An incredible story is presented inBlack Myth: Wukong, but some of the game’s extensive lore is actually quite easy to miss. Of course, it is worth paying attention to even thesmallest details inBlack Myth: Wukong, not only to prevail in combat, but also simply because the game’s vibrant world deserves to be appreciated to the utmost. However, with so much to do and see, it is possible to overlook some sources of lore hidden in plain sight.
While progression throughBlack Myth: Wukong’s mapis fairly linear as a whole, there are still plenty of secrets to uncover. In some cases, there is even entirely missable content, which makes the availability of a New Game Plus feature in the game all the more valuable to those hoping to experience all thatBlack Myth: Wukonghas to offer. Of course, the reasons for missing this content can and do vary; bosses andSpirits may be misseddepending on certain in-game actions, for example. But beyond missing Journal pages, there is another way to miss lore in the game.
Black Myth: Wukong Hides Extra Lore In Its End-Of-Chapter Canvas Illustrations
Each Illustration Is Interactive
At the end ofevery chapter inBlack Myth: Wukong, the player is presented with an intricate canvas illustration featuring characters from that chapter. For example, the Chapter One canvas depicts the fire which has been referenced numerous times by this point – an event from the originalJourney to the Westnovel. However, these illustrations are not simply celebrations of game progress;by zooming in and exploring the canvases, the player can find several interactive points on each which reveal further loreabout the people and events of the respective chapter.
Of course,Black Myth: Wukongis heavily intertwined with the story ofJourney to the West, effectively serving as a kind of continuation of the classic tale. As such, having a familiarity withJourney of the Westcan naturally be highly advantageous in understanding the story ofBalck Myth: Wukong. However, the game does provide all the necessary information to understand its own story, assuming that the player can piece together the fragments of lore scattered throughout each chapter.
The lore ofBlack Myth: Wukongis presented through a variety of mediums, including character dialogue and Journal entries. Assuming that the Destined One seeks out every boss fight, it is relatively easy to gain an understanding of the inspiring story even for those who have never readJourney to the West. The end-of-chapter canvases, as well as the animations which accompany them, therefore arguably serve as capstones; they tie everything presented in the game so far together, providing a clear and direct depiction of the inciting incidents behind each stage of the Destined One’s journey.
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The Chapter Canvas Lore Gives Insights Into Black Myth: Wukong’s Inspiration
Deeper Connections To Journey To The West
The lore provided in these illustrations covers both story details and characterizationof notable figures, quite literally painting a picture to solidify the story that has been conveyed. For example, the painting for Chapter One shows the Black Wind King prominently in the upper left. The narrator acknowledges the bear yaoguai’s background serving under Bodhisattva Guanyin after his encounter with Sun Wukong, but also that he left the Bodhisattva in search of attaining immortality; the yaoguai’s personality is ultimately summarized as someone who“had the greed, but lacked the pluck”to do so.
This picture also features the monk Tang Sanzang at its center, the central protagonist ofJourney to the Westand Sun Wukong’s master (also referred to as Tang Monk in the Journal). When the interactive point here is triggered, the narrator gives a short description of the monk’s backstory as the reincarnation of Jinchanzi, a disgraced disciple of the Buddha. With his past life having been“cast down to the mortal realm,”Tang Monk’s ongoing journey was destined to present him with 81 trials; the temple fire, set in an attempt to steal his kasaya, was the eleventh of these.
If the secret Boss Fight against Elder Jinchi is not won, the first Chapter’s canvas illustration and cutscene also work to provide another angle to reveal his backstory in lieu of his Journal entry.
There are numerous other interesting details presented throughout the rest of the game via subsequent paintings, many of which are either obscure or otherwise impossible to find elsewhere in the game. For example, Chapter Three’s painting shows Xuanwu, a king inJourney to the West(and also a Chinese god)mentioned briefly in the Turtle General’s Journal entry. The Turtle and Snake Generals worked under Xuanwu, whom the Jade Emperor ordered to“rid the world of evil.”This firmly paints all three in a heroic light, and the narrator’s lamentations here further emphasize the tragedy of the Snake General’s death.
Black Myth: Wukong’s Classical Canvases Are Perfect Chapter Capstones
Interesting Rewards That Aren’t Strictly Necessary
These beautiful canvases help to draw the player ever deeper into the world ofBlack Myth: Wukong, but the fact that they contain lore is itself easily overlooked. As a result, although noticing the control prompt to zoom in can spur curiosity, many people can still miss the hidden details when simply viewing the illustrations as a whole. It is entirely possible to play through multiple Chapters, or even the entire game, without making this discovery, which can naturally lead to frustration for those invested in learning all they can about the game’s lore.
Of course,it is entirely possible to piece together a coherent story without the canvases’ secret lore, due to the many stories conveyed through the Journal and conversations with the various characters of each chapter. Particularly with knowledge ofJourney to the West, one can grasp the important aspects of the game’s backstory without the lore offered by these illustrations. However, it can still be frustrating to miss out on pieces of lore, and the commentary provided here at the end of each chapter is undeniably fascinating.
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It is easy to mistake the stunning visuals themselves as the entirety of these paintings’ significance, but that only scratches the surface of what they represent. The lore hidden in these beautiful paintings also helps to explain the changes made to theJourney to the Weststory. At the same time, the various points of interest found by examining these canvases in detail provide the player with insights that help to flesh out the world ofBlack Myth: Wukong, ensuring that its deep and rich story is properly conveyed no matter how unfamiliar one may be with the source material.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG game from the developers at GameScience. Based on the original Chinese novelJourney to the West,players take on the role of Sun Wukong, a legendary monkey warrior who fights against mythical beasts and beings to save his world.
