Summary
Black Myth: Wukongis a sizable action RPG, with six extensive chapters players must complete before reaching the end credits. Each chaptertakes roughly five to eight hours to fully clear, assuming players tackle every side quest, uncover secrets and hidden areas with bosses, and collect allvaluable loot, such as curios, along the way.
Each chapter inBlack Myth: Wukongstands out for its distinct biomes, landscapes, and enemy types, but also varies in how populated it is with key characters and plot events, as well as how open or linear the path is for the Destined One. While there aren’t any outright “bad” chapters in the game — there’s always something new to see and do — not every chapter is equally exciting to progress through. Here’s how they compare.
Yellow Wind Ridge And Kingdom Of Sahālī
What’s great:
Yellow Wind Ridge is arguably the most uneven chapter inBlack Myth: Wukong, and it may not be the most enjoyable to play through. The main issue lies in the environment, which can feel repetitive and monotonous, complicating exploration as the scenery tends to blend together.Without a proper map, it’s easy to get lost in this dusty desert biome filled with maze-like passages, indistinguishable villages, and vast open spaces dominated by sand and rocks.
On the positive side, Yellow Wind Ridge introduces the memorable Headless Monk NPC, later revealed to be Bodhisattva Lingji, whose captivating songs have become a favorite among players. It’s a bit of a shame that this is the only chapter featuring such a variety of songs, as the Headless Monk delivers them regularly here based on the Destined One’s chapter progress, adding a unique charm to this otherwise unremarkable chapter.
Pagoda Realm And New Thunderclap Temple
The New West is generally a solid chapter, offering several exciting surprises, such as traveling atop a colossal turtle, the most boss fights in the game, and key NPC encounters. Players meet Zhu Bajie for the first time here, who later becomes a recurring companion, appearing and disappearing as the story requires. Notably, this chapter’s ending sequences stand out, with two unforgettable boss battles against the Macaque Chief and Yellowbrow. Additionally, the entire New Thunderclap Temple sequence is a highlight, featuring intriguing exploration and numerous treasures.
However, the New West also has its drawbacks. Like Yellow Wind Ridge, the snowy areas can be difficult to navigate without a map, with similar-looking forests, rocky passages, and an overabundance of beautiful yet repetitive temples. The prison section in the Pagoda Realm is particularly frustrating, with regular debuffs, tough guards, and tricky traversal through its circular floors. Moreover, the snow-covered areas of the Valley of Ecstasy — while vast — suffer from awkwardly placed invisible walls, limiting the player’s sense of freedom in an otherwise open environment.
Black Wind Mountain And Cave
In hindsight, Black Wind Mountain stands out less compared to the rest of the journey inBlack Myth: Wukong. It features fewer notable NPCs, the story feels less clear and focused, and the environments are relatively small and straightforward. However, the tree and bamboo forests of Black Wind Mountain remain some of the most visually stunning areas in the game, with their lush vegetation, captivating temple and ruin architecture, and serene water ponds.
Exploring this beautiful environment for the first time, when the novelty is still fresh and every step holds unexpected surprises, creates a magical feeling that greatly contributes toBlack Myth: Wukong’s strong first impression. Plus, there are memorable battles with tough bosseslike the Wandering Wight, as well as plenty of secret areas hiding additional bosses throughout the chapter.
Mountain Huagao And Water Curtain Cave
Mountain Huagao is the final stretch before the game’s conclusion, making it a densely packed chapter with little downtime. This has both advantages and drawbacks. On the one hand, there are no secret areas or hidden treasures to discover, save for one chest at the start of the chapter. Some players might find the abundance of large, empty spaces with few rewards aside from story progression and the occasional enemies — who sometimes spawn right in front of the player — underwhelming.
On the other hand, Mountain Huagao is elevated by the introduction of the Somersault Cloud ability, which allows players to ride the cloud at high speeds, swiftly moving between the sky and ground in search of bosses who droplegendary pieces of Sun Wukong’s armaments. Additionally, this chapter boasts one of the best boss selections inBlack Myth: Wukong, which is fitting for its endgame status. One particularly memorable fight even takes place inside Zhu Bajie’s stomach, ensuring that the chapter is not short on surprises.
Flaming Mountains And Bishui Cave
Black Myth: Wukongarguably shines brightest when it maintains a focused, linear progression, where players move quickly from one epic boss encounter to the next, interspersed with engaging adventures. The Flaming Mountains chapter exemplifies this experience. The area’s linear paths make it easy to navigate without confusion, and even though the environments consist mainly of flaming rocks and occasional lava, the traversal feels satisfying. Players must sometimes brave lava floors, enduring constant burning damage as they hunt for treasures or secret bosses.
In addition, the Flaming Mountains boasts a focused narrative with impactful cutscenes and memorable characters like the Keeper of Flaming Mountains and Pale-Axe Stalwart, and some of the game’s most emotionallyresonant side quests, such as the fate of Horse Guai. The chapter also delivers thrilling boss fights, including several dual-boss encounters like Cloudy Mist and Misty Cloud, Top Takes Bottom and Bottom Takes Top, Quick as Fire, and Fast as Wind. Remarkably, thesemulti-boss battles feel fluid and enjoyable, in contrast to the often frustrating dual-boss fights in other action RPGs (FromSoftware, take note).
Webbed Hollow And Purple Cloud Mountain
Perhaps the best chapter inBlack Myth: Wukongis Webbed Hollow, and there are several reasons for this. First and foremost, it offers some of the best level design in the game. The chapter introduces a complex, multi-level cave system with excellent verticality, making exploration genuinely fun and rewarding. Unlike other areas, Webbed Hollow minimizes frustrating roadblocks and unreachable spots. The spider-insect theme adds a haunting yet captivating atmosphere, with intimidating cocoons hanging from the ceilings and webs shrouding hidden passages that lead to untold treasures.
Moreover, Chapter Four featuresBlack Myth: Wukong’s most beautiful and expansive secret area: Purple Cloud Mountain. This area continues the insect theme but shifts the tone to a more tranquil, sunlit environment. It’s home to some ofthe best and hardest optional bossesin the game, such as Yellow Loong, Scorpionlord, and Duskveil — or even two of the latter at the same time. Altogether, Chapter Four represents the pinnacle of Game Science’s craftsmanship so far, offering a deeply exciting and visually stunning experience.
