Hi everyone thank you for all the support and feedback, I just wanted to correct some of my mistakes pointed out to me in the comments (If I made anymore please let me know and I will add it to the list) - Wukong's first master "Puti Zushi" should be referred to as Master Puti not Master Zushi as Zushi means master in mandarin. - Nezha is the son of General Li Jing not the Jade Emperor. - You do not lose any experience upon dying.
I doubt it will, but Black Myth Wukong is without a doubt the Game of the Century for China, and that matters more than a superficial pretentious GOTY award imo
We don't listen to the likes of IGN except to make fun of them already. I treat game awards the same way. If they once again let their politics take center stage, then very soon we will see awards that we gamers watch, and see the "prestigious" game awards fall to the wayside.
This is the best review I have seen so far, fair and detailed. Sadly, every time I finish a game like this, I feel empty and lose interest in other games for a long time.
bro im chinese and u r right，most of our players dont think it is gonna win GOTY，but that doesnt matter at all cuz we dont give a damn bout what western media say
It goes to show how much control the Americans have over mainstream media and mass opinion on world matters. Fortunately I'm seeing the newer generations are starting to realise this and are resisting.
Its still insane to me how you only have 3 k subscribers, your videos are so good man! Keep up the good work, I am always happy when you release a new video!
By far the best review and introduction of this game. Great job! One of the highlighted parts is the background intro of "Journey to the West". Most of other reviewers just missed that section.
Wow, easily the best English review of the game! As a Chinese JTTW fan I'd like to offer my 2 cents. This game also exceeds my expectations in every category. But for me the best part is the story. Although it can be taken at quite superficial level and still be fun, when you go deeper, it inevitably touches politics. As you put, the story is very "though provoking". The deeper you get, the more contradictions you will find in the words vs deeds. Not just the ending animations, even the ending picture is interactive and when you pan and zoom around it there are quite a few micro stories with audio. And the art is insane. All of these, including the 6 animations, seemingly unrelated with each other, are actually carefully picked to fabricate the whole picture. One warning about the story is that in Chinese it's called 二创, meaning secondary creation. The creators actually borrowed quite a bit from related creations in the Chinese community. These are not from the original novel, therefore there's some controversy on whether the story is faithful to the original. For me, it is. The JTTW novel, like this game, can be taken by face value and still fun. But when you start to understand there were serious taboos when the book was written you will probably understand the stories in the book were not the one author wanted to tell. For me the game started on the journey to finish what the author was not able to finish, and did it in such a graceful way. It is a total miracle.
Thanks for the insight, I didn't know there was controversy surrounding the story. From an outside perspective, I think the developers did a good job paying respect to the journey to the west novel while also expanding on the story in their own unique way.
@@sovereignofdusk the most obvious sign is the true ending plays JTTW story backwards. And there are lots of tiny details in the animation, though just flashing pass in less than a second, tells you the setting of the universe of the story. For example when Wukong destroyed the ginseng fruit tree, the fruits fell into soil. In the original they just disappeared. But in the animation they grew into trees in the world on the other side. In chapter 4 if you get to secret location purple cloud mountain you not only discover an awful after story of what happened to dawn star and his mother, but also how the Taoists are being tricked and exploited the most cruel and inhumane way. Also at the boss arena where you fight duskveil you find threads dangling down from heaven. Taoists think they are the rope ladders but they are really root that taps into mortal world and suck the essence of the miserables to sustain "immortality" in heaven. This is also why in opening scene Wukong said "all realms are ruining themselves for this word". Think about it. Wukong did not kill himself to gain personal freedom. What he's after is destroying this "rule based order".
@姜磊-n5h That's very interesting I didn't actually pick up on those details. The lore of the game is more dark and morbid than I thought. Can't wait to see where they go with the story in the future.
@@sovereignofdusk yeah there's a reason it's "black" myth. You were warned. Hope I'm not ruining it for you that name of chapter 6, 未竟, is likely paying respect to Mao by quoting his poem. I don't think the creators mean to brainwash players by slipping in ideology. Neither are them putting those in for ESG or social credit. They don't have to. It's just natural when it comes to relatively non-shallow production of JTTW. There are plenty tiny things probably only picked up by Chinese audience. And it's not because of the translation. The English is faithful and excellent. Just you always lose details in non-native languages. For Chinese JTTW fans this is a god given gift and it's great so many people can enjoy it :)
This is a very in-depth review, and I'd give you a 10/10 rating hah! You certainly did a much more professional job than a lot of other so-called professional game reviewers for this game.
they are also the same people who complain there isn't a map.... personally I love that there's no map because it is much more immersive and lets you really pay attention to where you are and where you're going and where you've been. The fact that it's got one main path makes navigating much easier than if it was truly "open world."
The exploration is very linear compared to the standards for games today the areas are small and unintuitive in chapter 6 when I went and got the cloud I was greeted with a huge area that I assumed would be full of secrets. It was not.
After watching this vid, I find I am in agreement with most of what you said. By no means is it a perfect game, but what the gane does well more than makes up for it. Game is a clear love letter to JTTW, and not just the book. Has a clear homage to other versions of JTTW, particularly the 1986 drama series. Having played Elden Ring, particularly its DLC, I was all for a more linear game, so I do appreciate the simpler approach to the maps with Black Myth Wukong, though those who said it was linear are lying. :p I do find the invisible walls to be more annoying on a first playthrough, where everything is new. They're quite distracting while out and about exploring the chapters. On a second playthrough, they're more a slight nuisance. Having also become more familiar with the chapters, I totally understand why GS didn't include a map in the game. It's actually quite simple to get from point A to point B. You are one of the few people who touched on the healing in this game, and I have to agree the mixing of gourds, drinks, and soaks adds alot to the game, particularly when you're going for builds. Even spirits and transformations have passive abilities just by equipping them, so there is plenty of build ideas especially in a first playthrough. And, yeah, I wish more games allow you to respec right in the beginning for free, as opposed to finding an area or unlocking something later in the game. And in a game like this, you really want to take advantage of the respec. Combat is easy to get into, but especially against bosses, I don't find it to be boring. On my second playthrough, and have yet to grow tired of it, particularly now that I have started to experiment more with other spells and stances. I hear that especially beyond NG+3, the bosses can absolutely one or two shot you, so I am going to savour blowing by bosses on NG+2. :p And I don't know about the best music ever, but Celestial Symphony and Where is the Road remade for the game have me goosebumps. GS did just to the 1986 OP and ED.
