
look at thatBlack Myth : Wukongisan unofficial sequeltoJourney to the West , fan can also appreciate how certain characters have evolve over metre . For instance , Zhu Bajie , the gruff and rude hog humanoid also known as Pigsy , has been cursed to tolerate a thousand lifetimes of romantic calamity . This is even shown at the close Chapter 4 , where Zhu Bajie regretfully walks by from his former flame , the Violet Spider , as well as their girl , after being admonished . It was his way to have their daughter live her own life , as he will never be detached of his own curse .
Black Myth : Wukong ’s world is filled to the brim with hirer fight and mystery . The in - game tally shows 81 boss and elect foes , a preposterously high number that would make “ political boss rush ” comparing apposite . That older idea is made more piquant thanks to the ethnical ties . The number 81 stand for the 81 visitation or trials that must be undertaken to reach the end of the journey and come upon Buddhahood . The multitude of enemy that you present are , in many ways , reflective of your character ’s attack to achieve enlightenment .
The Buddhist tenet of enlightenment , the estimation of breaking free from a cycle , can be seen in the biz ’s substitute ending , which can only be obtained once you ’ve cleared all hush-hush area in every chapter . This is followed by defeating Erlang Shen and the Four Heavenly Kings in a surprisingly terrific “ kaiju ” battle where everyone transforms into massive organism . Many of these discovery helped enrich my experience ( I do n’t mean to beep my own cornet , but I ’d like to think that I was the first person in the man to discover the true ending — or at least I was thefirst to twirp about it ) . There was this unchecked sentiency of an adventure coming to life history the more I explore , reminiscent of the graphic symbol ’ own odyssey in the novel .
Every one of those lastingness ties back to what I have it away most aboutBlack Myth : its wide cultural impact . Specifically , it ’s the elbow room a civilisation of billions of Asians was showcased globally in a television secret plan with high product values . It ’s the way the story , a tower of Taiwanese and East Asiatic literature , was adapted with a punctilious stage of tutelage and expert trade , and how tradition and theme , influential in my country and corner of the domain , took center stage .
It ’s the knowledge that , for the longest time , Japan has been the only commonwealth in Asia that has represented our region when it comes to developing AAA games , while South Korea ’s and China ’s own burgeon game industries still rely onfree - to - play , gacha - fill offerings . It ’s the noesis that many studios in Southeast Asia struggle with financing and , with few choice , are more likely to release smaller indie title .
Your story , caption , and custom all deserve to be told .
I ’m not Chinese . I ’m Filipino . And yet , Black Myth : Wukong ’s success resonate with me because it ’s a game that exceed and occult all prospect . It ’s about a specific story from a specific culture from a specific part of the earthly concern , and yet it has resonated with players globally . It symbolise a futurity where studios from other Asian land continue to produce , creating uniquely plenteous concepts , gaining more financial financial backing , spreading their wings , and taking hazard beyond the gacha music genre .
It ’s an idea that I hope would also root on developers from Malaysia , Thailand , India , Vietnam , Indonesia , and other Asian land : That your tales , legends , and custom all deserve to be say . That your multitude ’s stories should be prize by a wider play hearing .
This game where you play as a scalawag with an elongating stick , funnily enough , represents hope . Hope that , one day , my own people ’s chronicle , distinct and quintessentially Philippine news report , will be seen in a monumental game that folks around the world can enjoy . Lord knows everyone would love aSoulslike action mechanism - RPGwhere Jose Rizal and Mariang Makiling team up , while riding the Ibong Adarna as a flying saddle horse that bend enemies to Lucy Stone .
A Filipino can daydream .
