Like a sheep, I followed the herd and picked up Black Myth: Wukong, even though at first glance, it’s not really my type of game. I typically enjoy games with rich, deep stories that also offer adjustable difficulty settings (I often choose ‘hard,’ believe me).
Souls-like games, for the reasons mentioned above, usually aren’t my cup of tea. While I fully understand why it was so loved by many, Elden Ring was a bit of a flop for me. Despite Black Myth: Wukong seeming like one big boss fight fest with little focus on storytelling, it still managed to capture my interest. The main reason? There’s no penalty for dying (I’m too old for that kind of stress).
On top of that, the graphics are absolutely stunning, which I’m a bit of a sucker for. I’ll provide a more detailed review later, where I’ll undoubtedly dive deeper into this. But one thing’s for sure—the game offers a ton of visual spectacle. The animations, environments, and backgrounds are breathtaking. However, this last aspect somewhat hinders the already hugely successful game.
The levels are gorgeous, but as a player, you frequently find yourself walking or jumping into invisible walls. Other games define their worlds or hubs with walls, trees, or mountains. In The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, for instance, Geralt turns back when you reach the map’s boundaries and the game warns you that “only devils lie beyond.” God of War restricts movement by simply not letting Kratos jump. But Black Myth: Wukong… it stops you with an invisible wall.
The rest of the game is so fantastically designed that this choice stands out even more. Developer Game Science could have opted to build more height into the levels, which would block both your view and your path. Instead, they chose to create stunning vistas and wide fields of view. As a result, I often found myself looking into the distance thinking, “Why can’t I jump there? Why can’t I descend into this shallow valley?”
Every time I unexpectedly hit one of those invisible walls, it broke the immersion. It reminded me that I was in a game, and that I’m not actually “The Destined One” (despite telling myself that every morning in the mirror).
But hey, I’ve run into worse blockades than those invisible barriers. At least those barriers don’t hit back. Real obstructions like that damned Whiteclad Noble, Tiger Vanguard, and Yellow Windsage blocked my path for much longer, and were a lot more frustrating. Here’s hoping I “get gud” to keep overcoming these obstacles. But I doubt I’ll be able to go past those darn walls.
