The journey through Black Myth: Wukong culminates in a choice that many players might not even realize they're making. With two distinct endings that dramatically change the fate of The Destined One, understanding how to unlock these endings has become a hot topic in the gaming community since the game's release in early 2024. Let's dive deep into Black Myth: Wukong's endings and what they mean for your playthrough.

The Two Paths of The Destined One

Black Myth: Wukong offers players two endings - one that occurs naturally as you progress through the main story (often referred to as the "bad" ending), and a secret "true" ending that requires additional exploration and completion of hidden areas. What's fascinating is that both Black Myth: Wukong endings can be experienced in a single playthrough if you tackle them in the correct order.

As one player on gaming forums put it, "If you're going into NG+, you might want to consider doing the Great Sage > Erlang > Great Sage sequence to get both the bad and good ending in one playthrough." Talk about killing two birds with one stone!

The Default Ending - A Cycle Unbroken

To trigger the default ending (considered the bad ending), you simply need to complete the main game without venturing into the hidden area of Mount Mei in The Great Pagoda during Chapter 3.

After defeating The Great Sage's Broken Shell in the final confrontation of Chapter 6, you'll witness The Destined One absorb the Six Senses that leave Wukong's collapsed body. The Old Monkey retrieves a golden crown from the water and places it upon The Destined One's head - but instead of triumph, this action merely traps The Destined One inside the same rock prison that once held Wukong.

As Kyle Richards explained online, "You don't get the 6th relic in the bad ending. The 6th relic is the mind relic, and without it, you get trapped in that stone egg prison thing where you fight broken shell."

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place!

The True Ending - Breaking the Cycle

To unlock Black Myth: Wukong's true ending, you'll need to go the extra mile by:

1. Traveling to The Great Pagoda in Chapter 3

2. Unlocking the hidden Mount Mei area

3. Defeating Erlang, The Sacred Divinity

4. Conquering The Four Heavenly Kings

5. Besting Erlang Shen in combat

6. Returning to face the Stone Monkey and The Great Sage's Broken Shell

The initial part of this ending appears identical to the default one - Wukong falls, loses the Six Senses, and The Destined One absorbs them. However, when The Old Monkey places the crown on The Destined One's head, there's a crucial difference: The Destined One's eyes flash open.

The sequence concludes with an illustration of Wukong's life, beginning with his battle against Erlang. Notably, The Destined One is not shown trapped inside the rock, suggesting they were worthy all along and that a new cycle begins.

The Rewards Difference

Players often wonder if there are mechanical differences between the endings beyond the narrative payoff. According to community discussions, the primary gameplay difference lies in obtaining that crucial sixth relic - the Mind Relic - which is only available in the true ending.

One player noted, "Just different credit singing and music" between the endings, but the gameplay implications of having all six relics versus five makes the true ending worth pursuing for completionists.

Hidden Third Ending?

Interestingly, some achievement hunters have speculated about a potential third ending based on trophy listings. As one forum user mentioned, "If you go by achievements/trophies there seem to be at least 3 endings." While this hasn't been definitively confirmed, it's sparked theories about additional content or DLC that might expand the story further.

Looking Forward: DLC Possibilities

The gaming community is already buzzing about potential DLC that might extend the story. One player speculated, "The game will still have DLC with more endings like Asura's Wrath, me thinks." This anticipation highlights the impact Black Myth: Wukong's narrative has had on players who are hungry for more of this mythological journey.

For now, players looking to experience everything Black Myth: Wukong has to offer should definitely pursue both endings. As they say in gaming circles, "You ain't seen nothing yet" until you've witnessed both conclusions to this epic tale.

Whether you're team default ending or team true ending, one thing's for sure - Black Myth: Wukong has delivered a narrative experience that keeps players talking long after the credits roll.

Research highlighted by GamesIndustry.biz underscores the growing impact of narrative-driven action RPGs like Black Myth: Wukong on global player engagement. Their recent features discuss how branching storylines and multiple endings, as seen in Wukong, are increasingly shaping player expectations and replay value, with developers leveraging hidden content and achievements to foster deeper community discussion and anticipation for future DLC expansions.