The only flaw is that the game isn't what gamescience truly envisioned it to be. They had originally planned 13 chapters but due to budget constrains they had to cut it down to 6. This probably explain why the story is a little hard for players who are new to JTTW to follow. They are now successful and are planning to release DLCs in early 2025. I believe they will have much to add, not just the story but also many combat mechanics which we've seen in the earlier trailers but not yet in the actual game. I also hope the DLC is not just an "add on" but is an upgrade to the game, like having a whole new chapter in between the current chapters. I don't mind playing the game again from scratch if it makes the story better overall.
Wow that's really interesting, I wonder what they could have created without the budget constraints. I'm sure they will deliver something special with the dlc, game science seems like very competent developers.
Actually I feel like 6 chapters with my 48 hours of playtime (without ng+) is juz the right amount, and speaking of dlcs I wonder how will GS handle the ng+ with dlcs.
Imo the story is easy enough to get if you actually just read the journal section. Bit if you're not following the journal entries you'll struggle understanding the story.
I agree with every of your point and it's actually rare for me with game reviews ! This game exceeded my expectations by far and it was quite high in the first place ❤
It should be noted that Wukong's first master, the Bodhi Patriarch, or Puti Zushi is probably the only really father figure Wukong ever had. He was genuinely distraught when he was sent away. When he returned to find his old master while he was on the journey, he couldn't find him and realising he would never see him again, Wukong broke down and cried.
I didn't personally beat the game 4 times, but I heard from people that did that you unlock Wukong's stance. Maybe in the future I will get it myself 😂.
@@sovereignofdusk just a heads up if you do you should get the mod that improves the wukong stance though. Unfortunately it’s disappointing that the wukong stance lasts only a minute and all the original stance buffs are not available in the stance. But mods can make it a permanent thing which is cool.
your voice tone are so calm but how you keep spilling more and more argument to counter those weak argument reviewer are so savage. cant wait their next game / dlc !
Given all the unjust controversy surrounding game science from mainstream news outlets, the chances are not great but let's just hope Geoff Keighley gives them a chance.
Wudong and his staff is basically like a Jedi and their Lightsaber. The way the dev overcome the issue of Wukong only having his iconic staff available to him is pure genius - Give it different properties as you would do if you are offering different weapons (like Zelda for example). The stance system essentially "changes" the weapon in your hand into broadsword, spear, whip or hammer etc. At the same time, it also allow the game to stay true to the original story and portray a staff that is capable of changing forms without overwhelm player control. By separating the moves into groups, you don't have to deal with complication command sets. You just switch into a tree of moves then express yourself on different enemy types. It's a very smart way to solve several problems. Another amazing thing about the combat system is that the change in the weapon properties are mostly spatial. So while other games would have different weapons that would have invisible properties like cutting, brunt force, damages that might be affect different enemies, the different stances changing the way you interact with the enemy's movement patterns. All this are visual and allows for some stylish combos to be developed and the freedom to essentially switch between "weapons" on the same boss to counter their different moves. It's all so satisfying.
Very interesting points you bring up. I agree the stances were a great decision by the developers, it allows for diverse movesets while still adhering to the lore of Sun Wukong.
Wow such a great review! Full of passion and respect to the lore, it takes a really cultured and patient person to appreciate and fully enjoy the world that Journey to the West created.
Wow! Generally speaking I don’t play video games, yet this one looks extremely appealing given the lore and attention to detail and culture. Great job with this video presentation 💯 Outstanding!
Wow, after finishing your fear and hunger video, i knew you were very talented at making videos but this one hit me on another level. We went from deep and terrifying introspection, to insanely liberating and joyous hype. Can’t thank you enough for making these
By far the best review on YT I have watched of BMW, your game review script, edit and lores contents are wonderful and full of joy to watch. The channel is definitely underestimated, subscribed
Just completed the game with all the endings.. it is an absolutely amazing journey... beautiful game and combat..PS5 doesn't do justice with the graphics but I still enjoyed it a lot... I don't know if anyone would reach the bar set by game science...this is the monster and GOTY for me 3:35 to 3:50 my thoughts exactly
I never understood the no map complaints. Only gripe I have is how easy it is to miss the hidden bosses without even knowing it unless you watch videos on it, thus missing the best boss fight ever. My first playthrough I thought I explored every corner and didn't know I got the bad ending. Only learning I missed so much from youtube videos about it.
Everyone when the game released the first gameplay trailer thought this game will be a fake AAA and gameplay can't be what shown in the trailer. Even me also. And we were so wrong.
What a damn great review! Honest, thoughtful, and historical!! I had to definitely turn down to performance mode for some bosses because of the timing and frames going crazy, but would go back to Quality when exploring and immersing myself in the maps! They’re visually huge and beautiful!
They say the combat is simplistic... This has one the most complex combat in any game comparable to DMC 5.. which is a big deal as DMC 5 has to this the most complex and diverse combat system in any game
I’m sorry, but you are retarded If you think black myth Wukong has more complex combat than devil may cry five I’ve beat the game on every difficulty and I’ve got wukongs true ending they aren’t even close you need to have a look at what players can do with dmc 5
I’ve played this game now in both languages. While I prefer the Chinese dub, I’ll say that I think the English cast did a phenomenal job! It seems they sacrificed trying to match what the characters’ mouths say in favor of delivering the dialogue in the best performance possible. Never understood people criticizing the mouths not matching, it isn’t an anime or cartoon, it’s practically impossible trying to match what realistic mouths are saying. I also think they went for British accents because it sounds far more interesting than an American one. Probably the same reason they went for English actors for the HBO series “Chernobyl” than their native language.
@gianmarchesini6149 I do think the English voices sounded decent, the problem for me was that they did really fit the characters. But then again, it is just personal preference.
good video, i agree with everything other than the voice acting, i was able to become more immersed hearing the game and not having to read everything.
I really like how they were respectful of the cultural aspect. This is rare these days. In the MCU for example they just destroyed Asgard, like it was no big deal. Ridiculously disrespectful! In my humble opinion, if people are going to ever get along, it begins by respecting other cultures. Just my opinion. … and yes I’m aware of Ragnarok, for any critics out there. It still seems to me like they went too far, in my humble opinion.
