'Black Myth: Wukong' Previews Stir Debate Amid Review Policy Concerns

After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong is finally here, and initial reactions are mixed. Let's delve into the details and explore the critical response.

Black Myth: Wukong Launches – PC Only (For Now)

The game, heavily anticipated since its debut trailer, has largely garnered positive reviews. It currently boasts an 82 Metascore on Metacritic, based on 54 critic reviews.

Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing precise and engaging combat, particularly during its well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its richly detailed world also receive high marks. The game's adaptation of the Journey to the West mythology is lauded, with GamesRadar+ describing it as "a fun action RPG that feels like a modern God of War game, reimagined through the lens of Chinese mythology."

However, PCGamesN, while considering it a potential Game of the Year contender, notes some potential drawbacks. These include uneven level design, abrupt difficulty spikes, and occasional technical glitches – issues echoed in other reviews. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, is also criticized for being fragmented, requiring players to piece together the story through item descriptions.

Importantly, all early review copies were for PC; console versions were not provided. This means there's a lack of PS5 performance reviews, creating some uncertainty.

Review Guidelines Spark Controversy

(Image from SteamDB)

The weekend saw reports of controversial guidelines issued by one of Black Myth: Wukong's co-publishers to streamers and reviewers. These guidelines allegedly included a list of prohibited topics, such as "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse."

This has sparked significant debate. One Twitter (X) user commented, "It is WILD to me that this actually made it out the door. These guidelines had to have gone past multiple people/departments. Also, creators casually signing this and not speaking up is just as wild, unfortunately just less surprising.." Other users expressed differing opinions.

Despite this controversy, the game's anticipation remains high. Steam sales data shows it's currently the best-selling and most wishlisted game on the platform before its release. While the absence of console reviews is a concern for some, Black Myth: Wukong appears poised for a strong launch.