Black Myth: Wukong Wears Its God of War Influences on Its Sleeve

by

Black Myth: Wukong Wears Its God of War Influences on Its Sleeve

Key Takeaways

  • Black Myth: Wukong draws heavy inspiration from God of War in its combat animations and gear system.
  • The game’s exploration mechanics closely resemble those seen in God of War, including breaking pots for rewards and opening chests.
  • Black Myth: Wukong is unapologetic in showing its God of War influences in combat, exploration, and animations.

As a gamer with over two decades under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of game influences and homages. But when it comes to Black Myth: Wukong, it’s like Santa Monica Studios decided to clone one of their masterpieces!

Black Myth: Wukong is categorized as an action RPG, but its style combines elements from various sources, earning it the nickname “Soulslike” before launch. Despite presenting the difficulty level typical of Soulslike games, it predominantly aligns with the action RPG genre in many aspects. In this genre, it draws heavy inspiration from Santa Monica’s revamped God of War series, which is evident in several similarities between the two.

Black Myth: Wukong, without hesitation, embraces its ties to the God of War series, and rightfully so. Since its reboot in 2018, God of War has become one of the top-tier franchises due to its compelling narrative, memorable characters, engaging combat, and stunning visuals. Therefore, it’s no surprise that other games would be inspired by the influence of God of War. Black Myth: Wukong, a role-playing game based on Journey to the West, openly acknowledges its admiration for God of War. In its combat, exploration, and even subtle movements, Black Myth: Wukong demonstrates clear reverence for Santa Monica’s critically acclaimed reinterpretation of the original action-adventure hack-and-slash series that originated in 2005.

How Black Myth: Wukong Draws Inspiration From God of War

Black Myth: Wukong’s Combat Animations and Gear System Resemble God of War’s

Black Myth: Wukong was initially marketed as a challenging successor to the God of War series, and while it indeed proves to be more difficult, its combat shares many similarities. The most striking resemblance can be seen in the combat animations, which bear a strong resemblance to those used for Kratos’ Leviathan Axe moves. Although the impact of the Destined One on an enemy is less gruesome compared to Kratos, each strike of the staff mirrors Kratos’ movement when using the Leviathan Axe, even in the execution of a full combo.

Moreover, while Black Myth: Wukong is often referred to as a Soulslike game, its combat pace is more akin to that of God of War. Unlike God of War, though, there’s no parry mechanism in Black Myth: Wukong. The gear system in this game shares some similarities with God of War too. For instance, the player’s character, the Destined One, can wear armor sets that offer beneficial bonuses when a specific number of each set’s pieces are equipped. In addition, upgrading weapons in Black Myth: Wukong follows a similar pattern to God of War, as players need to provide the required materials and currency to advance through various upgrade tiers.

Black Myth: Wukong’s Exploration Adopts Even More God of War Animations and Follows Similar Rules

Veteran players of the ‘God of War’ series are aware that smashing pots is a smart move, as they reward Hacksilver, the game’s currency. This same concept holds true in ‘Black Myth: Wukong’. It’s charming how similar it is. In ‘Black Myth: Wukong’, players can find and shatter pots scattered across each region of its world to gather more Will. Similar to Hacksilver, Will serves as the currency for purchasing and upgrading items within the game. Additionally, while exploring ‘Black Myth: Wukong’s world, you’ll encounter various types of chests, and the animation of the main character opening these chests bears a striking resemblance to Kratos from ‘God of War’ when he opens a chest.

As a gamer, I can confidently say that Black Myth: Wukong proudly wears the influence of God of War on its gaming sleeve. This influence is particularly evident in the animations of the Destined One, whether in or out of battle. It’s a testament to how inspiring Santa Monica’s reboot of the God of War series has been, and I believe more games should draw inspiration from it as well.

Read More

2024-08-24 21:13