Black Myth Wukong: Beginner Tips and Tricks
After a long wait, Game Science has finally released its hit Black Myth Wukong to critical acclaim. It's shattered record for player count along the way to becoming the most played single player game of all time and 2nd highest overall on Steam. Souls and Sekiro veterans have been excited for this game's twist on the genre for a while, and there's a lot that is different which the game doesn't come right out and tell you. Below, we'll walk you through some helpful beginner tips to aid you on your journey against the sages.
Conserve Mana
Mana is the blue energy bar and middle of the three you have. Each time you use a spirit attack or transform, you consume mana. It's PIVOTAL to remember that while the spells act on a cool down, mana does NOT. This means if you waste your mana before a big fight, you'll be left to straight combat skills in order to take down that tough enemy. While some attacks can regenerate a bit of mana, it's minimal and all of it is fully replenished while resting at shrines. Try and save mana needed abilities rather than using them as combos.
Blocking
Well, there isn't any. That's right. Blocking is non-existent in Black Myth Wukong. Instead, we are forced to rely upon our sheer skill and dodging. Perfectly timed dodges slow down movement allowing for a few extra hits or combos, and it is by all means needed. It admittedly takes some getting used to as I found myself instinctively reaching for the LB button, only to get smashed into oblivion. While it sounds difficult, it's a little easier than parrying as the execution window is much larger in dodging.
In-Game Map
There isn't any. No pause screen map or HUD map is present in the game. Instead, we are left to our good fortunes in exploring and seeing what comes up. Don't worry if you are off the beaten path. You may end up with a secret boss or even picking up needed valuables for upgrades. You can't really get "lost" in the game, as the worst that will happen is you end up at the "end" of a section after a boss and have to loop back.
Fast Travel
Fast traveling is unlocked at the game's shrines which act as save points. It's not mentioned outright, but it may fall under the radar in that you can fast travel back and forth between chapters. There is a short cinematic at the end of each chapter and an "Are you sure?" message before continuing on. Don't fret, as you're free to come back at any time to any shrine you've unlocked. That means, you don't have to sweat about which path to take before moving on.
Upgrades
Don't worry about where to go in order to upgrade. As you progress, you'll find NPC's that offer you upgrades after a brief cutscene. There are separate ones for upgrading your gourd (health potion) as well as others for medicines and soaks. Each NPC has their picture next to the shrine they are located at so it's easy to find them quickly. This means there's no need to write down or memorize each NPC's location. It doesn't tell you this and it's hard to see, but you'll find their picture on the right side of the shrine name once it's highlighted.
Skills
Black Myth Wukong has perhaps one of the best skill tree setups I've seen in a game. Don't be overwhelmed with the amount as there are over 300 hundred skill upgrades you can get. Take your time and look through them all in order to ascertain how you want to build your combat setup. Each of the three stances provide their own special attack patterns and combo abilities. These are on top of the health, stamina, focus and transformation skills you can get. You'll want to pick your general skill setup and follow that path. The best part is that you can fully respec your skills at any shrine at any time for free. So, remember that if you're struggling with a certain boss. Every skill slot has a picture window demonstrating what it looks like as well in order to really break it down for you.
The rest will really be up to you and your individual playstyle as you make your way through Black Myth Wukong. We hope this helps and let us know your favorite setup below. Black Myth Wukong is available now on PS5 and PC.