"Black Myth: Wu Kong": A New Milestone for Chinese AAA Games

"Black Myth: Wu Kong," a Chinese AAA-level game adapted from "Journey to the West," is set to release. This game combines the classic image of Sun Wukong with modern gaming technology, garnering widespread international attention. Despite cultural differences and controversies over "political correctness," the game has seen strong pre-order sales and ranks on Steam's wishlist.

IGN previously questioned the workplace culture of Game Science and criticized the absence of female characters in the game. However, recent reviews have shifted to positive, praising the game's visual effects and fluidity, and confirming that the final version will include female characters.

Expert Zou Sheng believes that although the repeated use of classics may lead to aesthetic fatigue, "Black Myth" infuses new life into the old story through new music, action scenes, and narrative elements. He notes that Chinese games have a long tradition of incorporating martial arts elements, but whether developers will continue to explore Chinese cultural characteristics in the process of globalization remains to be seen.

Associate Lecturer Zhang Chi mentions that the Chinese gaming industry generally resists "political correctness," but in the global market, maintaining sensitivity to free values aligns with economic interests. "Black Myth" lacks overt political elements, which may be one reason for its success overseas.

Assistant Professor Cao Xuenan points out that cultural misunderstandings are inevitable, and the game's primary audience is young people, so developers may not have considered political correctness as a comprehensive category. Nevertheless, overseas media has generally given positive reviews, considering "Black Myth" to be a visually stunning and hardcore action RPG game.