Not only does Black Myth: Wu-Kong look to be an impressive indie title full of mystery and wonder, it is also set to be the first in a larger trilogy of games. Developed by the relatively unknown Game Science Studio (the creative force behind smaller titles like Art of War: Ride Tides) and based on the classic and massively influential Chinese fable Journey To The West, Black Myth wowed audiences with when its visually stunning gameplay trailer arrived on the internet from out of nowhere late last month.
Viewers were immediately drawn to Black Myth’s beautiful character designs and action RPG combat drawn from the Dark Souls franchise, including some fluid use of a bo-staff and a fast-paced, dynamic boss fight against a seamlessly-transforming wolf demon. Since then, more details about the game and its setting have come forward from the small-yet-immensely-talented studio behind it – for instance, Black Myth will feature a sweeping, single-shot camera just like 2018’s critically-acclaimed God Of War reboot.
In a recent article by IGN, Game Science Studio revealed a number of enticing new tidbits surrounding Black Myth: Wu-Kong’s story and development cycle. One especially noteworthy bullet point states that the game will serve as the first installment of a planned trilogy of action titles, all based on different Chinese novels and folktales. It is Game Science Studios’ hope that this series will branch out into a larger expanded universe, not unlike the highly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe film franchise.
Several other facts about Black Myth were unveiled as well, such as the already having been in development for about two years, with the developers' goal of releasing it no later than three years from now. The finished product will hopefully be up to 15 hours long, with players facing off against a total of 100 different enemy types. Furthermore, players can choose how they play the game; Wu-Kong can utilize many different attacks, transformations, and playstyles in his quest to help a traveling monk deliver a sacred scroll in a darker retelling of the classic Journey To The West tale.
All of this sounds very intriguing, and if Black Myth: Wu-Kong is as successful as the initial reactions to its gameplay trailer suggest, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine it serving as the launching point of a brand-new gaming franchise. The story of Journey To The West is a sprawling epic, and the larger Chinese mythology it is a part of is filled with legends that players in the West might still be largely unfamiliar with. Of course, these players will get their first taste of this potential new universe when Black Myth: Wu-Kong finally releases at some point in the not-too-distant future.
Source: IGN