After a four-year wait since its 2020 announcement, Black Myth: Wukong has finally arrived, generating significant buzz among critics and gamers alike. Let's delve into the early reviews and a recent controversy surrounding review guidelines.

Black Myth: Wukong is Almost Here (PC Only, for Now)

Since its initial trailer, Black Myth: Wukong has garnered considerable hype. Early critical reception has been largely positive, with an 82 Metascore on Metacritic based on 54 reviews.

Reviewers praise the game's exceptional action gameplay, emphasizing its precise and engaging combat system, particularly in its well-crafted boss battles. The stunning visuals and hidden secrets within its beautiful world are also frequently highlighted.

The game's foundation in Chinese mythology, specifically Journey to the West, is lauded for its effective integration. GamesRadar+, for instance, described it as "a fun action RPG that feels like the modern God of War games viewed through the lens of Chinese mythology."

However, PCGamesN, among others, points out potential drawbacks, including subpar level design, fluctuating difficulty, and occasional technical glitches. The narrative structure, similar to older FromSoftware titles, has also been criticized for its fragmented storytelling, requiring players to piece together the lore through item descriptions.

Crucially, all initial review copies were for PC; console versions were not provided for early access. Therefore, performance reviews for PS5 remain unavailable.

Controversial Review Guidelines Surface

Reports emerged of a document distributed by one of Black Myth: Wukong's co-publishers, outlining guidelines for streamers and reviewers. These guidelines allegedly included a list of restricted topics, such as "violence, nudity, feminist propaganda, fetishization, and other content that instigates negative discourse."

This has sparked considerable debate within the gaming community. While some criticize the guidelines as censorship, others express no concern. 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.."

Despite this controversy, Black Myth: Wukong remains highly anticipated. Its Steam sales statistics currently show it as the best-selling and most wishlisted game on the platform before its release. While the lack of console reviews presents a reservation, the game appears poised for a significant launch.