Black Myth Wukong vs. Sekiro Shadows Die Twice: Similarities and differences examined

Black Myth Wukong has been making headlines across the gaming world the past few days since its release. As more players experience the game, some are drawing parallels with similar titles, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is one of them.

In this article, we will be comparing Sekiro and Wukong by examining aspects that both games share, and also where differ from one another.

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

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Similarities between Black Myth Wukong and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Difficulty settings

Neither Sekiro nor Black Myth Wukong offer players a chance to alter the difficulty level at any point during gameplay. This has resulted in many players considering both games to be a part of the souls-like genre.

Neither game allows the player to change the difficulty level. (Image via Game Science)

Though neither game allows players to change its difficulty settings, Sekiro is almost unanimously considered the harder game out of the two. This is due to the game's reliance on accuracy and timing instead of repeated attacks, in addition to the slower pacing of the combat.

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Premise

Both games have a similar premise, which is to take the player to an ancient era and fight mythical beasts. Both the main characters are mythical personas who battle enemies of incredible strength and set out to protect those close to them.

The premise of both games may be rooted in Asian folklore, but they are vastly different from one another. (Image via Game Science)

Sekiro’s Wolf has to defeat enemies to rescue the heir-apparent he was tasked with protecting when christened a Shinobi. Similarly, Sun Wukong wants to avenge those who have wronged his clan and destroyed the mountain he and his clan called home.

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Availability

Sekiro is available across PlayStation, PC, and Xbox devices while Black Myth Wukong is currently available only for the PS5 and PC, with the Xbox port reportedly delayed due to compatibility and optimization issues.

Both games are available on current-generation consoles and PCs, though Black Myth: Wukong's Xbox Series S and X release has been delayed. (Image via PlayStation)

Though Sekiro was released for the PS4 and Xbox One generations, it can be played on current-generation consoles via backward compatibility. Sekiro was also ported to the short-lived Google Stadia platform.

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Differences between Black Myth Wukong and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Combat system

Though often compared with each other, one can argue that the combat system and fighting style of Sekiro are quite different from that of Wukong. The common misconception of both games having similar combat stems from Wukong often being called a souls-like, a genre that Sekiro falls under.

Sekiro’s combat system, however, requires the player to tactically attack their enemies owing to the slightly slower pace of the character's attack speed. Black Myth Wukong, on the other hand, rewards continuous attacks and the rate of attack is slightly faster than that of Sekiro's.

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Different mythological eras

Black Myth Wukong is based on Ancient Chinese folklore. Within it, Sun Wukong has to navigate and traverse through the interior of 16th-century China. A legendary monkey warrior, the protagonist is regarded highly among Chinese fans.

A boss fight in Sekiro (Image via PlayStation)

Sekiro, on the other hand, is based in the Sengoku era of Japan, spanning the late 1400s to the early 1600s. The era is tumultuous, and our protagonist is even fatally wounded at the start of the story, saved only by the timely intervention of the very person he has to protect.

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Character’s role

Sun Wukong is a mythical character from the 1600s Chinese novel Journey to the West. The story is deeply revered among Chinese gamers and people alike, and the book is regarded as one of the most important pieces of media from the ancient Chinese era. Sun Wukong’s relentless pursuit of justice for his kind is the story's focus.

Sun Wukong as seen in the game. (Image via Game Science)

Sekiro tells the story of a nameless Shinobi warrior, who is termed “Wolf,” or “Ookami” on some occasions. After a war left him orphaned, he is taken in by his master, Owl, who helps mold Wolf into a Shinobi. Wolf is dedicated to his cause of serving his master Kuro, the Divine Heir.

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Read more gaming comparison articles below:

• Sekiro vs Ghost of Tsushima: Differences and similarities explored
• Black Myth Wukong vs. God of War: Similarities and differences reviewed