The marvel rendition of the aesir gods have always been fast and loose with little care for authenticity. GOW is way more respectful to the property than Marvel is.
I’ve been knowing about this game before the announcement. I been waiting on this game since I was in high school my junior year six or seven years ago only reason why I was so set on getting a ps5
definitely a review with just, bring every detail to the table. This is the exact kind of fantastic game review I as a gamer see in that video game magazine back in late 90s.
Agree on the map. I'm shocked people complain about it given the game is quite linear. The game is super easy to navigate with some occasional "getting lost" moments in chapter 3&4 which mixes in a sense of exploration. And then they tried open-world in chapter 6 and it's utter dogshit. IMO, very few games need to be open world besides Rockstar and CDPR games. Even Elden Ring imo would be a much better game if it's more focused like Dark Soul and Sekiro.
@@abhayprabhu8951 Also chapter 6 environment is just boring by BMW standard. Kinda just generic nature without architecture & sculpture (which is a big deal in BMW environment).
@carterhu6550 I agree very few developers are able to make a compelling open world, I find semi-open world games to be much better in terms of their level design. And yeah the chapter 6 map was not great, but it was definitely fun flying around on the somersault cloud.
@@carterhu6550 true. But I think that’s one place the game does require an additional environmental design. Something like Tsushima where maybe small gusts might guide to completely missable sides areas. (I missed the boulder area secret sideway).
@@carterhu6550 Some say chapter 6 map is designed years ago, one of their early map design expeirments. And they don't have enough time to polish chapter 5 and 6, which is why chapter 5 has many re-skins and chapter 6 is empty.
Hi Bro, thanks for such a indeepth review of the game, I really enjoyed watching your review. A small suggestion on your voice recording, I personally found your voice is a bit flat. The video could be more captivating if you could throw more emotion into your reading. I hope you get many subscribers soon. :)
I am currently in my NG+ with over 100 hours in the game and level 195. As a big Souls fan, it's easily the best game I've played in a loooong while. It's beautiful, the combat is addicting, the music is excellent (major kudos for adapting 1986's Celestial Symphony and putting it in the game), and as a huge Journey to the West fan (it's one of my favorite books), I'm moved by how respectful towards the source material the devs are. I teared up at the end (true ending), knowing what it meant. It won't win GOTY (not because it doesn't deserve it, but because the Game Awards are a fucking joke; just look at the word vomit The Gamer published just yesterday), but the least it deserves is a nomination. I am content knowing that my favorite game of the year - and one of my favorites ever - has been nothing short of an incredible experience and a monumental success. Hopefully, this will pave the way for more games like this, get people interested in Journey to the West and Chinese mythos in general, and perhaps allow for other inspired, talented Chinese developers to dabble in AAA games. I cannot wait for the DLCs, and for what Game Science will do next. They have proven themselves to be very dedicated, and capable enough to deliver something amazing.
I almost didn't buy it because watching others play it seemed like the combat was too spammy. I feared I'd get bored quick. Im glad I did. Its a change of pace from what im use to, but man what an amazing game. Combat is so much fun.
This game is not only GOTY, it is the game that will change the gaming industry worldwide as there are very little Chinese lore and culture content games in the market till now. In additional, it opens up China AAA games industry as it has proven there are many talented Chinese game designers. Even the Chinese govt is supporting now as they are know to ban games to young Chinese gamers previously. China tourism got a boost along the way. In short BMW is not longer just GOTY but the founding father of modern Chinese game industry.
NG+ is like a reward that ppl can find revenge on bosses which killed them the most 😂 Same applies to NG++ and part of NG+++. For me real challenge came at the 2nd half of NG+++, and every boss fight felt like first playthrough if not more tough.
I love the review section of the video easily the best review I’ve seen yet but a lot the details in the journey to the west story recap section of the video were wrong idk what comic he was showing but it took a couple liberties when it came to the specifics of the story
Great video! I agree 100% with your review. Only 2 tiny FYIs: 1) Puti is his first master's name and Zushi is his title which can be translated as grandmaster; 2) Nezha is not related to the Jade emperor. he is the 3rd son of one of the emperor's generals, Li Jing. Thank you for taking time to do your research and telling his backstory so well.
@@sovereignofdusk no need for apologies :) your video is already very accurate and full of details many others do not mention. keep up the good work. looking forward to more videos in the future.
if Wu Kong GOTY , there will be parliament court for CEO Gamescience and US Congress would ask " Are you Affiliated with CCP " " Are Black Myth Wukong can spying us to CCP " 😂😂😂😂
This has probably sold me on the game. I've been waffling, because I really have not enjoyed the last $300 worth of games I've bought... I have to wonder if it's received the same frustrated reviews that souls games tend to. They're hard, and some ppl can't cope
Glad the review was helpful, if you're a fan of combat focuses games I'm sure you will enjoy this. I would say the game is a bit easier than a typical souls game.
I absolutely DESPISE reading subtitles, so I don't care if the voice acting is enough to bring a man to tears I'm playing the game IN ENGLISH!!!! And I'd be doing myself a disservice to play it in any other language.
I agree, its a good game, but I ended up Uninstaller towards the end of chapter 2. For me it was too hard. It became more frustrating than fun. But I still loved it and recommend it for younger people who still have their reflexes.
Understandable, The final boss of chapter 2 is the first real challenge in my opinion, if you ever want to give the game another try, I would recommend you farm some of the enemies for experience before fighting the boss.
I have been gaming for over 40 years, and this is by far the best review of a game I have ever seen/read... Thank you so much for this! Oh, and one more thing... As someone playing the PS5 version, it is nowhere near as bad as many in the media would like you to believe. There is a purposeful bias to shed a negative light on this Chinese developed game that didn't cater to Sweet Baby Inc.'s 7 Million dollar extortion demand due to their connections to certain Gaming media sites like IGN. If you pay up, you get rewarded with Good reviews, and if you don't... They will do/say all they can to hurt your game's success. So glad it backfired, and WuKong is bringing to light what these CONSULTING FIRMS like Sweet Baby Inc. have been illegally doing by trying to extort money for positive media while pushing their DEI "Woke" agenda crap into everything they can. Again... Thank you so much for this great video review, much respect! 👍
I k ow you mentioned that the game doesn't run well on console (something like that I probably misunderstood) I play it on console and was not bothered by it at all. Love this review and love this game so much. Personally it's already my game of the year.
