Look, I’ve been calling Black Myth: Wukong a Soulslike since 2020, and honestly? I was wrong. Now that we’re deep into 2026 and I’ve had plenty of time with Sun Wukong’s staff, I need to clear something up: Game Science built a game that flirts with the Souls genre, steals a few moves, and then yeets the rulebook off a mountain. It’s faster, meaner, and far more linear than I expected. So let me walk you through what I’ve learned — the hard way.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet for anyone still confused:

Typical Soulslike	Black Myth: Wukong
Can’t pause	Pause whenever you want
Lose all your souls/runes on death	Lose only a fraction of earned XP
Multiple weapons to choose from	One set primary staff
Level up at a bonfire or maiden	Skill tree accessible anywhere, anytime
Block/parry heavy	Dodge only, with staff spin for projectiles

Not Entirely a Soulslike, and Thank the Monkey King for That

I know, I know — “monkey with staff” doesn’t exactly scream cozy platformer. But Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t play by the standard Soulslike playbook. For starters, you can pause whenever you want. If you need to answer the door or question your life choices mid-boss fight, go for it. Death is also far less punishing: you only lose a fraction of your earned XP instead of the entire life savings you were carrying. There’s no weapon juggling either — you have one staff, and you’ll learn to love it. Progression? Not tied to a bonfire or a mysterious maiden. The skill tree travels with you, accessible anywhere, anytime, and you can respec whenever the mood strikes.

Combat That Feels Like a Kung Fu Fever Dream

Black Myth: Wukong doesn’t do the slow, methodical dance you might be used to. The hands-on previews made this clear: Wukong jumps, twirls, zips around the arena, and dishes out fast, furious staff strikes. Can you still panic-roll? Sure, but here it feels more like an action movie than a horror game. The protagonist is nimble in a way that makes a lot of other Soulslikes feel like they’re wading through syrup.

No Block Button? No Problem (Mostly)

Here’s the part that still trips people up. There is no traditional block or parry for melee attacks. None. You can spin Wukong’s staff like a ceiling fan to deflect incoming projectiles, but if a wolf-man is swinging a flaming glaive at your face? You dodge. The entire defensive game plan revolves around not being there when the hit lands.

How Dodging Actually Works (No, You Can’t Spam It)

If you think you can just mash dodge and turn into an untouchable blur, I have bad news. You get three dodges in quick succession, then the next one locks you into a lengthy recovery window. That means timing matters. Nail a perfect dodge, and you earn Focus, which is where the fun really starts.

Focus: Your Ticket to Big Damage

Focus is the spark that turns “annoying staff pokes” into “delete this boss” damage. Light attack combos and perfect dodges fill your Focus bar. Once it’s full, you get a Focus point. Spend that point to weave a heavy attack into your combo chain. The tricky part? Knowing when to cash in. Too early and you waste it; too late and the boss uses your face as a drum. Ask me how I know.

Magic: Because a Monkey King Deserves More Than Just Hitting Things

Wukong isn’t just about the staff. You’ve got four magic slots, and as you progress, each slot can be filled with different spells. Mana is the resource. One spell everyone talks about is Immobilize — it freezes enemies in their tracks. Stronger enemies break free faster, but those few seconds are enough to turn a fight around. Nothing says “I’m the Monkey King” like freezing a demon and then casually walking behind them.

Transformations: Steal the Boss’s Gig

This is the mechanic I wish more action RPGs would steal. After you defeat certain bosses and minibosses, you can temporarily transform into them. Early on, that means Guangzhi, a wolf-man monstrosity with a giant flaming weapon. For a short window, you get to run around as the creature, using its attacks and abilities. It’s basically “become the problem” mode, and I love it.

Stances: Pick Your Violent Poetry

You start with the Smash stance, a jack-of-all-trades with quick light combos and a regular heavy attack. At level 20, you unlock the Pillar stance. That one replaces your heavy attack with a move where you balance atop Wukong’s staff, wait for a Focus point to recharge, then flip into the air and slam down like a meteor. The third stance remains mysterious, but you can swap between unlocked stances using the d-pad, Ghost of Tsushima style.

Progression: Will Gets You Spark, Spark Gets You Power

Enemies drop Will — essentially XP. Fill the Will bar and you earn a Spark, which is a skill point. There are three skill trees: passive buffs, magic and transformations, and staff/stances. The best part? You can access them anywhere and respec whenever you want. No walking back to a specific altar because you made a bad life decision at 2 a.m.

Linear Levels: A Blessing for Directionally Challenged Gamers

If you’ve ever spent 45 minutes looping through a Dark Souls sewer wondering where to go, breathe easy. Black Myth: Wukong is much more linear. There are branching paths, hidden bosses, secrets, and optional challenges, sure, but the overall structure is mission-based with constant forward momentum. It’s less “wander around a cursed maze” and more “clear the next chapter, find a few surprises, keep moving.”

So if you’re still calling Black Myth: Wukong “just another Soulslike” in 2026, I respect the confidence, but you’re missing the point. This game is its own beast: a lightning-fast, dodge-obsessed, magic-slinging, boss-stealing action RPG that isn’t afraid to break genre rules. And honestly? That’s exactly why it still deserves your attention.