Black Myth: Wukong is not a Soulslike. It's a third-person action RPG based on the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, and it isn't particularly hard. It flows like the modern God of War games, not just because of all the gods around, but also the mix of color-coded gear, character skill trees, and linear paths with half-open sections attached. It is first and foremost an adventure, more inviting than punishing. But it does take a page from the book of Souslikes by hiding a ton of content from you, including some of the best moments and most challenging encounters.
You could blast through Black Myth: Wukong as a 20-hour boss rush, but you could also spend over 40 hours hunting down every boss, collectible, and NPC. A full half of the game is in the margins. I gave myself time to backtrack, and I'm glad I did, but as I reflect on Black Myth: Wukong after 34 hours, the stuff I know I didn't find hogs a lot of my headspace. That said, most of what I found was good, often great. Black Myth: Wukong can be incredibly frustrating on occasion, but it's an overall rock-solid action RPG with dozens of fantastic bosses in an absorbing, refreshingly weird world.
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