Black Myth: Zhong Kui vs. Wukong — sequel or not?
It's officially "the second installment in the Black Myth series" — but it's not a direct sequel to Wukong. Different legend, different hero, noticeably different combat.
The one-line answer
Zhong Kui is a new story in the same series, the way you'd expect from a studio building an anthology of Chinese myths rather than milking one. Wukong drew on Journey to the West. Zhong Kui draws on the folktale of Zhong Kui, the ghost-catching deity who patrols the boundary between Hell and Earth. Game Science's producer Feng Ji has described it as wanting to build something entirely new after finishing a project he'd dreamed about for twenty years.
What changed, based on the actual gameplay footage
| Wukong (2024) | Zhong Kui (TBA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Staff | Sword |
| Defense | Dodges carried the game | A real perfect-parry system |
| "Magic trick" | Transform into defeated enemies | Summon spirit allies — people compare it to Elden Ring's Mimic Tear |
| Setting | Journey to the West mythology | Zhong Kui folklore, life-and-death theme, underworld spaces |
The honest take from people who watched all 15 minutes
The reaction on r/PS5 was split in a useful way. The optimistic read: faster rhythm, parries add depth, summons change how encounters open. The skeptical read: strip away the sword and it's still recognizably Wukong's five-hit combo skeleton with a fresh coat. Both camps agree the boss design is the reason to pay attention — that was true for Wukong too, and the underworld setting gives the artists new material to work with.
Do you need to play Wukong first?
Almost certainly not. New protagonist, new legend, and nothing so far suggests a continuing plot. If Game Science plants Wukong cameos in the underworld — a fun idea fans are already theorizing about — they'll be bonuses, not prerequisites.
Full overview and both official trailers: Black Myth: Zhong Kui hub page.