It is worth noting that, while strange creatures help the human character with her cooking, the studio has confirmed that none of the content is canon with Black Myth: Zhong Kui. Rather, it’s purely for entertainment, serving as a showcase of in-engine visuals and the art style.

Black Myth: Zhong Kui was announced back in August 2025 with a teaser trailer. As the title implies, Wukong won’t be returning as the protagonist this time around. Rather, the eponymous Zhong Kui will be the main subject of the story this time around. The Taoist figure was revealed in a CG teaser trailer riding a tiger.

While few details have been revealed about the game so far, Game Science CEO Feng Ji had spoken about wanting to work on a brand new project rather than a DLC for Black Myth: Wukong. In an interview, he spoke about the studio feeling “confusion, emptiness, and a kind of dread” when it had started working on Wukong DLC.

“What I really couldn’t shake during that period was mostly confusion, emptiness, and a kind of dread (I know that sounds melodramatic — don’t shoot me). No matter how ashamed I felt for ‘not being able to be happy,’ those emotions kept coming, uncontrollably and in waves, especially when I felt pulled under by questions like ‘Are you working on a DLC or not? Which characters will be in it? When will it be released?'”

“As a professional adult, I’m good at hiding those negative feelings and convincing myself to pull myself together and get on with making the DLC, because I knew clearly that the people asking for a DLC were, without doubt, fans who love Black Myth: Wukong and Game Science, the very people who carried us to where we are.”

Ji went on to describe his sense of relief when he was approached by Game Science co-founder Yang Qi, who spoke about the studio working on a new game instead. It also means that the studio gets to try its hand at making a new game from scratch, with new visuals, gameplay, technology, and a new story.

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is being developed for PC and consoles. It doesn’t yet have a release date, however. In the meantime, you can check out the studio’s previous title, Black Myth: Wukong on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. There have also been rumors that the game might be making its way to the Nintendo Switch 2 at some point.

In a new video outlining predictions for the Direct, NateTheHate (who originally leaked the date) says he’s heard of it coming to the Nintendo Switch 2. Whether it appears during the showcase is another matter, however. “The prediction is that it would be at this Partner Direct, but I have heard this game is coming to Switch 2 at some point.”

Even if it doesn’t appear, an announcement is still possible this year. Given the performance issues on PS5 and PC, one may be concerned about how it performs on the Switch 2. However, alongside updates to improve its frame rate and fix stability concerns, the action RPG could leverage the hardware’s DLSS upscaling for better performance.

As always, time will tell, and with the Direct Partner Showcase airing at 6 AM PT on February 5th, we may find out sooner rather than later. Black Myth: Wukong launched in August 2024 for PS5 and PC, and went on to sell over 20 million units in its first month. It would arrive for Xbox Series X/S last year – check out our review, where we gave it a 9 out of 10.

Game Science is also working on a new title in the same universe, Black Myth: Zhong Kui, announced to be in early development as of August 2025.

While I’m sure 2025 has given many of you more than a couple of such titles, I’m taken back to this time last year. I was probably well on my way to wrapping up Black Myth: Wukong after a thoroughly enjoyable adventure that retraced the journey of the protagonist. And once I did, life felt a little empty. Other games just didn’t cut it for me for a while after.

But what made Game Science’s excellent take on Wukong so special? Why did I jump at the chance to replay the game earlier this year when it finally made its way to the Xbox? What is it about the protagonist’s journey that makes me want to relive it the second I get a block of time to do so?

Join me as I dive into why this is a game that simply stands out among the crowd.

A Captivating World To Explore

From the very first moment of the game, it was clear that this was a world that I would explore every inch of. The fight between Wukong and Erlang Shen, presented with a captivating cinematic flair, had me very invested in why the two warriors were so disdainful of each other. I knew I was going to be going deep into every bit of detail I could uncover during my playthrough.

It isn’t just the visuals that are spellbinding but the manner in which the world is presented to you, every facet of the journey being brought to your attention in subtle ways. It’s hard to forget a headless musician appearing at random to drop a few catchy bars on what you’re currently experiencing, for instance.

The distinct themes that accompanied each level, and the subtle ways in which they were incorporated into the world and level design, were simply amazing. They permeated the enemies, bosses, characters, and even the gear and loot you could uncover as you explored the respective level.

The secrets I uncovered the first time I played the game deserve a special mention here. They were so subtly incorporated into the level design that I almost missed out on a major chunk of the game’s very first level, writing off a random bell as just a fun instance of the protagonist imitating Wukong’s irreverence. That would certainly have been a mistake, considering that the item at the end of that questline was one that I used right up to the end of the game.

Every armor set that I unlocked was unique in its own way, a far cry from loot-heavy titles that encourage mixing and matching instead of focused builds. I’m going to dive into the game’s build potential and replayability a little later down the line but each armor set’s unique visual look and perks were a very important part of why Black Myth: Wukong instantly clicked for me and why I continue to come back to it whenever I can.

Of course, every enemy I fought in the game is also an important part of that. The boss’s designs on this one were simply outstanding, acting as very memorable bookmarks within the same level and between them too. The Loongs, for istance, were a perfect balance of creativity and challenge that had me quite invested in that secret quest, and the rewards defeating each one granted were not to be scoffed at either.

Of course, the Yellow Wind Sage is going to get a shout-out from me thanks to the context behind that fight and the boss himself. This was among my favorite characters in the game, dripping with sheer arrogance and menace in his quest to hold on to the relic of Wukong that I was trying to take from him. His connection with the headless musician I previously mentioned is a detail I’d encourage you to explore if you’re yet to play the game. It’s a chapter that other games are yet to beat in my book.

Exploring the game’s breathtaking environments and uncovering fresh surprises hidden within each level are key reasons why this experience continues to stand out as one of my favorites, even a year after its release. But that’s not the only reason.

There’s a special argument to be made in favor of another important part of Black Myth’s gameplay loop: its combat.

Action Adventure Done Right

Despite Game Science’s insistence that Black Myth: Wukong was not a Soulslike title, it’s clear that my favorite genre of games served as an inspiration for the studio. Every enemy in the game had the potential to send me packing to my death if I wasn’t methodical and careful in my approach. Learning their movesets and timing my actions to exploit weaknesses was very much a part of the combat loop on offer, as was finding a combination of armor and charms that fit my playstyle.

That’s pretty darn close to what I’ve experienced with the best Soulslikes. But what Wulong does differently is that it removes the frustration that’s become a trademark of the genre. Levelling up your protagonist isn’t as risk-based since you don’t lose any of your hard-earned Will for a tiny mistake that resulted in your death.

Moreover, despite my initial annoyance at only having access to a quarterstaff and no other weapon types for the entirety of the game, I soon came to realize that there were other options at my disposal. Each of the special skills I unlocked over the course of my adventure was so well implemented that I often found myself switching things up just to get the thrill of pulling them out at precisely the right moment.

