Since its stunning reveal, Black Myth: Wukong has ignited excitement among gamers worldwide. Promising a visually spectacular action RPG rooted in Chinese mythology, featuring challenging combat inspired by soulslike games, and casting players as the legendary Monkey King, it’s set to be a major release. The trailers showcase fluid third-person combat games, incredible creature designs, and a rich, atmospheric world drawing from the classic novel Journey to the West. It’s no wonder fans are eagerly searching for games like Black Myth Wukong to experience similar thrills while they await its release.
If you’re captivated by the promise of Black Myth: Wukong‘s intense boss fights, deep mythological games setting, and satisfying hack and slash action, you’re in luck. The gaming landscape offers several fantastic Black Myth alternatives that share elements of its challenging gameplay, rich lore, or stunning fantasy worlds. This article will guide you through some of the best action games and fantasy action games that capture the spirit of Black Myth: Wukong.
What Makes Black Myth: Wukong Stand Out?
Black Myth: Wukong‘s unique appeal stems from several key factors:
- Mythological Setting: A deep dive into the rich and fantastical world of Chinese mythology, specifically inspired by Journey to the West.
- High Fidelity Graphics: Utilizing Unreal Engine 5 to create incredibly detailed environments and character models.
- Fluid, Skill-Based Combat: Emphasizing precise movement, dodging, parrying, and mastering enemy patterns, often compared to soulslike games and character action RPGs.
- Transformations: The protagonist, the Destined One, can utilize various transformations based on creatures and enemies, adding unique combat options.
- Boss-Centric Design: Trailers heavily feature diverse and challenging boss encounters, suggesting a focus on memorable large-scale fights.
- Focus on Wukong: Centering the narrative and gameplay around the iconic and powerful figure of the Monkey King.
This combination creates a highly anticipated title that blends cultural richness with demanding, visually impressive gameplay.
Top 8 Games Like Black Myth: Wukong
For those seeking games like Black Myth Wukong, these titles offer compelling combat, rich worlds, and challenging experiences that resonate with what we’ve seen of the Monkey King’s adventure.
1. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Release Date: March 22, 2019
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: Focuses heavily on posture-based combat, requiring precise deflecting (parrying) to break enemy defenses and land killing blows. Features a grappling hook for vertical traversal and stealth elements.
- Visual Style: Set in a dark, fantastical Sengoku-era Japan with a distinct, sharp art style.
- Comparison to Black Myth: Arguably the closest comparison in terms of core combat rhythm and focus on mastering enemy attack patterns through precise defensive maneuvers. While Black Myth includes dodging and transformations, Sekiro‘s emphasis on parrying and high-stakes duels against often grotesque mythological creatures will strongly appeal to fans of challenging third-person combat games. The mythological elements, while Japanese, share a similar vein of fantastical creature design.
2. Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
- Release Date: March 3, 2023
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A soulslike game set in a dark fantasy Three Kingdoms China, featuring a “Deflect” system similar to parrying. Incorporates a Morale system that affects combat difficulty and character power. Players use various Chinese martial arts styles and elemental spells.
- Visual Style: A gritty, atmospheric portrayal of historical China infused with demonic and mythological elements.
- Comparison to Black Myth: Shares the Chinese historical and mythological setting, though with a darker fantasy twist. The Deflect mechanic provides a similar focus on rhythmic, reactive combat to Sekiro and potentially Black Myth. It’s an excellent action RPG that offers a challenging experience rooted in a culturally rich setting, making it a strong Black Myth alternative.
3. Nioh 2
- Release Date: March 13, 2020 (PS4), February 5, 2021 (PC, PS5)
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A challenging soulslike game with a complex combat system featuring multiple weapon stances, a Ki (stamina) pulse mechanic for recovery, and the ability to use Yokai abilities and transformations. Set in a fantastical Sengoku-era Japan filled with yokai (Japanese demons).
- Visual Style: A detailed and often beautiful depiction of historical Japan intertwined with vibrant, grotesque, and imaginative demon designs.
