It takes some time for Black Fantasy: Wukong’s breakneck pacing and acrobatic fight to click on. The beginning of my hands-on preview is decidedly graceless, as I repeatedly fumble dodge timings, wrestle to retain my composure towards its heavy-hitting enemies, and put in a efficiency similar to my dismal first run of Demon’s Souls means again in 2009. 15 years and dozens of soulslikes later, developer Recreation Science’s debut arrives as a flashy and frenetic new contender, one which resembles combo-driven motion video games like Satan Might Cry and the rebooted God of Warfare collection’ epic fantasy yarns simply as a lot because it does FromSoftware’s trendy classics.
At present the most-wishlisted sport on Steam, Black Fantasy: Wukong‘s prelaunch buzz stems from its wildly standard gameplay trailers courting again to 2020 that nearly appeared too slick to be actual. Whereas we’re hardly missing nice new motion video games and soulslikes, its intricate fight and ‘next-gen’ visible make-up cemented it as one to observe. It additionally hails from a brand-new Chinese language studio staffed by trade veterans and backed by Tencent. Its highway to launch hasn’t been with out controversy, nonetheless, as you might recall IGN’s 2023 report detailed examples of sexism at Recreation Science, together with allegations towards employees in management roles, to which the developer has but to reply.
It’s clear from the opening minutes of my two-hour hands-on that this tackle historic Chinese language mythology and particularly Journey to the West is extra forthcoming with its storytelling than most of its soulslike contemporaries. Semi-regular cutscenes depict key story beats and introduce the solid, similar to your early-game mentor, an aged gentleman with a sprouting potato head. Taking cost of the nimble, staff-wielding Solar Wukong, in any other case often known as the Monkey King, I descend right into a lush forest crammed with gracefully animated mobs and managers all out for my head, from a giant-headed child man and an outsized frog to a flaming bear. As for whether or not or not this can be a soulslike, rechargeable well being flasks, checkpoint shrines, the lack of XP on dying, and demanding melee fight are all current.
Battles are instantly sooner than I’d anticipated, and this paired with my miniscule well being bar and paltry variety of restoratives throws me for a loop. Spamming dodge is a recipe for catastrophe due to the regen time after each third successive try. There’s no devoted block function – the individual taking part in on a display screen to my left seems to be steamrolling each problem of their path, and I rock as much as my first boss combat with my confidence at subterranean ranges. Quick-forward two hours and I used to be left feeling like I may deal with absolutely anything.
It takes me a number of makes an attempt to down the primary boss; I’m beginning to really feel a bit higher after discovering mild combos construct focus, which you’ll spend on heavy assaults, whereas the right dodge system slows time and allows you to get a few hits in. Quickly after I dash headfirst into the large child and retreat simply as rapidly as I arrived. The Recreation Science developer standing close by reassures me he’s non-obligatory. I’m stunned by how linear this admittedly lovely forest and mountain vary is, as I preserve recognizing what I assume is an explorable space solely to hit an invisible wall.
Souslikes are at their finest when the trail forward is unknown, with its risks and quirks nonetheless obscure and brewing throughout the creativeness. Each inch of floor you declare is a victory as you start to sq. your notion of their lethal worlds with actuality, placing their secrets and techniques to reminiscence within the hope they could serve you later. The primary Darkish Souls has a sure aloofness; it seems unfussed about whether or not you notice that shortcut or uncover that seemingly important merchandise. Your journey is yours; you could endure its highs, its lows, and its quirks.
Black Fantasy has secrets and techniques – enemies hiding behind bushes, or chests and non-obligatory bosses simply ever so barely off the crushed path – however there’s an inescapable pull in direction of them and a extra easy, instantly knowable development type. The early sport doesn’t offer you area to drive your personal discovery or ponder and fret over the highway to return, nor does it current any intriguing NPCs who aren’t simply speaking improve menus (apart from, maybe, the potato man). All of this basically turns Black Fantasy right into a boss rush.
I appear to come across a brand new boss each quarter-hour. I don’t recall another soulslike cramming so many so shut collectively. It’s a breathless, zero-filler intro, but at each flip I lengthy for a higher likelihood to become familiar with the world and – sure – to grind earlier than the following large combat. Black Fantasy’s improve system is nearer to Sekiro’s streamlined setup than Darkish Souls’ intensive min-max scaling, with every level-up granting you an improve level to spend on a capability tree. I unlock a magic spell that freezes enemies in place, I flip my employees into an extendable platform and crash down on unsuspecting foes, and I quickly rework right into a deceased boss, netting me a second well being bar and the flexibility to make use of a handful of their assaults.
Then I encounter a very grueling two-stage brawl with a snake-powered brick wall of a boss – I have to step again and spend 5 sifting by way of all the things at my disposal. I’m a horrible hoarder of consumables and susceptible to discovering one fight method, weapon, or skill that I like or take pleasure in, then stubbornly, usually stupidly, sticking with it by way of thick and skinny. That is very true in soulslikes, however Black Fantasy was having none of my nonsense. Not since Sekiro have I felt such an unavoidable push towards getting good. And so I learn the descriptions of my many consumable objects, I consider carefully about my geared up skills, and within the warmth of battle I push myself to make use of each energy and punctiliously monitor their cooldowns. Lastly, all of it clicks into place, and – by the pores and skin of my enamel – I squeak by.
Black Fantasy’s hardest fights are completely calibrated to demand your all, and the world and programs surrounding them received’t allow you to grind your option to victory. On the similar time, the sport isn’t inflexible; it desires you to experiment with the numerous boons it throws your means, even permitting you to respec from the leap. In simply two hours, I really feel I’ve come to this point in my arsenal and prowess, even when I’m left a bit chilly by all the things outdoors of the boss arenas.
I finish my preview on a flaming mountaintop preventing a bear that strikes with such pace and ferocity that I virtually miss the snake-powered nightmare from earlier. It’s overwhelming. I can scarcely consider I’m the identical participant who two hours earlier died twice to a lone wolfman. I get in a single respectable but unsuccessful try earlier than my time’s up, after which the builders skip ahead to a dragon boss that sits on the finish of a facet mission. This combat appears insurmountable till the beast instantly flops over and I wail on some jars atop its again that explode, obliterating a 3rd of its well being bar.
Black Fantasy: Wukong oscillates so rapidly and recurrently between despair and elation that I fear it may develop exhausting throughout its over 15-hour runtime. Whereas I used to be left with a need to proceed to enhance and see if issues open up, as somebody who values temper and real player-driven discovery within the finest soulslike video games, I additionally craved a correct reprieve from the extraordinary boss rush and a purpose to speculate on this world past the admittedly satisfying mechanical development.
The Black Fantasy: Wukong launch date is ready for August 20 on PC through Steam and the Epic Video games Retailer.