For instance, the ability to turn to stone and “parry” an incoming attack was what finally allowed me to wreck the Dragon Loong after multiple attempts to get a grip on the boss’s moveset had me scrambling to keep up. The depth that Black Myth’s combat system brings to the table is doled out gradually and in a way that does not let you feel overpowered against any of its bosses the first time you take them on.

But then New Game Plus comes along, and now things get very interesting. It’s where the game’s build variety comes into play, allowing you to try out a variety of strategies. It’s always great to see a game have you inflict a debuff on yourself just to tease out more power from your build. And for me, the Centipede Armor is among the finest additions to the game in that regard.

I found the damage buff it gives you to be so potent when it’s paired with the right charms, drinks, and other gear. It let me tear through grunt enemies, while the first few bosses I encountered in my first playthrough were simply unable to withstand the onslaught of attacks I unleashed upon them. When you get going with it, Wukong’s combat is a power trip that only Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, another title from a Chinese studio, has come close to replicating.

But no matter how powerful your build is, all it takes is a few mistakes for your enemies to turn the tables. That’s especially true in areas where there is no clipping on ledges and the like, meaning that a badly placed dodge can send you crashing to your death just as easily as the foe you were facing could.

Black Myth: Wukong’s combat system brings incredible depth and unpredictability to the table, and it is among the finest combat systems I’ve seen outside of the genre that inspired it.

A Well-Rounded Experience

With grand set pieces punctuating action-packed combat in a detailed, well-executed world, Black Myth’s biggest strength is the manner in which its many elements seamlessly blend to create a game that will always have me smiling fondly when I think about my first time peeling back its many layers.

It’s a rare game that makes you feel like you were actually a part of Wukong’s journey, learning everything the protagonist had to offer ahead of a final confrontation that has one of the most iconic moments involving a healing flask that I’ve seen! If you know, you know.

I’m yet to discover another action game that has managed to get me so invested in the experience that I’d give up on sleep just to play another hour or two of it. It’s definitely right up there with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as far as its execution and presentation are concerned. And that’s quite the compliment considering my love for that title.

But as far as action-adventure titles go, the protagonist’s trek through Wukong’s life is the one to beat.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

The Journeyer’s Chart, introduced in a prior patch as a map, will now properly guide players to the Keeper’s Shrine to pick up their first chart. However, the update’s main appeal is the various performance improvements. PC players can look forward to AMD FSR 4 support, improved global illumination at low settings, and Compatible Mode.

On PS5, Performance Mode has gone back to 60 Hz. While lighting quality is “adjusted,” input latency is lower and the output resolution is higher. The game’s loading speed, clarity of “certain textures,” and more have also been improved.

Check out the full patch notes below for more details. Alongside PS5 and PC, Black Myth: Wukong is available for Xbox Series X/S. For more details, head here for our review.

Black Myth: Wukong 1.0.20.21756 Patch Notes [PS5, PC]

Experience Improvements

Bosses

• Improved the combat experience against Yaoguai King “Giant Shigandang”.

Interaction

• Journeyer’s Chart interface will guide the Destined One to Travel with Keeper’s Shrine before any Journeyer’s Chart has been obtained.
• Improved the readability of the “Cleared” label in the “Load Journey” interface.

Performance

• Integrated AMD FSR4. On compatible hardware, it will be available in the in-game Settings after updating the driver and enabling FSR4 in the driver settings. (PC)
• Improved Compatible Mode. Now, with Compatible Mode enabled, ray tracing, frame generation, and some super-resolution functions will be temporarily disabled to help players avoid game launch failures caused by driver, hardware, or system abnormalities. (PC)
• Adjusted the default graphics settings for certain graphics cards to match the various graphical changes in the current game version. (PC)
• Significantly improved the lighting quality when Global Illumination is set to low, making it closer to the effect when Global Illumination is set to high. (PC)
• Adjusted Performance Mode back to 60Hz, reducing input latency and achieving higher resolution than before. However, the lighting quality level has been adjusted to enhance performance. The original Performance Mode is still retained and renamed “Performance Mode (Legacy)”. (PS5)
• Improved the game’s loading speed. (PS5)
• Improved the clarity of certain textures. (PS5)
• Improved CPU and rendering performance in numerous scenarios.
• Improved memory usage in numerous scenarios.
• Improved the quality of motion blur to mitigate the aliasing issues that occur when the camera pans.

Localization

• Added language support for Czech.

Bug Fixes

Bosses

• Fixed an issue where Yaoguai Chief “Top Takes Bottom & Bottom Takes Top” became undefeatable under certain conditions.
• Fixed an issue where the iron ball failed to display properly during battles against Yaoguai Chief “Top Takes Bottom & Bottom Takes Top” under certain conditions.

Performance

• Fixed several issues that caused screen ghosting and edge flickering. (PS5)
• Fixed an issue where XeSS 2.0 failed to enable frame generation on some displays. (PC)
• Fixed an issue where the game might crash on launch when both DLSS 4 frame generation and ray tracing were enabled. (PC)
• Fixed multiple rendering errors in NXSR that caused ghosting and edge flickering, and improved NXSR’s rendering quality. (PC)

Localization

• Fixed text overlapping in the “Make Medicine” interface for certain languages.
• Fixed voiceover and subtitle errors in certain cutscenes.
• Fixed an issue where some text in Settings was not properly localized.
• Corrected translation errors and fixed issues with spelling, capitalization, and terminology consistency in several languages.

While that means dealing with mod compatibility issues on PC, the most intriguing part of the update is its size on PS5. Due to “differences in file storage methods,” the update will require 93.5 GB of space. If this isn’t feasible, you can always delete and re-download the title. You can read the patch notes after the update goes live, so stay tuned for more information.

Black Myth: Wukong is available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out our review of the Xbox Series X/S version here. Game Science is working on a brand new title in the franchise, Black Myth: Zhong Kui. It’s currently in early development, but the studio chose to “start from scratch” instead of working on DLC for Wukong. Head here for more details.

Clair Obscur: Expedition

While traditional role-playing games never disappeared, they did become quite rare for a few years. The release of Clair Obscur: Expedition has managed to remind many people why that style of combat was so beloved. Along with an excellent setting that revolves around serious themes like loss and grief, Expedition also has a solid take on turn-based combat, with every single character in your party having their own bespoke mechanics, be it Maeve’s stance system, how Lune handles elements, or even Gustave’s Overcharge mechanics. Pair this with rewarding high-level gameplay with parries and dodging, and you get one of the best RPGs out there.