- Comparison to Black Myth: Offers deep and challenging action RPG combat that requires mastering various mechanics and managing resources (stamina/Ki). The mythological theme is strong, focusing on Japanese folklore and the player character’s half-yokai nature allows for transformations and special abilities, which resonates with Black Myth‘s Wukong’s powers. It’s a highly regarded soulslike game with intricate combat that will appeal to players seeking a deep and rewarding challenge.
4. Stellar Blade
- Release Date: April 26, 2024
- Platform(s): PlayStation 5
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A fast-paced action game with a strong emphasis on stylish combat, parrying, dodging, and executing cinematic special moves. Features challenging boss fights and exploration in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting.
- Visual Style: High-fidelity graphics with a focus on character design and detailed environments in a ruined Earth.
- Comparison to Black Myth: While the setting and lore are vastly different (sci-fi vs. mythology), Stellar Blade shares a focus on fluid and responsive third-person combat games, requiring precise timing for parries and dodges against often imposing enemies and bosses. The emphasis on flashy, impactful attacks and challenging encounters aligns with the spectacle seen in Black Myth: Wukong‘s trailers, making it a good choice for players who prioritize thrilling fantasy action games combat.
5. Elden Ring
- Release Date: February 25, 2022
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A vast open-world soulslike game with deep RPG progression, allowing for diverse character builds, exploration of a massive interconnected world, and challenging combat against a wide variety of enemies and bosses.
- Visual Style: A dark fantasy world with breathtaking landscapes, intricate dungeons, and often terrifying creature designs.
- Comparison to Black Myth: While Elden Ring is open-world and offers much more freedom in exploration and character building than the likely more linear Black Myth, it provides a similar sense of confronting powerful mythological beings and overcoming significant challenges through skill and perseverance, a hallmark of soulslike games. The vast amount of lore and the epic scale of the world will appeal to players who enjoy deep mythological games settings.
6. Lies of P
- Release Date: September 19, 2023
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A dark fantasy action RPG heavily inspired by the story of Pinocchio, featuring challenging soulslike combat with a focus on precise blocking and parrying, weapon crafting, and character customization.
- Visual Style: A grim and visually striking Belle Époque-inspired city filled with mechanical enemies and grotesque creations.
- Comparison to Black Myth: Offers a strong soulslike combat experience with a similar emphasis on learning enemy tells and timing defensive maneuvers. While the setting is rooted in a twisted fairy tale rather than Chinese mythology, the challenging boss fights and the rewarding feeling of overcoming difficult encounters will resonate with fans of the anticipated Black Myth gameplay.
7. God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök
- Release Date: God of War (2018): April 20, 2018 (PS4, PC), God of War Ragnarök: November 9, 2022 (PS4, PS5)
- Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC (God of War 2018)
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: Action RPGs with a third-person over-the-shoulder camera, focusing on visceral combat, exploration, and a strong narrative. Combat involves managing multiple weapons, abilities, and a rage mechanic, with a strong emphasis on impactful attacks and enemy interactions.
- Visual Style: Stunningly realized worlds based on Norse mythology, with detailed environments and character models.
- Comparison to Black Myth: While less focused on soulslike precision parrying (though dodging is crucial), these games share the element of being powerful protagonists facing down mythological creatures and gods in a visually impressive mythological games setting. The combat is impactful and satisfying, and the strong narrative drives the player through epic encounters, offering a more accessible but still challenging action RPG experience compared to traditional soulslike games. Some have even described Black Myth: Wukong as feeling like “God of War for Chinese mythology.”
8. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
- Release Date: March 18, 2022
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Core Gameplay Mechanics: A hack and slash action RPG developed by Team Ninja (known for Nioh and Wo Long). Features fast-paced combat with a job system, allowing players to switch between various combat styles and abilities, and a focus on breaking enemy “Break Gauges.”
- Visual Style: A darker, more mature take on the Final Fantasy aesthetic, with detailed environments and character designs.