The best review I've watched on RUclips. Just one tiny thing, Wukong master's name is PUTI, “Zhushi” means Grant master. So the correct way to call him is Grant master PUTI. It's like Yoda is the Grant master who is above all other Jedi masters in the starwar universe.
The cost of re-crafting a previously crafted weapon is really quite low when you reached the later stage of the game (when you might want to re-craft), the biggest downside is unable to upgrade the damage of a low tier weapon even though it may have characteristics that you like, such as specific bonus or damage type, but now only do much less damage compared to the latest one you got.
That's another good point, as for the cost I believe it was something like 45 000 will to craft the golden loong staff again which seemed like a lot for me at that point in the game.
Most are but some details are not accurate about the back story, maybe the comic made some creative liberties, it is good information to know the basics back story but just note the story of the comics around 60%-70% accuracy.
Wukong doesn't need the GOTY after breaking so many records and 95% good feedback from millions of players. The GOTY needs to be Wukong's to maintain its credibility.
Btw I played in English and loved the voice acting. It is excellent idk what people are talking about. I can't be constantly looking down and ready text.
Just a small correction. 24:08 Zushi in Chinese means grand master, so Puti Zushi means Grand Master Puti. Therefore, instead of calling him Master Zushi, it's better to call him Master Puti.
I've just finished the game on PS5, its awesome, the best game I've ever played.. Ghost of Tsushima is my most favourite game, but I'll put this above it..i started 2nd run again but I've decided to wait until the issues on PS5 are fixed.. i had to play complete game on performance mode, if i used balance mode then game would crash whenever I used pluck of many at its peak.. frame drops were frequent.. even in performance mode the game froze and crashed 4-5 in my entire play through. I didn't even dared to turn on fidelity mode.
I disagree about the hitboxes, they're way off in many instances. But the game is just so polished and fun that I'm willing to put up with it. Clocked 180+ hours now, just started NG+++, took the time to grind levels.
What i would say this is a great game its been a while i feel like just to go home n explore but personaly i know we not playing as a sunwukong but in a way we should feel play as a son wukong i thought it would be great we got the trash talk that sun wukong famous of instead a mute one still deserve a goty
Hi everyone thank you for all the support and feedback, I just wanted to correct some of my mistakes pointed out to me in the comments (If I made anymore please let me know and I will add it to the list)
- Wukong's first master "Puti Zushi" should be referred to as Master Puti not Master Zushi as Zushi means master in mandarin.
- Nezha is the son of General Li Jing not the Jade Emperor.
- You do not lose any experience upon dying.
If this game doesnt win GOTY at Game Awards because of politics I will never listen to any revievs from any big gaming content corporation any more
It probably won't, because... Politics. I will settle with a nomination.
Let's just hope they can put aside there agendas and differences with the developers and reward them for creating something truly special.
I doubt it will, but Black Myth Wukong is without a doubt the Game of the Century for China, and that matters more than a superficial pretentious GOTY award imo
get ready
Astro Bot will win
We don't listen to the likes of IGN except to make fun of them already. I treat game awards the same way. If they once again let their politics take center stage, then very soon we will see awards that we gamers watch, and see the "prestigious" game awards fall to the wayside.
This is the best review I have seen so far, fair and detailed. Sadly, every time I finish a game like this, I feel empty and lose interest in other games for a long time.
Thank you so much. I have that exact feeling right now.
NG+4 awaits
DLC is coming soon, and they have 2 x DLCs for this
True. I got the platinum and lost gaming interests. I am still deciding whether to play Astro Bot or not.
haven’t turned the game on in days since I beat it
It is more than a game. It is an entire work of art!
When even the Chinese are thinking this game wont be GOTY because of politics, you know how messed up the industry really has become
It's very sad to see.
bro im chinese and u r right，most of our players dont think it is gonna win GOTY，but that doesnt matter at all cuz we dont give a damn bout what western media say
😊not how messed up the game industry has become, it's how messed up politics become. Not voting Democrat will help.
It goes to show how much control the Americans have over mainstream media and mass opinion on world matters. Fortunately I'm seeing the newer generations are starting to realise this and are resisting.
Its still insane to me how you only have 3 k subscribers, your videos are so good man! Keep up the good work, I am always happy when you release a new video!
Thank you so much, that means a lot.
Literaybro, your vid production is beyond average. kudos fo that @@sovereignofdusk
Appreciate it man.
By far the best review and introduction of this game. Great job! One of the highlighted parts is the background intro of "Journey to the West". Most of other reviewers just missed that section.
I agree
Thank you very much, I thought it would be beneficial to give people I brief introduction into the story before playing the game.
Wow, easily the best English review of the game!
As a Chinese JTTW fan I'd like to offer my 2 cents. This game also exceeds my expectations in every category. But for me the best part is the story.
Although it can be taken at quite superficial level and still be fun, when you go deeper, it inevitably touches politics. As you put, the story is very "though provoking". The deeper you get, the more contradictions you will find in the words vs deeds. Not just the ending animations, even the ending picture is interactive and when you pan and zoom around it there are quite a few micro stories with audio. And the art is insane. All of these, including the 6 animations, seemingly unrelated with each other, are actually carefully picked to fabricate the whole picture.
One warning about the story is that in Chinese it's called 二创, meaning secondary creation. The creators actually borrowed quite a bit from related creations in the Chinese community. These are not from the original novel, therefore there's some controversy on whether the story is faithful to the original.
For me, it is. The JTTW novel, like this game, can be taken by face value and still fun. But when you start to understand there were serious taboos when the book was written you will probably understand the stories in the book were not the one author wanted to tell. For me the game started on the journey to finish what the author was not able to finish, and did it in such a graceful way. It is a total miracle.
Thanks for the insight, I didn't know there was controversy surrounding the story. From an outside perspective, I think the developers did a good job paying respect to the journey to the west novel while also expanding on the story in their own unique way.