Baldur’s Gate 3

Baldur’s Gate 3 finally managed to hit mainstream success, thanks in large part to its strong setting and ambitious design. Baldur’s Gate 3 adapts rules from the 5th edition of tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons, and features some of the most interesting and likeable characters that have been featured in games in quite some time. Along with this, it also has an expansive story that kicks things off with a great premise: figure out how to get rid of a parasite in your brain before you end up being turned into a mindflayer. What follows is an epic adventure that carries you through different cities and planes, where countless stories and challenges await.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

What can we say about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt that hasn’t been said already? An entire decade since its original release, the open-world RPG has continued to be awesome thanks to constant support from CD Projekt RED, not only through the release of excellent expansions—but also through updating the title to make use of more modern hardware with enhanced visuals. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt continues to have an excellent story, with plenty of wonderfully-written sidequests. All of this, paired with a great combat system leads to a generally fun way to spend hundreds of hours.

Elden Ring + Shadow of the Erdtree

In many ways, both Elden Ring as well as its expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, represents the culmination of everything developer FromSoftware has learned in developing titles since 2009’s Demon’s Souls. Along with the slow-paced but heavy combat that the studio is known for, Elden Ring and its expansion also feature a great open world to explore, some of the best boss fights it has ever design, and some incredibly dense lore available for players who would care enough to pore through the dozens of item descriptions and conversations needed to uncover it all. Pair this with tools that provide plenty of options for players that might want an easier time through the game, and Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree simply prove themselves to be the best that FromSoftware has to offer.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Developer Rockstar has had many great games under its belt, essentially changing the entire concept of open-world games with the release of Grand Theft Auto 3 and its host of follow-ups, but none of them have been as jaw-dropping or awe-inspiring as 2018’s Red Dead Redemption 2. Acting as a prequel to the original Red Dead Redemption, the title puts you into the shoes of Arthur Morgan as he experiences the age of the cowboy coming to an end as a member of the Van der Linde gang. Along with some excellent character-writing and fun missions, Red Dead Redemption 2 also offers dense gameplay, taking on a simulationist approach to even side activities like hunting or train robbing, giving players hundreds of hours worth of things to do in its massive and lush open world.

Days Gone Remastered

While Days Gone was originally a PS4 game that came out to a middling reception, its release on PC has been a glow-up for the open-world zombie title, with modern gaming PCs being more than capable of handling the hordes of zombies that get thrown at you. Sure, the main narrative may not be particularly noteworthy. However, the side-activities, as well as the general gameplay loop encouraged by the fact that upgrading your motorbike is important, make the overall idea of setting out to scavenge from long-abandoned medical facilities or even rival gang camps an enticing idea.

Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition

While its initial release may have been a bit of a mess, in the years since, Cyberpunk 2077 has proven itself to be an excellent open-world action RPG. Taking on the role of V in the year 2077, you set out to become a legend in Night City. However, one of the jobs you take alongside your best friend Jackie goes horribly wrong, and now you’re slowly dying and the ghost of Johnny Silverhand lives in your head. Cyberpunk 2077, along with its expansion Phantom Liberty, tells an excellent story that takes you across Night City’s various districts and social strata as you try and figure out the evil machinations of the megacorporation Arasaka that led to the development of the thing that has been slowly killing you. Along with an excellent main story, Cyberpunk 2077 also features several well-written and fun side-quests that can range from getting into a rivalry with a Japanese pop group to discussing the nature of sentience with an AI taxi service.

Disco Elysium – The Final Cut

Quite easily one of the most interesting takes on the RPG genre that has been attempted, Disco Elysium – The Final Cut puts you in the shoes of a detective. You explore the city of Revachol, which is seemingly in the midst of a cultural upheaval in some parts, alongside your partner Lieutenant Kim Kitsuragi. Disco Elysium focuses more on conversation than it does action, and one of its most unique aspects is the fact that each aspect of the protagonist’s mind and body has a personality of its own. Through these conversations, you learn more about yourself, about Revachol, and about the world at large.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Mass Effect is one of those rare video game trilogies that deserves its “legendary” moniker. The three titles tell the story of a galaxy’s fight against a cosmic, existential threat, and puts players in the shoes of human Commander Shepard who must assemble a rag-tag crew of allies from the various species from across the galaxy as they try to figure out the mysteries behind the forces known only as the Reapers. Along the way, in true RPG fashion, there are also plenty of choices that players have to make, with many of these choices having far-reaching consequences for the galaxy as a whole. While the ending of Mass Effect 3 might be regrettable, the rest of the journey still holds up even today as one worth experiencing.

Prey (2017)

While it may not have anything to do with its 2006 namesake, Prey (2017) is an immersive sim that puts players in the shoes of Morgan Yu. Working for the TranStar Corporation on ethically-dubious experiments, you eventually start serving on the Talos I space station. However, these experiments eventually start going wrong, and the space station comes under attack by an alien threat known as the Typhon. The twist is that these aliens can shapeshift, which adds an extra layer of tension to the gameplay. Even when you’re just exploring an office room, one of the mugs might end up being a Mimic-type Typhon that can attack you at any time, after all. What makes Prey especially interesting is the freedom it gives the player in how they choose to tackle any situation, be it stealth, combat, or even something more creative, like building platforms out of nearby furniture and your Goo Gun to avoid any dangers.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition

Skyrim is still – at the time of publishing – the latest game in The Elder Scrolls franchise, and there’s a good reason that it has been the best-selling one so far. Taking place in the eponymous region of Skyrim, the game puts players in the shoes of whatever character they might like to be and, after a short opening quest, sets them free in the world. What makes Skyrim fun is that it has hundreds of hours worth of content, not only through its main story, but through several side quests as well. Along with this, the game also has an excellent modding community that has constantly worked on adding more content to the game, as well as improving what’s already there. Generally speaking, The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the closest thing we have to a game we can play forever.

Fallout 3

What Skyrim does for the fantasy genre, Fallout 3 does for players that might prefer a post-apocalyptic setting. Taking place in and around a post-nuclear fallout Washington DC – referred to in-game as the Capitol Wasteland – Fallout 3 sets you loose in an open world with a single goal: find your father. More interesting than the main story, however, is the sheer amount of side-content that is available right from the get-go. The first-person RPG will have you cover the entire length and breadth of the wasteland as you try and do as many side-quests as possible thanks to the excellent writing. While we’re at it, the gameplay isn’t bad either; it might be dated by modern standards, but the RPG systems in the game allow for plenty of player choice in terms of how you want to define your play style.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

After years of memes making the rounds on the Internet, Hollow Knight: Silksong is finally out. Putting players in the shoes of new protagonist Hornet, Hollow Knight: Silksong features an entirely new world to explore, and tons of challenging boss fights to tackle. Along the way, there are also plenty of new gameplay systems to explore, including the new healing mechanics, as well as the ability to change up Hornet’s entire moveset if you so desire. Much like the original Hollow Knight, Silksong has an easy claim to the crown at the top of the genre.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

While Marvel’s Spider-Man was already a fantastic return of the webslinger to the gaming medium, Insomniac Games has taken everything about the open-world action game and turned it up to eleven with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Not only does it feature an even more epic storyline featuring plenty of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery, it also features two whole Spider-Men taking on the threats to New York City – Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Throw on top a fun plot about both of our heroes growing together, as well as the unique personal issues affecting both of them, as well as the threat of the Symbiote over the whole plot, and you get a great time.