- Comparison to Black Myth: While it has a different tone and setting (Final Fantasy fantasy), it shares the hack and slash combat developed by a studio known for challenging action games. The focus on managing different combat styles and breaking down enemy defenses offers a different but still engaging combat loop that might appeal to fans of Black Myth‘s expected intensity and varied enemy encounters.
Honorable Mentions
A few more titles that offer elements akin to games like Black Myth Wukong:
- Onimusha Series: Classic hack and slash games set in feudal Japan with supernatural elements and challenging combat, particularly the later entries like Onimusha 3.
- Code Vein: A soulslike game with an anime aesthetic, focusing on challenging combat and character builds with a strong emphasis on abilities and partner mechanics.
- Ghost of Tsushima: While more open-world and focused on stealth and cinematic duels, its challenging combat and stunning historical Japanese setting with mythical elements might appeal to fans.
What to Look For in Wukong-style Games
When searching for games like Black Myth Wukong, keep an eye out for these characteristics:
- Combat Style: Look for third-person combat games that emphasize skill, timing (dodging, parrying, deflecting), and learning enemy patterns. While not all will be strict soulslike games, they should offer a satisfying challenge.
- Mythological or Fantasy Setting: Games drawing from rich folklore, mythology, or high fantasy often feature creative enemy designs and expansive worlds, similar to the anticipated mythological games aspect of Black Myth.
- Boss Encounters: Strong boss design and challenging, memorable boss fights are a key element highlighted in Black Myth‘s trailers. Look for games praised for their boss battles.
- Visual Presentation: While not strictly gameplay, high-fidelity graphics and a strong art style can significantly enhance the experience, much like the impressive visuals shown for Black Myth.
- Character Abilities: Games that offer a variety of special abilities, transformations, or different weapon styles can provide a similar sense of power and versatility expected from the Monkey King.
Conclusion
The anticipation for Black Myth: Wukong is a testament to the appeal of challenging action RPGs set in rich, fantastical worlds with compelling combat. While we eagerly await the chance to step into the shoes of the Destined One, the gaming world offers a wealth of incredible games like Black Myth Wukong. From the precise parrying of Sekiro and Wo Long to the vast open world of Elden Ring and the stylish action of Stellar Blade, there are numerous Black Myth alternatives that can satisfy your craving for intense hack and slash, fantasy action games with deep roots in mythology.
Whether you prefer the strict challenge of a soulslike game or a more fluid third-person combat games experience, exploring these titles will undoubtedly lead you to incredible adventures and demanding battles. So, prepare your reflexes, delve into ancient legends, and enjoy the journey through worlds filled with mythical creatures and powerful foes as you discover your next favorite action RPG. What are your most anticipated games like Black Myth Wukong? Share your thoughts below!
FAQ
What are the best games like Black Myth: Wukong?
Some of the best games like Black Myth: Wukong that offer similar challenging combat and fantasy settings include Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Nioh 2, Elden Ring, and Lies of P. These are highly regarded action RPGs with demanding gameplay.
Is Black Myth: Wukong like Sekiro or Elden Ring?
Black Myth: Wukong shares similarities with both. Its challenging, skill-based combat with an emphasis on precise timing for defense is often compared to Sekiro. Like Elden Ring and other soulslike games, it features challenging boss fights and a focus on overcoming difficult encounters. It’s seen as a blend of intense action and mythological games elements.
Are there any Wukong-style games on PS5/PC/Xbox?
Yes, many games like Black Myth Wukong are available on modern platforms. Titles like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Elden Ring, Lies of P, and Stellar Blade (PS5) offer similar third-person combat games and are available on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S (check specific game availability).
What game engine does Black Myth use?
Black Myth: Wukong is developed using Unreal Engine 5, which contributes to its highly detailed graphics and visually impressive presentation.
Will Black Myth: Wukong have multiplayer?
Currently, Black Myth: Wukong is planned as a single-player action RPG experience, focusing on the journey of the Destined One. There has been no official announcement of multiplayer features.