Black Myth: Wukong developer Game Science just calls this game an action RPG. It specifically doesn't call it a Soulslike, and I kind of see what it means. This is a game where you fight plentiful bosses, dodge a lot while budgeting stamina, and rest at bonfire-esque checkpoints to refill your upgradeable healing flask. But is that all that defines a Soulslike? I would say no, partly because a lot of game developers have told me as much. And this is also a game with skill trees, color-coded gear rarities, one main weapon, and more linear level design, which all clash with the Souls bible (FromSoftware's black sheep Sekiro notwithstanding).
That's based on two hours with a slightly condensed Summer Game Fest demo that's highly subject to change, but Black Myth: Wukong feels more like the modern God of War games and less like Dark Souls so far. It also feels great to play, looks stupidly good in motion, and might be the best action RPG I've experienced since Lies of P.