Little Nightmares 2

Little Nightmares 2 is an interesting game since, while it might appear like a cutesy platformer from the outside, underneath its adorable exterior lies a dark game filled with a surprising amount of horror. The title revolves around a boy, Mono, who finds a girl, Six, trapped in the basement of a dark and terrible house, and the two must work together to make it out alive.Along the way, they will have to deal with many terrifying enemies and other dark secrets of the main setting of the game – the Pale City – and the title makes heavy use of some psychedelic visuals to hammer home the point that the city is not a welcoming place for wayward children.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

While most open-world RPGs tend to make use of fantasy settings, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 instantly sets itself apart from its contemporaries by instead making use of real-world place, complete with accurate depictions of historical events. Taking place in the lands of Bohemia, protagonist Henry finds himself and his friend, Sir Hans, the victims of a bandit attack on their way to deliver a message to Trosky. What follows is Henry’s attempts to complete his mission, and along the way, grow as a person. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 takes a simulationist approach to its gameplay, with armours and weapons feeling appropriately hard to find and maintain, and crafting systems that will have you reading instructions from books before you go about mixing potions or forging a sword. The title offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay, along with some of the best sword-fighting mechanics ever executed in a first-person game.

Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake was a masterclass in horror, but its sequel takes things a step further. In Alan Wake 2, players control multiple characters as they explore genuinely creepy locations, face terrifying creatures, and experience it all with an amazing score and exceptional gameplay. This is what horror games should strive to be, and it leaves us eager to see what Remedy has in store for the inevitable Alan Wake 3.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut

Hideo Kojima’s first major project after his departure from Konami, Death Stranding is a game that is quite difficult to explain. Essentially, you are a courier in a world where a global catastrophe has made humanity spread out far and wide, with little to keep them connected to each other. The core gameplay revolves around you taking on delivery jobs and then figuring out how to cross the terrain to get to your objective. What makes this interesting is that Death Stranding is one of those rare games where terrain is quite important, and you can’t just climb any surface you see. This means that you will have to figure out the best route to take that doesn’t risk too much damage to the cargo you’re carrying. Throw on top a bonkers plot that revolves around the concepts of death, the soul and the body, as well as the general creepiness that the ghost-like BTs exhibit, and you have a fantastic time experience, while long, is well worth it.

The Witness

From the developer behind Braid, The Witness is a strange puzzle game that takes a single mechanic – being able to draw lines – and turns it into the entire game. While most of the title will have you finding screens to then solve logical puzzles with your line drawing powers, the whole game essentially blows open at a certain point when you start to discover that the entire world around you is also a puzzle that can then be manipulated and solved in different ways. Along the way, the game also features narration that explores the nature of the island you’re exploring, and what its true purpose might be. All of this is paired with some wonderful art direction and a vibrant colour palette that makes sure that nothing in The Witness ever looks boring.

Ghost of Tsushima

Ghost of Tsushima is an open-world game where the protagonist – a samurai named Jin Kasai – survives an initial battle against an invading Mongol force, and must rally the citizens and soldiers of Tsushima island to mount a resistance against the invaders. Over the course of the fantastic open-world game, Sakai must also come to terms with meanings behind words like honour, and the caste system that Japan was living under at the time. Ghost of Tsushima features simple-but-excellent combat gameplay, as well as quite a few tools for the player should they decide to sneak around instead, as they go around Tsushima liberating settlements from the Mongols and ultimately figure out a way to get at the primary antagonist – Khotun Khan, cousin of Kubali Khan.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered

While the original The Last of Us was a great game with a fantastic story anchored by wonderfully-written characters, The Last of Us Part 2 goes a step further, giving us a darker tale that focuses on two distinct characters and their quest for vengeance and redemption. Along with the larger overall scale of gameplay, The Last of Us Part 2 also tells a grander story, and features some of the most fun boss fights to have been put into a title where the gameplay is otherwise quite realistic. On top of all of this, the Remastered release on PC also has a host of extra content in the form of the roguelike survival mode No Return, where you get to take on combat challenges as the character of your choice in a variety of different levels.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

FromSoftware might be largely known for its slow-paced action RPGs in the Souls series and Elden Ring, but with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the studio instead decided to take on a much faster style of gameplay where being on the defensive was punished. Rather than hiding behind a shield, in Sekiro, you are instead forced to learn the timings of various enemy attacks so that you can instead parry them, eventually breaking your foes’ posture to then finish them off with a glorious killing blow. The title still maintains much of the FromSoftware DNA, however, including how death works and the emphasis on smaller-scaled levels that are more dense and intertwining, encouraging plenty of exploration. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, despite its differences from the studio’s other games, can easily be considered one of its best outings yet.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

A collection featuring two games – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy – Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection tells two excellent stories. While one tries to wrap up the ongoing plot of Nathan Drake trying to forge a legacy for himself, the other instead features two supporting characters from preceding Uncharted games in the roles of dual protagonists as they set off on an adventure of their own. Where Uncharted 4 offers a polished take on everything the series has had to offer so far, Lost Legacy instead goes for more experimental game design. All in all, both titles are well worth playing, even if you haven’t been able to play the first three games in the series.

Frostpunk 2

The original Frostpunk was a fresh take on the city-builder genre with a unique setting where you have to build and manage a city around sources of heat, since the planet has essentially frozen over. Its sequel pulls the camera back a bit, and instead of having you put down individual buildings, you’re now laying out entire districts with a single click. Despite this more zoomed out take on the gameplay, however, Frostpunk 2 still makes the player choose between two horrifying choices for the survival of their city, much like its predecessor, and the general progression of the title has been taken in interesting directions, such as how trade routes are managed and how districts can boost or bring down one another, depending on proximity. All of this is paired with some wonderful visuals and excellent sound design that perfectly manage to bring your cities to life.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a direct sequel to A Plague Tale: Innocence, and revolves around the two siblings once more having to travel together again. This time around, Amicia and Hugo de Rune have to travel south in order to try and look for a cure for Hugo’s affliction. On the gameplay side of things, it offers more of a refinement over its predecessor rather than any radical changes. Players take on the role of Amicia while Hugo helps out from time to time. However, both characters also have plenty of new abilities to play around with in combat encounters. A Plague Tale: Requiem also acts as an absolute feast for the eyes considering its incredible level of visual fidelity and strong art direction.

