Summary

Black Myth: Wukongis an action game developed by Game Science, where you play as a martial arts master who happens to look like an anthropomorphic monkey. The game is a brand-new IP, although the story it is based on is hundreds of years old.

The monkey king, Sun Wukong, has been part of the popular media for a long time, with many popular characters being based on his story and likeness. But what is that original story he is based on, and do you need to know it to enjoy the game?

Black Myth Wukong image showing the true ending cinematic with the Tang Monk arriving at Wukongs resting place.

What Is Black Myth: Wukong’s Story Based On?

Black Myth: Wukongis largely based on Journey to the West, a 16th-century Chinese novel where a Buddhist monk needs to embark on a perilous journey. He is joined by three protectors,one of thembeing Sun Wukong, a monkey with great combat skills and transformation abilities.

Each companion of the monk needs to atone for their past transgressions, and in the case of Wukong,his transgression was defying the celestial palacewith his might and constant mischief.

Black Myth Wukong image showing the Destined One with their back to the camera.

It should be noted that not many warriors can even stand up to Wukong, making his original imprisonment rather troublesome.

Many of the trailers for the game showWukong fighting all sorts of heavenly enemies, which originally led to many fans thinking Black Myth is a prequel to Journey to the West, showing how Wukong was first captured. But in reality,Black Myth is a sequel, and thisconfrontation happens after Wukong has earned his atonement.

Do You Need To Know The Story To Play Black Myth: Wukong?

You can definitely play the game without any prior knowledge of Journey to the West, since each significant reference is explained in detail, be it through dialogue or via one of the many animated cutscenes. Of course,the story beats don’t have the same impact, like not knowing who Zhu Bajie is supposed to be when you first meet him.

The narrative makes sense easily, whether you know the novel’s details or not, sincethe player character is new to these legends.After all, you aren’t playing as Wukong for the vast majority of the game butas a monkey that wants to earn his title.