@@sovereignofdusk the most obvious sign is the true ending plays JTTW story backwards. And there are lots of tiny details in the animation, though just flashing pass in less than a second, tells you the setting of the universe of the story. For example when Wukong destroyed the ginseng fruit tree, the fruits fell into soil. In the original they just disappeared. But in the animation they grew into trees in the world on the other side.
In chapter 4 if you get to secret location purple cloud mountain you not only discover an awful after story of what happened to dawn star and his mother, but also how the Taoists are being tricked and exploited the most cruel and inhumane way. Also at the boss arena where you fight duskveil you find threads dangling down from heaven. Taoists think they are the rope ladders but they are really root that taps into mortal world and suck the essence of the miserables to sustain "immortality" in heaven. This is also why in opening scene Wukong said "all realms are ruining themselves for this word".
Think about it. Wukong did not kill himself to gain personal freedom. What he's after is destroying this "rule based order".
@姜磊-n5h That's very interesting I didn't actually pick up on those details. The lore of the game is more dark and morbid than I thought. Can't wait to see where they go with the story in the future.
@@sovereignofdusk yeah there's a reason it's "black" myth. You were warned.
Hope I'm not ruining it for you that name of chapter 6, 未竟, is likely paying respect to Mao by quoting his poem. I don't think the creators mean to brainwash players by slipping in ideology. Neither are them putting those in for ESG or social credit. They don't have to. It's just natural when it comes to relatively non-shallow production of JTTW. There are plenty tiny things probably only picked up by Chinese audience. And it's not because of the translation. The English is faithful and excellent. Just you always lose details in non-native languages. For Chinese JTTW fans this is a god given gift and it's great so many people can enjoy it :)
You are definitely not ruining it for me, I actually find this all very fascinating, thanks for all the information, I appreciate it.
This is a very in-depth review, and I'd give you a 10/10 rating hah! You certainly did a much more professional job than a lot of other so-called professional game reviewers for this game.
@natn41r Thank you so much, that means a lot.
this was the first game i have 100% did it on ng+3! i feel i could play this game forever :D
It is very addicting for sure.
Yeah its easy af 😂
People saying wukong is linear is crazy, most of those guys definitely missed 50 % of the game then
Couldn't tell ya how many times I've walked right past turns that lead into entire other areas.
I find it hard to believe they ended the game and beat the boss this way 😂
they are also the same people who complain there isn't a map.... personally I love that there's no map because it is much more immersive and lets you really pay attention to where you are and where you're going and where you've been. The fact that it's got one main path makes navigating much easier than if it was truly "open world."
The exploration is very linear compared to the standards for games today the areas are small and unintuitive in chapter 6 when I went and got the cloud I was greeted with a huge area that I assumed would be full of secrets. It was not.
the greatest bmw review in youtube!
Oh my gosh, thank you so much man, I really appreciate it!!
After watching this vid, I find I am in agreement with most of what you said. By no means is it a perfect game, but what the gane does well more than makes up for it. Game is a clear love letter to JTTW, and not just the book. Has a clear homage to other versions of JTTW, particularly the 1986 drama series.
Having played Elden Ring, particularly its DLC, I was all for a more linear game, so I do appreciate the simpler approach to the maps with Black Myth Wukong, though those who said it was linear are lying. :p I do find the invisible walls to be more annoying on a first playthrough, where everything is new. They're quite distracting while out and about exploring the chapters. On a second playthrough, they're more a slight nuisance. Having also become more familiar with the chapters, I totally understand why GS didn't include a map in the game. It's actually quite simple to get from point A to point B.
You are one of the few people who touched on the healing in this game, and I have to agree the mixing of gourds, drinks, and soaks adds alot to the game, particularly when you're going for builds. Even spirits and transformations have passive abilities just by equipping them, so there is plenty of build ideas especially in a first playthrough. And, yeah, I wish more games allow you to respec right in the beginning for free, as opposed to finding an area or unlocking something later in the game. And in a game like this, you really want to take advantage of the respec.
Combat is easy to get into, but especially against bosses, I don't find it to be boring. On my second playthrough, and have yet to grow tired of it, particularly now that I have started to experiment more with other spells and stances. I hear that especially beyond NG+3, the bosses can absolutely one or two shot you, so I am going to savour blowing by bosses on NG+2. :p
And I don't know about the best music ever, but Celestial Symphony and Where is the Road remade for the game have me goosebumps. GS did just to the 1986 OP and ED.
The only flaw is that the game isn't what gamescience truly envisioned it to be. They had originally planned 13 chapters but due to budget constrains they had to cut it down to 6. This probably explain why the story is a little hard for players who are new to JTTW to follow. They are now successful and are planning to release DLCs in early 2025. I believe they will have much to add, not just the story but also many combat mechanics which we've seen in the earlier trailers but not yet in the actual game. I also hope the DLC is not just an "add on" but is an upgrade to the game, like having a whole new chapter in between the current chapters. I don't mind playing the game again from scratch if it makes the story better overall.
Wow that's really interesting, I wonder what they could have created without the budget constraints. I'm sure they will deliver something special with the dlc, game science seems like very competent developers.
Wukong: The Lost Chapters, maybe?
If the worst complaint you can lodge against something is that you wanted more, it’s a good thing.
Actually I feel like 6 chapters with my 48 hours of playtime (without ng+) is juz the right amount, and speaking of dlcs I wonder how will GS handle the ng+ with dlcs.
Imo the story is easy enough to get if you actually just read the journal section. Bit if you're not following the journal entries you'll struggle understanding the story.
I agree with every of your point and it's actually rare for me with game reviews ! This game exceeded my expectations by far and it was quite high in the first place ❤
It should be noted that Wukong's first master, the Bodhi Patriarch, or Puti Zushi is probably the only really father figure Wukong ever had. He was genuinely distraught when he was sent away. When he returned to find his old master while he was on the journey, he couldn't find him and realising he would never see him again, Wukong broke down and cried.
Man I loved that you beat this game 4 times at least, and its kind of nice they rewarded you for that 😂
I didn't personally beat the game 4 times, but I heard from people that did that you unlock Wukong's stance. Maybe in the future I will get it myself 😂.
@@sovereignofdusk just a heads up if you do you should get the mod that improves the wukong stance though. Unfortunately it’s disappointing that the wukong stance lasts only a minute and all the original stance buffs are not available in the stance. But mods can make it a permanent thing which is cool.
