More than any other game released in 2024, Black Myth: Wukong took the world by storm. The action-adventure title from Game Science, a Chinese developer, annihilated Steam records in August, peaking at over 2.4 million concurrent players. It comfortably sits in second place among its contemporaries, according to SteamDB. Most recently, Game Science reached another milestone by winning Best Action Game and the Player’s Voice voting at The Game Awards.
While Black Myth: Wukong is an adaptation of the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, it has an entirely different narrative hook: a continuation of the tale itself, set centuries after the adventures of Tang Sangzang, Sun Wukong, Zhu Bajie, and Sha Wujing. In it, you play as the Destined One, tasked with finding the six relics left behind by the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, in an effort to revive him.
The premise seems simple enough and yet, nearly 60 hours later, Black Myth: Wukong remains one of the most memorable games I’ve played this year. That’s partly because of its high production values, as well as its wealth of bosses and secrets. But part of my appreciation is for the cultural moment it’s sparked. I’m a Filipino who lives in the Philippines, and I can’t help but feel hopeful about a new era of games from underrepresented Asian countries.
Wukong’s cultural impact
For decades, gamers from my part of the world usually had a select few options when it came to AA or AAA premium/paid titles: Japan and the West. That’s it. Our peoples are surrounded by free-to-play offerings and gacha games or, because of the lack of proper financial backing for local studios, indie titles with a smaller scope. Black Myth: Wukong is, essentially, a rarity in this industry — a nigh-unstoppable juggernaut with high production value, carrying with it the hopes of so many Asian gamers and developers. The fact that it’s about the most popular folktale or story known throughout this region was icing on the cake.
What first drew me to Black Myth: Wukong was its level design and story. The designs of some in-game locations are actually derived from real-world counterparts, most notably those in the province of Shanxi in northern China. That fact alone helped put China on the map — literally. The South China Morning Post reports that the province saw a huge spike in tourism after Black Myth: Wukong’s release, with gamers eager to see what inspired the studio’s world.
That cultural representation wasn’t just in Black Myth’s world but its story too. It’s an adaptation of Journey to the West that both retells and continues a cultural touchstone story in China. Those who’ve read the novel before might find these nods and references as huge treats. In my case, given that I last read Journey to the West in high school, some early-game references flew over my head. Thankfully, I recognized many other characters, and there was also a handy journal with background lore to keep me informed.
Considering that Black Myth: Wukong is an unofficial sequel to Journey to the West, fans can also appreciate how certain characters have developed over time. For instance, Zhu Bajie, the gruff and rude pig humanoid also known as Pigsy, has been cursed to endure a thousand lifetimes of romantic tragedies. This is even shown at the end Chapter 4, where Zhu Bajie regretfully walks away from his former flame, the Violet Spider, as well as their daughter, after being admonished. It was his way to have their daughter live her own life, as he will never be free of his own curse.
Black Myth: Wukong’s world is filled to the brim with boss fights and secrets. The in-game tally shows 81 bosses and elite foes, a ridiculously high number that would make “boss rush” comparisons apt. That old idea is made more engaging thanks to the cultural ties. The number 81 symbolizes the 81 tribulations or trials that must be undertaken to reach the end of the journey and attain Buddhahood. The multitude of foes that you face are, in many ways, reflective of your character’s attempts to achieve enlightenment.
The Buddhist tenet of enlightenment, the idea of breaking free from a cycle, can be seen in the game’s alternate ending, which can only be obtained once you’ve cleared all secret areas in every chapter. This is followed by defeating Erlang Shen and the Four Heavenly Kings in a surprisingly terrific “kaiju” battle where everyone transforms into massive beings. Many of these discoveries helped enrich my experience (I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I’d like to think that I was the first person in the world to discover the true ending — or at least I was the first to tweet about it). There was this unbridled sense of an adventure coming to life the more I explored, reminiscent of the characters’ own odyssey in the novel.
Every one of those strengths ties back to what I love most about Black Myth: its wide cultural impact. Specifically, it’s the way a culture of billions of Asians was showcased globally in a video game with high production values. It’s the way the story, a pillar of Chinese and East Asian literature, was adapted with a meticulous degree of care and expert craft, and how traditions and themes, influential in my country and corner of the world, took center stage.
It’s the knowledge that, for the longest time, Japan has been the only nation in Asia that has represented our region when it comes to developing AAA games, while South Korea’s and China’s own burgeoning games industries still rely on free-to-play, gacha-filled offerings. It’s the knowledge that many studios in Southeast Asia struggle with financing and, with few options, are more likely to release smaller indie titles.
Your tales, legends, and traditions all deserve to be told.
I’m not Chinese. I’m Filipino. And yet, Black Myth: Wukong’s success resonates with me because it’s a game that exceeded and eclipsed all expectations. It’s about a specific story from a specific culture from a specific part of the world, and yet it has resonated with players globally. It represents a future where studios from other Asian countries continue to grow, creating uniquely rich concepts, gaining more financial support, spreading their wings, and taking risks beyond the gacha genre.
It’s an idea that I hope would also inspire developers from Malaysia, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other Asian nations: That your tales, legends, and traditions all deserve to be told. That your people’s stories should be appreciated by a wider gaming audience.
This game where you play as a monkey with an elongating stick, funnily enough, represents hope. Hope that, one day, my own people’s stories, distinct and quintessentially Filipino stories, will be seen in a massive game that folks around the world can enjoy. Lord knows everyone would love a Soulslike action-RPG where Jose Rizal and Mariang Makiling team up, while riding the Ibong Adarna as a flying mount that turns enemies to stone.
A Filipino can dream.
