How Black Myth: Wukong Utilizes the Six Senses of Buddhism

As a seasoned gamer with a penchant for eastern mythology and a soft spot for games that seamlessly blend storytelling with gameplay mechanics, I find myself utterly captivated by the intricate design of Black Myth: Wukong. The integration of the six senses of Sun Wukong, each symbolizing a sense of Buddhism, is nothing short of genius.

The following contains spoilers for
Black Myth: Wukong
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The action RPG game titled Black Myth: Wukong is deeply immersed in the vibrant stories of Eastern mythology, drawing its main inspiration from the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West written by Wu Cheng’en. Similar to Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong reflects strong connections with Chinese Buddhism and Buddhist folklore, highlighting the six key aspects of Buddhism – sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mind.

In the heart-pounding, action-packed game known as Black Myth: Wukong, I’ve found myself on a journey as the Destined One. The goal? To gather all six of Sun Wukong’s sacred Relics. As I progress through each chapter, I’m not just battling fierce foes, but also realizing the profound concepts of Buddhism’s six senses in gameplay form.

How Black Myth: Wukong’s Relics Realize the Six Senses of Buddhism

The Sight Relic — Craving Eyes

The first Relic players acquire in Black Myth: Wukong, Craving Eyes, represents the sight sense of Buddhism in that it allows players to see things they couldn’t see before. Specifically, the Craving Eyes Relic grants players the passive ability to see which yaoguais bear Black Myth: Wukong‘s Spirits. In terms of gameplay, this means that any yaoguais that contain an absorbable Spirit will emit a blue flame-like wisp from their body. These foes are generally heartier versions of Black Myth: Wukong‘s rank-and-file enemies, but the reward for defeating them is worth the hassle.

In Black Myth: Wukong, the Craving Eyes Relic empowers players by offering a selection of three unique Great Sage Talents. Players have the flexibility to switch among these talents at any point, simply by visiting a Keeper’s Shrine. Here are the abilities at your disposal:

Opportune Watcher — Considerably increases Focus gained upon consecutive successful Light Attack hits.
Eagle Eye — Upon a successful hit with Unveiling Strike, the Cooldown of this spell is massively reduced.
Keen Insight — Considerably increases Critical Hit Damage.

The Hearing Relic — Fuming Ears

In the game Black Myth: Wukong, players earn the relic known as Fuming Ears upon defeating the final boss in Yellow Wind Ridge during chapter two. This artifact symbolizes the sense of hearing in Buddhism, yet its application in the game is undefined. The relic’s description hints at this connection with the statement, “Echoes of the past can be found where karma lingers.” It’s possible that, similar to Craving Eyes, Fuming Ears may enable players to hear sounds they wouldn’t have heard otherwise. However, the specifics are not entirely clear. At minimum, Fuming Ears provides three exceptional and valuable Great Sage abilities for players to select from. These talents are as follows:

All Ears — Slightly extends invincibility duration of the first move of all Varied Combos.
Sound as A Bell — Narrows the window of Rock Solid Deflection, but returns half of the Mana cost of the spell upon a deflection.
Whistling Wind — Temporarily increases Attack after a Perfect Dodge.

The Smell Relic — Hubris Noise

In the game ‘Black Myth: Wukong’, the third relic that gamers can obtain is accessible after overcoming Yellowbrow in Chapter 3. This particular relic, known as Hubris Noise, symbolizes the sense of smell in Buddhism by enabling players to perceive hidden ingredients in the wild as if they could smell them. To put it another way, this relic improves a player’s capacity to detect plants from further away within ‘Black Myth: Wukong’. Since medicines have a significant role in the game’s combat, locating the ingredients to concoct them is crucial. Furthermore, players can select one of Hubris Noise’s three Great Sage Talents as an added bonus. These talents could potentially enhance their gaming experience.

Lingering Aroma — Gains a moderate Damage Bonus for a short time after casting a spell.
In One Breath — Focus Points can be charged up to 4 within the Ring of Fire.
Hold Breath — Moderately extends Dodge invincibility duration.

The Taste Relic — Envious Tongue

After finishing the fourth chapter of the game Black Myth: Wukong, players will acquire the Envious Tongue Relic. This relic represents the taste sense in Buddhism and increases the duration of all medicinal effects, making it particularly beneficial when combined with Hubris Noise. Moreover, one of the Great Sage Talents associated with the Envious Tongue Relic boosts a very helpful spell in Black Myth: Wukong, Immobilize – a spell that players learn at the beginning of the game. The following are the specific effects of this talent on Immobilize:

Refreshing Taste — After consuming medicine, increases the Critical Hit Chance of the next attack.
Spread the Word — Immobilize affects all enemies around the target.
Tongue of a Connoisseur — Each equipped Soak slightly increases the health recovery of the Drink.

The Touch Relic — Grieved Body

In Black Myth: Wukong, the artifact embodying Buddhism’s tactile sense is called the Grieved Body Relic. This relic becomes available for players to obtain upon defeating the final boss at the end of Chapter 5. The Grieved Body Relic signifies the tactile sense in Buddhism by significantly lessening the damage taken from falls, a situation that may not occur frequently but can be lethal when it does. As the “touch” artifact within Black Myth: Wukong, the Grieved Body comes with some of the superior passive defense enhancements in the game, featuring upgrades such as:

Nimble Body — Massively reduces the Stamina cost of all charged Heavy Attacks.
Everlasting Vitality — Considerably increases Maximum Health.
Divine Safeguard — Considerably increases Four Banes Resistance.

The Mind Relic — The Destined One

In the game ‘Black Myth: Wukong’, the ultimate Relic players can obtain symbolizes the spiritual essence of Buddhism, but it stands out from all other Relics in an intriguing way. Unlike the other Relics, which are physical items to be found, it is disclosed that the Destined One himself becomes the sixth Relic – he embodies the mind of Sun Wukong. After Sun Wukong’s demise, five of his six senses were claimed by the Yaoguai Kings at the conclusion of each game chapter. However, his mind, being the unique sense tied to every life, was misplaced upon death because it dissipates with a life’s end. This is why the Destined One holds such a title, as he is fated to preserve the name and essence of Sun Wukong.

In Black Myth: Wukong, Game Science has meticulously integrated Eastern mythology and Buddhist themes not only into the game’s narrative and setting but also into its gameplay mechanics. As players advance through each level, they will gain one of six abilities inspired by Sun Wukong, each embodying a facet of Buddhism and providing distinct advantages that aid players in their ongoing adventure.

2024-08-26 15:43