The Rogue Prince of Persia

After having spent several months in Early Access, The Rogue Prince of Persia was finally out a few weeks ago, and the fact that developer Evil Empire took player feedback quite seriously is evident. The title features incredibly-polished side-scrolling and platforming with smooth animations and a great visual style that still manages to work well with the randomly-generated levels. Throw on top some fast-paced combat that rewards quick timing, as well as a large variety of weapons, and you’re going to have a great time as you figure out the time-bending story of the Prince who is trying to save his people after previously having been the unwitting instigator of this doom to begin with.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Middle-earth: Shadow of War builds on everything its predecessor did in expansive ways. It brings back the much-beloved Nemesis system, which allows protagonist Talion to face down various kinds of Orc enemies, each with their own unique personalities and fighting styles. On top of this, the Orcs winning the fight also means that they’ll get stronger, making the subsequent rematch even harder. The Nemesis system alone makes Shadow of War worth your time, but if that’s not enough, it also has a fun story exploring an alternate timeline of the Lord of the Rings books where a giant war was waged against the forces of Mordor well before the events of the books take place. The gameplay also serves as an excellent evolution of the classical style of open-world action gameplay we saw over the last couple of console generations.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft embarks once again on a perilous hunt for a precious treasure. However, in her carelessness, Croft accidentally sets off a chain of events that threatens the world, and now she must find a way to stop the destruction. On the gameplay side of things, it offers fast and responsive gunplay as well as plenty of options for some stealth, including the ability for Croft to cover herself in mud to blend in with her surroundings better. The star of the game is undoubtedly the platforming, and with plenty of tombs for Croft to raid, Shadow of the Tomb Raider offers just about everything you could ask for.

Black Myth: Wukong

Black Myth: Wukong is an interesting take on a classic setting. The game features excellent boss fights, along with some gorgeous visuals. These aspects are further bolstered by the fact that the combat system is incredible and responsive. Even the encounter design deserves some praise, since Black Myth: Wukong has been designed around the idea of making the player use just about every tool they have at their disposal. There isn’t really much else to say that hasn’t already been said plenty of times already. It did, after all, manage to hold on to its concurrent player count records at launch when compared to any game out there on PC.

Mafia: The Definitive Edition

While the Mafia series has seen a newfound level of success thanks to the recent release of Mafia: The Old Country, the original Mafia is still worth revisiting, especially in its Definitive Edition form, since it now features modernised gameplay and combat systems, as well as a massive upgrade in visual quality. The story revolves around humble taxi driver Thomas Angelo in the city of Lost Haven, who finds himself embroiled with the local mob thanks to a recent car chase against a rival mob. Things slowly escalate as Angelo climbs up the ranks of the Salieri family. Interestingly, the story is told in the form of Angelo confessing to his crimes to a detective, with liberal use of flashbacks as the main storytelling device. The title also features a fun open world to drive through, especially since few games ever use the Great Depression as their setting.

Mad Max

Having come out at a time where many players and critics alike were suffering from open-world fatigue, Mad Max was quite overlooked. However, in the decade since, the title has been vindicated thanks to its excellent open world design and strong gameplay. Mad Max is a unique open world game where the player’s vehicle, the Magnum Opus, is an important form of progression. Much of the game will be spent with you, as Max, trying to find parts and blueprints to upgrade the car. Along with this, there is also an emphasis on vehicular combat, as well as good ol’ fisticuffs and some ranged weapons thrown in for good measure.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world game that perfectly manages to tap into the world of the Harry Potter books. The title takes place a hundred years before the events of the books, and puts players in the shoes of a budding young wizard joining the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As they live out their student life, players will also eventually discover a bubbling goblin uprising, as well as criminal wizards. Hogwarts Legacy is one of those games that any fan of the Harry Potter series owes themselves to play because of just how well it captures the magical feelings of the books.

Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon

While Skyrim might offer a fun take on a fantasy open-world RPG, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon takes a darker turn. The game takes on the classic tales of Arthurian legend, albeit with its own unique interpretations. Along with its vast open world, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon also features quite a bit of emphasis on first-person combat, be it with swords or at range with a bow and some arrows. There are also plenty of other things to do while you’re out and about, from gathering crafting materials to simply taking a break by sketching some scenery or fishing by a lake.

Star Wars Outlaws

Star Wars Outlaws stands as a redemption story of its own, overcoming early skepticism to win players over. While the game was a mess when it first came out, the developers have taken quite a bit of player feedback to then introduce a host of fixes to the game, from gameplay aspects like improving how stealth works, to the addition of plenty of story content through the release of two expansions. Star Wars Outlaws is a great way to experience the Star Wars universe without the baggage of having to play as a Jedi.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

Assassin’s Creed Shadows represents something of a new leaf for the franchise. While many had found the last two releases—Valhalla and Odyssey—a bit too bloated, Shadows pulls its filler and padding back a bit, instead focusing on delivering a few core activities that are actually fun and make the world a joy to explore. It also finally takes the franchise to Japan, and introduces a pair of new protagonists: the stealthy Naoe and the fearsome Yasuke. The two have to work together to figure out the secrets behind Oda Nobunaga’s death, while also dealing with the machinations of an early form of the Templars.

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered

While Skyrim might serve as a fantastic open-world RPG in its own right, its predecessor, Oblivion, was also a downright excellent game. And now, with the Remastered release, we can once more explore the lands of Cyrodiil as we take on the opening of the Oblivion Gates and a Daedric invasion. Along with this, there are also plenty of side-quests to take on, including a host of factions to join, from the fighter’s guild to the Dark Brotherhood. You can even simply become an arena fighter if that’s all you really want to do, it’s ultimately all up to you.

Atomfall

While Rebellion might be known for its excellent shooter series Sniper Elite, the studio decided to try something different with Atomfall. Rather than taking on Nazi soldiers on covert missions during World War 2, Atomfall instead has you scavenging for resources in a strange world where it is up to you to figure out the game’s story through your own skills of investigation and deduction. While there are plenty of fights you can still get into, you’ll want to be a lot more careful about the kinds of enemies you decide to take on, since you’re a lot more fragile and not as well-armed as you might be in a Sniper Elite game.

Sniper Elite: Resistance

While Rebellion has been experimenting with Atomfall, it still hasn’t left its Sniper Elite series behind. We also recently got the release of Sniper Elite: Resistance, where players take on the role of a brand new protagonist, SOE Agent Harry Hawker, who is taking on missions that run parallel to the events of Sniper Elite 5. Since it is ultimately a spin-off, Sniper Elite: Resistance features primarily the same gameplay as its predecessors, but with quite a bit more refinements in various things, from second-to-second gameplay all the way up to how its missions are structured.

Firewatch

Firewatch is a narrative adventure game where the goal is quite simple; on his first day at Firewatch tower Two Forks, protagonist Henry gets some interesting calls on his radio, which is otherwise only used to contact his supervisor who is based at the Thorofare tower. Things quickly start getting dark, and Henry must figure out who is calling him on the radio, and what exactly is up with his supervisor who he is yet to physically meet. Firewatch doesn’t really feature any combat. Rather, there is a focus on exploration and environmental storytelling, and it’s largely up to the player to figure out where to go and how to get there.