@kloudhe233 Thanks man I'll definitely look into that. It was so cool using wukong stance in chapter 6, I would love to try it again.
I beat it three times and unlocked the stance
Did this and have to do 5 cause I realized late I only need the venom daoist armguards for plat 😂
your voice tone are so calm but how you keep spilling more and more argument to counter those weak argument reviewer are so savage.
cant wait their next game / dlc !
Thank you 😂. I will defend this game to my grave. I really hope they make dlc.
@@sovereignofduskwhat is the chance that this game gets the game of the year award ?
Given all the unjust controversy surrounding game science from mainstream news outlets, the chances are not great but let's just hope Geoff Keighley gives them a chance.
Wudong and his staff is basically like a Jedi and their Lightsaber. The way the dev overcome the issue of Wukong only having his iconic staff available to him is pure genius - Give it different properties as you would do if you are offering different weapons (like Zelda for example). The stance system essentially "changes" the weapon in your hand into broadsword, spear, whip or hammer etc. At the same time, it also allow the game to stay true to the original story and portray a staff that is capable of changing forms without overwhelm player control. By separating the moves into groups, you don't have to deal with complication command sets. You just switch into a tree of moves then express yourself on different enemy types.
It's a very smart way to solve several problems.
Another amazing thing about the combat system is that the change in the weapon properties are mostly spatial. So while other games would have different weapons that would have invisible properties like cutting, brunt force, damages that might be affect different enemies, the different stances changing the way you interact with the enemy's movement patterns. All this are visual and allows for some stylish combos to be developed and the freedom to essentially switch between "weapons" on the same boss to counter their different moves.
It's all so satisfying.
Very interesting points you bring up. I agree the stances were a great decision by the developers, it allows for diverse movesets while still adhering to the lore of Sun Wukong.
Actually you DO get to use some spears in the game. But they're only really more effective in thrust stance.
The commentary on Wukong comics is fantastic, it's exactly what I need to know
@이지은-o2x Glad you enjoyed it.
Super fair and good review. Your voice is also very soothing. Great work!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
Im still on my first run and i would say this game is stuning on every aspect
A piece of art done with lot of care and love
Wow such a great review! Full of passion and respect to the lore, it takes a really cultured and patient person to appreciate and fully enjoy the world that Journey to the West created.
@@manchumuq Appreciate the high praises, I tried my best to pay homage to the game based on such a fabled story.
It's a game that you can paly multiple times and always have fun.
Wow! Generally speaking I don’t play video games, yet this one looks extremely appealing given the lore and attention to detail and culture. Great job with this video presentation 💯 Outstanding!
Great review for me to sit through the whole video. You earn a subscribe.
@@victorhuynh4031 Appreciate it.
Wow, after finishing your fear and hunger video, i knew you were very talented at making videos but this one hit me on another level. We went from deep and terrifying introspection, to insanely liberating and joyous hype. Can’t thank you enough for making these
@alandoce9186 Glad you are enjoying the content.
By far the best review on YT I have watched of BMW, your game review script, edit and lores contents are wonderful and full of joy to watch. The channel is definitely underestimated, subscribed
Thank you very much.
One of the best in-depth reviews for wukong so far! This channel deserves more subs!!!!
Keep it up the good work buddy! subscribe!
Thank you so much man!! I put a lot of effort into the video, so I'm glad people are enjoying it.
@@sovereignofdusk you deserve it
Wukong dodging attacks like he dodged my friend request-smooth and cold!
Best review and fantastic summary of the story.
Thanks!
Definitely one of the best if not the best review for BMW, especially the backstory inclusion. Great work. Cheers mate.
@@IvanNgai Appreciate it.
This is the review I was looking for. Someone who actually gets the game.
This video deserves more views!!!!!!
Wukong's staff hits harder than my Monday mornings.
I have been playing this game on my PS5 and had no issues and was running perfectly
Just completed the game with all the endings.. it is an absolutely amazing journey... beautiful game and combat..PS5 doesn't do justice with the graphics but I still enjoyed it a lot... I don't know if anyone would reach the bar set by game science...this is the monster and GOTY for me 3:35 to 3:50 my thoughts exactly
Couldn't agree more, can't wait to see what game science does next.
@@sovereignofdusk the dlc is in progress. Rumours
That's great news, hopefully the rumors are true.
I never understood the no map complaints. Only gripe I have is how easy it is to miss the hidden bosses without even knowing it unless you watch videos on it, thus missing the best boss fight ever. My first playthrough I thought I explored every corner and didn't know I got the bad ending. Only learning I missed so much from youtube videos about it.
A very well paced and detailed review. 👍🏼
Everyone when the game released the first gameplay trailer thought this game will be a fake AAA and gameplay can't be what shown in the trailer. Even me also. And we were so wrong.
I'll admit I was also skeptical when I saw the initial trailers, but I'm so glad they delivered on what they promised.
@@sovereignofdusk yes. i must say they subvert my expectation.
What a damn great review! Honest, thoughtful, and historical!! I had to definitely turn down to performance mode for some bosses because of the timing and frames going crazy, but would go back to Quality when exploring and immersing myself in the maps! They’re visually huge and beautiful!
Very detailed review! Loved it!
They say the combat is simplistic... This has one the most complex combat in any game comparable to DMC 5.. which is a big deal as DMC 5 has to this the most complex and diverse combat system in any game
I’m sorry, but you are retarded If you think black myth Wukong has more complex combat than devil may cry five I’ve beat the game on every difficulty and I’ve got wukongs true ending they aren’t even close you need to have a look at what players can do with dmc 5
Best review of Wukong I've seen, well done.
Great vid! A nice touch summarising the story before the game.
Great review, really helps
I’ve played this game now in both languages. While I prefer the Chinese dub, I’ll say that I think the English cast did a phenomenal job!
It seems they sacrificed trying to match what the characters’ mouths say in favor of delivering the dialogue in the best performance possible.
Never understood people criticizing the mouths not matching, it isn’t an anime or cartoon, it’s practically impossible trying to match what realistic mouths are saying.
I also think they went for British accents because it sounds far more interesting than an American one. Probably the same reason they went for English actors for the HBO series “Chernobyl” than their native language.
