5 ways Black Myth Wukong can revitalize the souls-like genre

Game Science's upcoming mythology-themed action RPG, Black Myth Wukong, is almost here. For years, whenever there's a conversation about games that let players fight massive bosses and customize their playstyles, the first name that comes to mind for most fans of the genre is the Dark Souls series.

The legacy of FromSoftware's Souls series is so significant that the genre itself has been named after it. Although many titles are released in this genre each year, very few offer anything that the original Souls series hasn't already. However, Black Myth Wukong holds a lot of promise, and here are five ways it can revitalize the Souls-like genre.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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How can Black Myth Wukong breathe new life into the Souls-like genre?

1) Linear progression

Walk the path of the chosen one (Image via Game Science)

Most Souls-like games follow the path paved by FromSoftware, featuring a big open world that tells a dark story mostly through item descriptions and environmental storytelling. Black Myth Wukong breaks this mold by featuring a semi-open world with linear story progression.

This means you no longer need to watch a two-hour-long video essay on YouTube to figure out the story of the game you just finished. The linear story also sheds more light on the NPCs and fleshes out their characters in the narrative, resulting in a more immersive story experience.

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2) Boss rush gameplay

Bosses are the real deal (Image via Game Science)

Many early reviews have described Black Myth Wukong as a "boss rush" game. This means the game mainly focuses on taking down big enemies to progress the story. Bosses are designed to challenge players in various ways, with new gimmicks and patterns making each boss completely different from the others.

While Souls-like games have always emphasized boss battles, Black Myth Wukong promises to bring a level of variety to each boss that has rarely been seen in other titles in the genre. However, whether they'll be able to live up to these promises remains to be seen.

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3) Transformation

Here's Wukong transformed into a fly (Image via Game Science)

With a fresh new mechanic in the genre, Black Myth Wukong lets you transform into various animals, creatures, and even bosses you've previously defeated. This is mythologically accurate, as Sun Wukong, aka the Monkey King, is known for his shapeshifting powers and how he uses them to pull various pranks.

In terms of gameplay, every time you transform, you get the powers of the creatures you've turned into. If you turn into a boss, you'll get their powers and movesets. Also, when you transform, you get an additional health bar on top of your original one. Once this extra bar is depleted, you revert to your original self. This also offers defensive tactics, as you can get out of sticky situations by transforming when your HP is low.

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4) Fast-paced action

speed is key (Image via Game Science)

While most Souls-like games feature fast-paced combat, very few have a combat system as nimble, speed-oriented, and movement-based as Black Myth Wukong. To overcome each enemy, you'll have to meticulously learn their attack patterns and react to each with perfect timing.

In mythology, Wukong is known for his speed and agility; the developers have reflected this trait in the game with their high-speed combat mechanics.

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5) Adaptive combat system

Fight like the Monkey King (Image via Game Science)

Talking about combat, Wukong can perform some devastating moves. However, learning and performing them at the right opportunity will take practice. With his pole, he can perform combo attacks, summon fire, bend wind, and much more. Wukong’s pole has three combat styles: close-quarter rapid attacks, long-range attacks, and various defensive abilities.

You will have to juggle between these styles to defeat the bosses. While transformed, Wukong gains new attacks, effectively changing his playstyle. Hence, using the right attacks and transformations is vital in each boss encounter in Black Myth Wukong. This in-depth, adaptive combat system may be a much-needed breath of fresh air for the genre.

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