Dying Light

While there have been a couple of sequels out so far, the original Dying Light is still a game well worth playing thanks to its fantastic melee combat systems and parkour mechanics that make travelling through the streets and rooftops of the zombie-infected city of Haran. The story itself is also quite interesting, with protagonist Kyle Crane having been infected with the zombie virus and needing to find a way to curtail its symptoms before he ultimately turns. The title also features an interesting twist on the day-night cycle, with day time being safe for exploration but night time offering far greater rewards at the risk of the player having to deal with incredibly dangerous and more powerful zombies dubbed Volatiles. All of this combined with a fun crafting system that rewards creativity in your weapon choices make Dying Light often feel like it’s still the best game in the series so far.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown

Until the release of Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, the Ace Combat franchise felt like one of the worst-kept secrets in terms of how insane it can be both in terms of quality of gameplay and story. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown tells a brand new story in the world of Strangereal, with the plot primarily revolving around a massive war between the Kingdom of Erusea and the Osean Foundation. The title features excellent arcade-style dogfighting combat with a host of fighter jets from the real world, as well as quite a few fictional jets for some added fun.

Half-Life 2

Quite an easy contender for one of the greatest games ever made, Half-Life 2 has a sprawling campaign that holds up even to this day thanks to the sheer amount of variety it presents to players, both in the form of different weapons and enemies, as well as the mechanics of various levels. The title was also important in introducing the physics engine that is part of Valve’s own Source engine, and the feature was on incredible display thanks to a weapon like the gravity gun. Throw on top an impressive story that is told in an incredibly minimalistic way without ever cutting to a cutscene, and it’s easy to see why Half-Life 2 is so widely regarded as being such a great game, even in 2025.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

While PC as a platform is no stranger to first-person shooters, it is hard to argue that the Halo franchise isn’t one of the best that the genre has seen. Thankfully, thanks to Halo: The Master Chief Collection, players can experience almost the entirety of the Halo storyline, starting from the original Halo: Combat Evolved, its sequels Halo 2, Halo 3 and spin-offs ODST, Halo Reach, and even the start of 343 Industries’ (now Halo Studios) run with the franchise, Halo 4. The collection also offers a way to play all of the various games’ levels in remixed orders, following distinct themes like levels that focus on vehicles, for example, to focusing more on certain subplots. Halo: The Master Chief Collection is essentially the best way to experience a seminal shooter series, warts and all.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Quite possibly the most refined gameplay offered so far in the Monster Hunter franchise, Monster Hunter Wilds represents the pinnacle of the series, if not in its smaller roster of monsters when compared to its predecessors, then at least in its gameplay systems and massive, beautiful worlds. Monster Hunter Wilds features a short, fun story that takes you across the Forbidden Lands as you try to get young child Nata back to his family. Along the way you’ll get to take on several monsters, both new to the series as well as returning favourites, using the weapons of your choice out of 14 distinct options. Monster Hunter Wilds features plenty of gameplay refinements as well, including a mount system, as well as the ability to carry around two weapons that you can switch between mid-fight, which is great since each weapon feels like you’re playing a new game altogether.

Returnal

One of the rare instances of a AAA roguelite game, Returnal is an intense third-person shooter that puts players in the shoes of space pilot Selene Vassos who finds herself having crashed on an alien planet named Atropos. What follows is a psychedelic adventure as she tries to find the source of a mysterious signal called the White Shadow, but the twist is that Selene seems to be stuck in some kind of time loop where, every time she dies, she finds herself waking up at the moment of her ship’s crash. The title is filled with fast-paced and tense combat that has you dodging massive projectiles shot by strange creatures, and occasionally also getting your hands on upgrades for your weapons. The story itself is also quite interesting, pulling in plenty of allusions from myths as she tries to make it off Atropos alive.

Sleeping Dogs

Born from the ashes of the long-dead True Crime series of games, Sleeping Dogs is the closest we’ve ever gotten to having a Hong Kong action movie in video game form. The plot revolves around the adventures of undercover cop Wei Shen who must infiltrate a triad gang in order to take it down from the inside. When it comes to gameplay, Sleeping Dogs is an open-world game with several inter-mingling systems, from driving and vehicular combat, to melee combat with slick martial arts moves, and the occasional bouts of ranged combat when you can get your hands on a gun. The game wonderfully realises its setting of Hong Kong, often showing the stark contrasts between the cleaner commercial areas of the city and the but bright and colourful entertainment districts.

Metro Exodus

Whereas the first two games in the Metro series were more focused on offering linear experiences, Metro Exodus broadened its scope by a considerable amount by opting to set players free in more open environments. While far from an open-world game, Metro Exodus still provides quite a bit of freedom to players in terms of how they want to approach any situation. Along with this, the title also encourages plenty of exploration since, in keeping with series tradition, resources are scarce in Metro Exodus. Exploring is also a great way to get your hands on valuable upgrade materials to improve the arsenal of weapons you will ultimately end up using against not only human enemies, but mutated foes as well. The story is also quite interesting, since it revolves around Artyom, his wife Anna, and their friends the Rangers departing the Moscow Metro system in a train to explore the Russian wilderness.

Gears of War: Reloaded

When the original Gears of War first came out back in 2006, it was considered a mind-blowing experience for the time thanks to its visuals, as well as refinements over the turn-based shooter mechanics we had seen done much worse in plenty of other games. Gears of War: Reloaded, however, proves that the original title still holds up to this day thanks to its incredible campaign with plenty of set pieces, fun and varied weapons to play around with, and some downright fantastic visual upgrades that have been made to take better advantage of modern hardware.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells is one of those rare indie games that manages to get just about every single one of its aspects right. Even something as simple as movement and exploration feel great in the roguelite action game, and the level of variety on offer with the weapons, as well as the meta progression system that encourages not only mastery of the traversal systems, but also a willingness to explore, make just about every run of Dead Cells feel like a fun time. Throw on top some excellent pixel art that really makes its massive boss fights come to life, as well as the plethora of additional content – ends up making it very difficult to put the side-scroller down for good.

Detroit: Become Human

While games made by Quantic Dream might be quite divisive at times, Detroit: Become Human is outright the best title that the studio has put out so far. Featuring narrative-focused gameplay that largely involves having conversations and making choices at key moments, Detroit: Become Human tells three distinct stories in a world where humanity treats sentient androids that it has developed as slaves. All three stories have the player take on the role of a distinct android, where you have to figure out the complex moral quandaries that take place throughout the storylines.

Portal 2

When the first Portal came out, it was widely regarded as a radical new entry in a genre that was otherwise known to revolve around killing things. It ultimately ended up laying the foundations for what would become Portal 2 – a bigger, grander sequel in every way possible. Portal 2 takes place an unknown amount of time after the events of the first game, and has Chell once more pick up the portal gun to find her way out of the Aperture Science facility she’s trapped in. Along with GlaDOS returning once more as a major character, Portal 2 also features a new character in the form of Wheatley. We also get a lot of storytelling in the game, since quite a bit of it has you exploring ancient versions of the bathroom curtain company that would eventually become Aperture Science.