@gianmarchesini6149 I do think the English voices sounded decent, the problem for me was that they did really fit the characters. But then again, it is just personal preference.
This game reward players invest in more time in a way for players to actually more into the story in each chapters players play in.
good video, i agree with everything other than the voice acting, i was able to become more immersed hearing the game and not having to read everything.
Fair enough, that is a reasonable advantage of playing in English.
Great video! Currently in NG+, difficult to let this game go... The experience is top notch ❤ dlc dlc dlc dlc dlc dlc!
What a fucking phenomenal video. Good stuff man, you killed it. Please keep uploading
Appreciate it man.
Without a map make player to invest more time to completely explore the whole game.
Really well explained video and I hope that there will be a dlc what do you think will it be goty
It's my personal goty, but I doubt it will get the award given the agendas of many large news outlets, but one can always hope.
the video is so engaging i didnt realise it was an hour long
what a review , youtube need you
I really like how they were respectful of the cultural aspect. This is rare these days. In the MCU for example they just destroyed Asgard, like it was no big deal. Ridiculously disrespectful! In my humble opinion, if people are going to ever get along, it begins by respecting other cultures. Just my opinion.
… and yes I’m aware of Ragnarok, for any critics out there. It still seems to me like they went too far, in my humble opinion.
The marvel rendition of the aesir gods have always been fast and loose with little care for authenticity. GOW is way more respectful to the property than Marvel is.
I’ve been knowing about this game before the announcement. I been waiting on this game since I was in high school my junior year six or seven years ago only reason why I was so set on getting a ps5
definitely a review with just, bring every detail to the table. This is the exact kind of fantastic game review I as a gamer see in that video game magazine back in late 90s.
Appreciate it.
amazing in depth review!
You missed the part where sun wukong signs and pees on the budha’s finger thinking its the edge if the world😂
Agree on the map. I'm shocked people complain about it given the game is quite linear. The game is super easy to navigate with some occasional "getting lost" moments in chapter 3&4 which mixes in a sense of exploration. And then they tried open-world in chapter 6 and it's utter dogshit. IMO, very few games need to be open world besides Rockstar and CDPR games. Even Elden Ring imo would be a much better game if it's more focused like Dark Soul and Sekiro.
I think the open world was just for the nimbus, and I loved that! So happy they didn’t go with that design for the whole game though.
@@abhayprabhu8951 Also chapter 6 environment is just boring by BMW standard. Kinda just generic nature without architecture & sculpture (which is a big deal in BMW environment).
@carterhu6550 I agree very few developers are able to make a compelling open world, I find semi-open world games to be much better in terms of their level design. And yeah the chapter 6 map was not great, but it was definitely fun flying around on the somersault cloud.
@@carterhu6550 true. But I think that’s one place the game does require an additional environmental design. Something like Tsushima where maybe small gusts might guide to completely missable sides areas. (I missed the boulder area secret sideway).
@@carterhu6550 Some say chapter 6 map is designed years ago, one of their early map design expeirments. And they don't have enough time to polish chapter 5 and 6, which is why chapter 5 has many re-skins and chapter 6 is empty.
Only facts were said this entire video
Honest and objective review
Thank you.
Good video, enjoyed it.
Thank you.
Hi Bro, thanks for such a indeepth review of the game, I really enjoyed watching your review. A small suggestion on your voice recording, I personally found your voice is a bit flat. The video could be more captivating if you could throw more emotion into your reading. I hope you get many subscribers soon. :)
Thanks for the feedback, I'm still new to making videos so I appreciate any advice. Will definitely work on my voice going forward.
I am currently in my NG+ with over 100 hours in the game and level 195. As a big Souls fan, it's easily the best game I've played in a loooong while. It's beautiful, the combat is addicting, the music is excellent (major kudos for adapting 1986's Celestial Symphony and putting it in the game), and as a huge Journey to the West fan (it's one of my favorite books), I'm moved by how respectful towards the source material the devs are. I teared up at the end (true ending), knowing what it meant. It won't win GOTY (not because it doesn't deserve it, but because the Game Awards are a fucking joke; just look at the word vomit The Gamer published just yesterday), but the least it deserves is a nomination.
I am content knowing that my favorite game of the year - and one of my favorites ever - has been nothing short of an incredible experience and a monumental success. Hopefully, this will pave the way for more games like this, get people interested in Journey to the West and Chinese mythos in general, and perhaps allow for other inspired, talented Chinese developers to dabble in AAA games. I cannot wait for the DLCs, and for what Game Science will do next. They have proven themselves to be very dedicated, and capable enough to deliver something amazing.
Awesome deep reviews 😁😁👏👏
I almost didn't buy it because watching others play it seemed like the combat was too spammy. I feared I'd get bored quick. Im glad I did. Its a change of pace from what im use to, but man what an amazing game. Combat is so much fun.
First playthrough was 17 hours and 33 minutes.
First ng+ run 6.5 hours
This game is not only GOTY, it is the game that will change the gaming industry worldwide as there are very little Chinese lore and culture content games in the market till now. In additional, it opens up China AAA games industry as it has proven there are many talented Chinese game designers. Even the Chinese govt is supporting now as they are know to ban games to young Chinese gamers previously. China tourism got a boost along the way. In short BMW is not longer just GOTY but the founding father of modern Chinese game industry.
Yes, I hope to see more games like this from Chinese developers.
NG+ is like a reward that ppl can find revenge on bosses which killed them the most 😂 Same applies to NG++ and part of NG+++. For me real challenge came at the 2nd half of NG+++, and every boss fight felt like first playthrough if not more tough.
Great review. Subscribed.
I love the review section of the video easily the best review I’ve seen yet but a lot the details in the journey to the west story recap section of the video were wrong idk what comic he was showing but it took a couple liberties when it came to the specifics of the story
The comic was the monkey king series by wei dong chen, apologies for any inaccuracies, I was told it was a good adaptation.
@@sovereignofdusk no it’s ok you made a great video
Great video! I agree 100% with your review. Only 2 tiny FYIs: 1) Puti is his first master's name and Zushi is his title which can be translated as grandmaster; 2) Nezha is not related to the Jade emperor. he is the 3rd son of one of the emperor's generals, Li Jing. Thank you for taking time to do your research and telling his backstory so well.