Outlast

There might be plenty of stealth-based horror games out there, but Outlast manages to be something quite special thanks to its use of some real-world history to build up its scare. Revolving primarily around the MK Ultra experiments that were conducted by the CIA, the game puts you into the shoes of independent journalist Miles Upshur who is trying to get the scoop on Mount Massive Asylum for the Criminally Insane. Unfortunately, owing to unethical experiments, most of its residents have essentially gone insane, and now Upshur must figure out how to survive and get out in one piece while also making sure he gets enough evidence along the way. Outlast also makes use of a handheld camera as its primary PoV device, since it offers a night vision mode. However, players will also have to keep a track of their battery consumption, since you don’t want to be trapped in the dark with murderous people around you.

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Ostensibly the closest the Metal Gear franchise gets to having a “final” game since it takes place furthest into the future, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is a major departure for the series. It trades in the tactical espionage action in favour of the more bombastic tagline of lightning bolt action, and puts you in the shoes of a fully cyborg-ised Raiden at the peak of his power. Developed by PlatinumGames, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance features a fantastic combat system that has an emphasis on not only long and vicious combos, but also parrying the enemy’s attacks to open them up for massive counter-attacks. This, along with the Zandatsu system that lets you cut just about everything, be it an enemy’s limbs or a bridge’s support, make Revengeance a treat to play. Throw on top an over-the-top but fun story about private military contractors and a cartoonishly evil US Senator and you have an explosive roller coaster.

Resident Evil

Before the remake of Resident Evil 2 back in 2019 was considered the high watermark for video game remakes, the series had already earned similar acclaim for its remake of the original Resident Evil. Originally released on the GameCube all the way back in 2002, the remake of the original Resident Evil eventually made its way to PC, complete with higher-resolution textures and all of the high-quality upgrades that it got over the original. Even after all these years, Resident Evil still manages to feel like a one-of-a-kind survival horror experience, thanks to its tight level design and generally excellent gameplay that melds environmental puzzle solving and tense action sequences, all while keeping you on the edge of your seat thanks to a constant scarcity of weapons and ammo.

Watch_Dogs 2

It’s no secret that the original Watch_Dogs was a bit of a disappointment, both in terms of its visuals, as well as its story and characters. The series’ second stab at the series in the form of Watch_Dogs 2, however, proved to be a much more interesting experience. Rather than focusing on the brooding Aiden Pearce, Watch_Dogs 2 instead stars a group of scrappy young adults as they venture into the real world to start their careers, but find themselves fighting against an authoritarian regime that is making use of high-tech surveillance technology to control the populace. Protagonist Marcus Holloway is a much more fun character than Pearce ever was, and the attempts of his rebel hacker crew, DedSec, to take down ctOS 2.0 are a wild, fun, and often emotional adventure.

Silent Hill f

After the Silent Hill franchise spent over a decade being missing from the overall gaming scene, the series made a bombastic return with last year’s remake of the seminal Silent Hill 2. A year later and now we even have a brand new entry in the stories franchise – Silent Hill f. The game takes place in the unique setting of a quaint Japanese finishing town in the 1960s, where school-going girl Hinako has a strained relationship with her parents and goes to meet her friends for some solace. However, a sinister fog starts covering the town of Ebisugaoka, and Hinako finds herself trapped and fighting for her life. While there is an emphasis on combat this time around, Silent Hill f is still able to effectively pull off the scares and tense atmosphere that the series is known for.

Dying Light: The Beast

The newest entry in the Dying Light franchise is seen as something of a return to form for the series. While Dying Light 2 Stay Human did well for developer Techland, the studio itself acknowledged that it had lost what made the original Dying Light great, and hence we get The Beast. Once more putting us into the shoes of Kyle Crane after the events of The Following, Dying Light: The Beast features improved parkour-based traversal over its predecessor, while also bringing in improvements to both melee and ranged combat, all of which is packaged into a fantastic new open world to explore with plenty of variety, both in terms of zombie types and the scenery.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter

A reimagining of an absolute classic, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a ground-up 3D remake of a seminal 2D sprite-based RPG. As its name implies, it is the first part of the expansive Trails franchise, and puts you in the shoes of Estelle Bright and her adopted brother Joshua as they set off as members of the peacekeeping guild, starting out as bracers and slowly working their way up. The Trails series, while long, absolutely features several stories well worth experiencing, and there is currently no better way to start your journey than with Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter.

Blue Prince

Puzzle games, especially in the indie space, tend to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Very rarely, however, does one show up that ends up feeling like a revelation. This is precisely what developer Dogubomb achieved with Blue Prince. The premise is quite simple: you are stuck in a mysterious manor – Mt. Holly – where the rooms shift around for no apparent reason. The core of the game is exploring the mansion, but the twist is that the player decides what the next room will be every time they open a door. Blue Prince has a wide gamut of puzzles for players to figure out as they try to make their way to the rumoured Room 46. To throw another wrench in your plans, the house once again shifts its rooms around every dawn. Blue Prince is the kind of game where you can spend anywhere from between 15 minutes to several hours at a stretch as you try to comb through the mysterious rooms of Mt. Holly to find a way to their destination.

Commandos: Origins

While the real-time tactical stealth series Commandos doesn’t really need much of an introduction, the latest release, Commandos: Origins, proves that the genre and style of gameplay still has legs in the modern day. Taking us all the way back to the origin of the World War 2 crew of commandos you play in the original Commandos, Commandos: Origins offers entirely new challenges throughout its various maps, all with more modernised gameplay thanks to updated visuals, as well as a large variety of objective types that will have you make use of just about every ability you and your crew can muster.

Gathering the legendary hero’s six senses was an absolute pleasure, with Game Science’s beautifully crafted world hiding secrets, lore drops, hidden bosses, cool gear, and a host of well-written NPCs from the lore that inspired this title, all coming together to make Black Myth: Wukong one of my favorite action titles of last year.

At the same time, I can’t believe it’s taken a year to bring this incredible title to the Xbox Series X|S, but hey, it’s better late than never. That’s because Wukong brings every facet of the experience to life on Microsoft’s current-gen hardware with aplomb, and like the Monkey King, does so with style and substance.

Black Myth: Wukong certainly wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Based on the Chinese Journey to the West, the story centers around Sun Wukong, or the Monkey King, as he’s better known in popular culture.

"Game Science’s switch to Unreal Engine 5 in the middle of Wukong’s development cycle is a decision that has worked wonders for the game."

Following in his footsteps as one of his descendants, looking to bring the living legend back to life after an unfortunate encounter with divine forces, your time as the protagonist brings you in contact with several characters from Wukong’s journey, tweaked to better suit the narrative that Game Science is trying to present in its title.

And it’s quite the tale. Game Science makes intelligent use of the source material to craft an experience that is visually stunning while carrying enough emotional heft to make it memorable, its characters all playing their part in making this a journey that’s a pleasure to embark upon rather than a tedious trek through key locations from Wukong’s past.

The pacing and execution of the protagonist’s tale is brilliant, and the choice to divide the journey into distinct chapters allows each stage of that journey to shine in its own unique way. And shine it does on the Xbox Series X.

Game Science’s switch to Unreal Engine 5 in the middle of Wukong’s development cycle is a decision that has worked wonders for the game. Every vista that the protagonist visits outdoes the grandeur and sheer beauty of the last, boasting of a unique visual signature that ties very well with the narrative themes it presents.

It helps that the Xbox was able to keep up with it all for the most part, bringing each area to life just as well as the game’s counterparts on other platforms while maintaining a silky smooth framerate in Performance Mode, which remained as my pick among the options on offer.

While Balanced and Quality modes are present, a title like this always benefits from a better framerate, allowing me to better weave in and out of enemy animations, which is quite important to the protagonist’s journey. I must point out that there was a bit of stutter in comparison to the PS5 version I played last year, but it’s not a deal breaker for the most part.

Loading times are largely the same, letting you get right back into the action quite quickly every time you load up a new area, either by visiting it for the first time or via fast travel from the game’s many locations. While it’s too early to comment on how the Series S is holding up, expect a similar experience, albeit at a lower resolution.

"You navigate through each chapter fighting off grunts to accrue XP and Will (the currency you use to purchase upgrades and other useful items)."

Overall, the graphics on Wukong’s Xbox debut are largely on par with its PS5 and PC versions. Kudos to Game Science for its determination to recreate the magical experience it designed for its players on Xbox.

Getting into a fight against the stunning visual backdrop of Wukong’s levels continues to be my favorite part of the game. While I can’t stop lamenting the lack of weapon variety in this title, considering that you only get to wield varying versions of your trusty staff, I must admit that it does get the job done while the options you are presented with work well with other facets of your build.

While Game Science has been quite emphatic about this one not being a Soulslike, it’s hard to miss the familiar trappings from that genre as you take on the many threats that Wukong offers.

You navigate through each chapter fighting off grunts to accrue XP and Will (the currency you use to purchase upgrades and other useful items). You must use all of the tools at your disposal to come out victorious against minibosses and bosses. It’s all quite familiar, but with the challenge dialled down to present a more accessible combat system.

That’s not to say that this game’s enemies are pushovers, not in the slightest. Even lowly grunts can quickly send you packing, although retaining your collected XP and Will when you die does ease things up a bit. But you must learn attack patterns and animations, using that knowledge to Perfect Dodge your way into opportunities to dish out some damage of your own.

You pick up a lot of unique gear and spells along your journey, with each new discovery opening up the potential to create a build that’s truly your own. However, there are only so many unique builds that can be crafted in this game, considering the limited selection of perks on offer, each of which centers around the use of one spell over the others.

"Overall, the graphics on Wukong’s Xbox debut are largely on par with its console and PC versions."

With three stances opening up offensive and defensive options, and your choice of playstyle, Wukong’s combat quickly becomes a deadly dance in which one wrong move on either side could alter the course of a fight. Things only get more spectacular and challenging as the story progresses, and there’s never a dull moment as you navigate this game’s semi-linear world and try to tease out all of its secrets.

Overall, I’m glad that Game Science decided to persevere and bring Wukong to the Xbox when it could have easily called it a day after the game’s successful showing on the PS5 and PC last year. It’s given me a chance to revisit a title that I absolutely love, while giving me an opportunity to brush up on its systems before the release of its rumored DLC.

Minor performance hiccups aside, Black Myth: Wukong is as great on an Xbox as it was on other platforms, and is definitely worth a try if you haven’t had the chance to see what the fuss was all about last year. It’s quite easy to recommend a title that delivers on all fronts and does so in such an effortless fashion, after all.

Give it a shot if you like a game that blends a solid story, stunning visuals, and meaty combat into one cohesive experience.

This game was reviewed on Xbox Series X.

It all started when the studio began working on DLC for Wukong, which quickly took a turn. “What I really couldn’t shake during that period was mostly confusion, emptiness, and a kind of dread (I know that sounds melodramatic — don’t shoot me). No matter how ashamed I felt for ‘not being able to be happy,’ those emotions kept coming, uncontrollably and in waves, especially when I felt pulled under by questions like ‘Are you working on a DLC or not? Which characters will be in it? When will it be released?’

“As a professional adult, I’m good at hiding those negative feelings and convincing myself to pull myself together and get on with making the DLC, because I knew clearly that the people asking for a DLC were, without doubt, fans who love Black Myth: Wukong and Game Science, the very people who carried us to where we are.”

However, Feng Ji felt “relieved” when studio co-founder Yang Qi asked if he’d rather make something new instead of working on the DLC, and work started on Zhong Kui. And while it would have been a “solid choice,” the team is leaning more towards making a brand new game.

“New hero, new gameplay, new visuals, new technology, and new story. We want to free our hands, experiment boldly, break from fixed formulas, and start from scratch.”

Black Myth: Zhong Kui is coming to consoles and PC, but it’s a long way off from a release date. By Game Science’s own admission, the action RPG is “little more than an empty folder at this stage” with “hardly any game footage to share.” It’s another single-player title, but even the studio can’t comment on the gameplay and story since “we’re not even done with the outline yet.” Stay tuned for more details because it’s going to be a long wait.

The bearded individual riding the tiger is the titular Zhong Kui, a Taoist figure known for destroying ghosts, and who can command 80,000 demons. He would become a popular figure throughout Chinese culture, with his picture used as a ward against ghosts. What journey he’ll embark on remains to be seen, but ONL host Geoff Keighley assured that it would be another single-player adventure.

Interestingly, he also teased that Black Myth: Wukong’s Journey of the West-focused adventures weren’t over by a long shot. It could mean a possible DLC reveal at The Game Awards in December, but we’ll need to wait for more details.

In the meantime, Black Myth: Wukong launches on August 20th for Xbox Series X/S. It’s currently available for PS5 and PC.

Alongside the announcement, it also shared some new artwork on Twitter, which showcases characters that aren’t in the base game. All of them look like suitably threatening foes – how they’ll fit into the story remains to be seen, but they should be entertaining fights regardless.

Development on the DLC was announced in September 2024 by Hero Games’ Daniel Wu, whose company contributed a significant amount to the title’s budget. Given the timing of the purported reveal, the DLC could very well release next year.

Stay tuned for more details and updates at Opening Night Live, which airs at 11 AM PDT on August 19th. You can also learn more about Black Myth: Wukong, currently available for PS5 and PC, through our feature.