Thanks you and apologies for any inaccuracies.
@@sovereignofdusk no need for apologies :) your video is already very accurate and full of details many others do not mention. keep up the good work. looking forward to more videos in the future.
@nyz7971 Appreciate it, if I made any other mistakes please let me know, I am going to make a pinned comment correcting any incorrect information.
if Wu Kong GOTY , there will be parliament court for CEO Gamescience and US Congress would ask
" Are you Affiliated with CCP "
" Are Black Myth Wukong can spying us to CCP "
😂😂😂😂
So sad that it won't be the game of the year because of corrupted game media and award system, even it is a true masterpiece.
Even if it doesn't win GOTY, all the fans of the game know that nothing else has even come close to it this year.
This has probably sold me on the game. I've been waffling, because I really have not enjoyed the last $300 worth of games I've bought...
I have to wonder if it's received the same frustrated reviews that souls games tend to. They're hard, and some ppl can't cope
Glad the review was helpful, if you're a fan of combat focuses games I'm sure you will enjoy this. I would say the game is a bit easier than a typical souls game.
GAME OF THE YEAR
US: "Wukong is a threat to our national security."
I absolutely DESPISE reading subtitles, so I don't care if the voice acting is enough to bring a man to tears I'm playing the game IN ENGLISH!!!! And I'd be doing myself a disservice to play it in any other language.
I agree, its a good game, but I ended up Uninstaller towards the end of chapter 2. For me it was too hard. It became more frustrating than fun. But I still loved it and recommend it for younger people who still have their reflexes.
Understandable, The final boss of chapter 2 is the first real challenge in my opinion, if you ever want to give the game another try, I would recommend you farm some of the enemies for experience before fighting the boss.
Completing the hidden boss will reward you a tool that can wipe out his wind phase, which makes the fight a lot easier.
I have been gaming for over 40 years, and this is by far the best review of a game I have ever seen/read... Thank you so much for this!
Oh, and one more thing... As someone playing the PS5 version, it is nowhere near as bad as many in the media would like you to believe. There is a purposeful bias to shed a negative light on this Chinese developed game that didn't cater to Sweet Baby Inc.'s 7 Million dollar extortion demand due to their connections to certain Gaming media sites like IGN. If you pay up, you get rewarded with Good reviews, and if you don't... They will do/say all they can to hurt your game's success. So glad it backfired, and WuKong is bringing to light what these CONSULTING FIRMS like Sweet Baby Inc. have been illegally doing by trying to extort money for positive media while pushing their DEI "Woke" agenda crap into everything they can.
Again... Thank you so much for this great video review, much respect! 👍
Thank you for the kind words, it means a lot.
I k ow you mentioned that the game doesn't run well on console (something like that I probably misunderstood) I play it on console and was not bothered by it at all. Love this review and love this game so much. Personally it's already my game of the year.
@joshcruz6818 Glad to hear that, some people were reporting framerate issues.
@sovereignofdusk I was not aware of that. Hopefully, they can do something for those suffering from that
The emperors son Nezha is pronounced like, Nudja . I only learned that from a really good animated movie called Nezha Reborn.
Great Job!!
The best review I've watched on RUclips. Just one tiny thing, Wukong master's name is PUTI, “Zhushi” means Grant master. So the correct way to call him is Grant master PUTI. It's like Yoda is the Grant master who is above all other Jedi masters in the starwar universe.
Thanks for pointing that out.
The cost of re-crafting a previously crafted weapon is really quite low when you reached the later stage of the game (when you might want to re-craft), the biggest downside is unable to upgrade the damage of a low tier weapon even though it may have characteristics that you like, such as specific bonus or damage type, but now only do much less damage compared to the latest one you got.
That's another good point, as for the cost I believe it was something like 45 000 will to craft the golden loong staff again which seemed like a lot for me at that point in the game.
Most are but some details are not accurate about the back story, maybe the comic made some creative liberties, it is good information to know the basics back story but just note the story of the comics around 60%-70% accuracy.
@YagamiNoNeko Ahh my bad, I heard from some people that the comic was a fairly accurate adaptation, apologies for any inaccuracies.
@@sovereignofdusk don’t worry about it buddy, just a heads up for the people who watch this, love ur videos, keep it up
Wukong doesn't need the GOTY after breaking so many records and 95% good feedback from millions of players. The GOTY needs to be Wukong's to maintain its credibility.
Mainland Chinese netizens are dismissive of the fact that this game can win Goty. They only care about the game's performance.
Btw I played in English and loved the voice acting. It is excellent idk what people are talking about. I can't be constantly looking down and ready text.
Probably my Game of the year but it does need some improvements. A map would be #1 on that list for me.
Imagine if this game and Concord was put in the same category at the VGA and Concord comes out ahead lol
@@brandonn161 😂😂 I wouldn't put it past them.
Just a small correction. 24:08 Zushi in Chinese means grand master, so Puti Zushi means Grand Master Puti. Therefore, instead of calling him Master Zushi, it's better to call him Master Puti.
Thanks for letting me know, some others have also pointed that out.
Journos will make sure this game does not get GOTY
Unfortunate, but most likely the case.
I've just finished the game on PS5, its awesome, the best game I've ever played.. Ghost of Tsushima is my most favourite game, but I'll put this above it..i started 2nd run again but I've decided to wait until the issues on PS5 are fixed.. i had to play complete game on performance mode, if i used balance mode then game would crash whenever I used pluck of many at its peak.. frame drops were frequent.. even in performance mode the game froze and crashed 4-5 in my entire play through. I didn't even dared to turn on fidelity mode.
Sorry to hear about the performance issues, hopefully they are fixed soon.
I disagree about the hitboxes, they're way off in many instances. But the game is just so polished and fun that I'm willing to put up with it. Clocked 180+ hours now, just started NG+++, took the time to grind levels.
Yeah I was just speaking from my experience with the game, I personally didn't have any issues with hitboxes.
I hate games like this and I absolutely love this game, that’s how good it is.
What i would say this is a great game its been a while i feel like just to go home n explore but personaly i know we not playing as a sunwukong but in a way we should feel play as a son wukong i thought it would be great we got the trash talk that sun wukong famous of instead a mute one still deserve a goty
Maybe in dlc or a sequel.
well said， everyrhing i cthink about