The gaming community is still buzzing with excitement over Black Myth: Wukong, yet Game Science Studio is already crafting what comes next. At ChinaJoy 2024, the team surprised everyone by announcing a sequel titled Black Myth: Zhong Kui. This bold move shows that the company is serious about building a series that explores the riches of Chinese folklore, and fans are loving every second of it.
The new title proves that the original Black Myth is only the starting point, not a stand-alone title. Game Science is laying the base for an action-RPG saga that could shake up the entire genre. By centering the next chapter around Zhong Kui, an equally famous but very different character, the devs highlight the deep bench of legends they can draw from—each one adding layers to the moody, unforgettable world they are crafting.
From the Journey to the West to the Demon Slayer’s Court: Who Is Zhong Kui?
If you haven’t heard the tale before, Zhong Kui is the figure everybody calls the “King of Ghosts” and the “Demon Queller.” His legend is sad and yet leaves you feeling pumped. He was a smart scholar who would’ve crushed it on the imperial exams, but the judges passed him over because of a face scar. So, feeling totally drained, Zhong Kui took his own life. When he got to the underworld, they were like, “Wait a minute, this guy actually owns.” They made him the chief judge and the guy who drags bad spirits and demons back to Diyu, the spooky Chinese hell.
Now, this backstory sets a totally different vibe than the dusty, sun-blasted heights of Black Myth: Wukong. Whereas Wukong is rock and sun, Zhong Kui is fog and stone. Expect haunted castles dripping fog, graveyards muttering secrets, and underworld citizen lines you’d rather never stand in. The bad guys here won’t be feral monsters, they’ll be spirits in angry pale robes, wicked demons who know the loopholes in hell, and paper-pushing underworld clerks ready to fine you for breathing the wrong way.
What Can We Expect from Black Myth: Zhong Kui’s Gameplay?
Though details are still under wraps, the recently dropped announcement trailer gives us some clues. The footage, a tight-minute CGI jewel, teases a game built upon the same framework as the earlier title. For now, it’s safe to think of Black Myth: Zhong Kui as a soulslike action RPG that uses Unreal Engine 5 to serve up visuals that stun the senses and combat that demands real skill, not just a big number.
Zhong Kui’s character is what sets this game apart. Forget the quick, shape-shifting style of Sun Wukong—this hero comes armed with a massive demon-slaying sword and an equally massive folding fan. In lore, Zhong Kui doesn’t just kill demons; he bends them to his will. Expect gameplay built around this ordering of monsters, leading us to a handful of killer mechanics the makers might borrow from the story, like:
Demon Capturing: First you beat a demon, then you bind it. The skill here is timing; with the right moves, you force a spirit to serve you. Once you’ve done that, it can step into the fray as a temporary ally, or lend you a skill you need to unlock a secret door or solve a puzzle.
Underworld Exploration: The world doesn’t end on the edge of the human realm. From the desperate streets of a city devoured by evil to the surreal, red-tape-laden guts of the afterlife itself, the game can spin wildly different stages that feel like totally new games.
A Different Combat Rhythm
Zhong Kui usually stands as a towering, unmovable figure in art. His fighting style feels slower, heavier than Wukong’s. Where Wukong spins and jumps, Zhong Kui swings one powerful, unyielding strike followed by talismans that act like a shield, absorbing and redirecting the energy of incoming attacks. Each blow feels more like a mountain sliding than a dancer spinning.
The Ripple Effect
Black Myth’s second title coming before the first takes the cake as a gutsy play. Announcing it so early sparks towers of hype, delivers a megaphone message that the studio will stay, and that message echoes louder than drums across studio floors. Developers looking for a rising sun instead of faint moon see it and start updating their CVs.
At the same time, Game Science Studio has a special opportunity in front of it. They aren’t just busy finishing a fun game; they’re about to launch a cultural moment that can open the world to the richness of Chinese mythology, just the same way God of War took folks inside Norse tales. If Black Myth catches fire, it might inspire other teams everywhere to spotlight their home sagas, approached with the same big-budget level that AAA usually reserves for, say, superheroes or space marines. That’s a win for gamers who want more stories beyond the usual, and a big chance for myths everywhere to be celebrated in stunning detail.
A Bright Future, Built on a Dark Mythos
The announcement of Black Myth: Zhong Kui shows how bold Game Science really is. No longer do fans ask, “Can they pull off Black Myth: Wukong?” Instead, they wonder, “How big will this epic world really get?”
We still need to dive into the tale of the Monkey King this August, but knowing that the tale of the Demon Queller is on deck makes the franchise’s future feel electric. The action RPG scene is on the verge of a huge transformation, and it’s rising one Black Myth chapter at a time. All focus is now on August 20. That’s when the first chapter drops, but it’s also when the groundwork will be poured for the saga yet to be told. The legacy of the Black Myth series hasn’t even fully begun.
Black Myth: Zhong Kui’s New Adventure
In 2023, Game Science Studio stunned us with gameplay from Black Myth: Wukong, an action RPG that dives deep into Chinese mythology. Fast-forward to 2024, and we already have a sequel announcement that boosts excitement. This time we follow Zhong Kui, the legendary demon slayer known for his storytelling and sharp sword smarts.
Why the shift from the Monkey King to Zhong Kui? Chinese legends introduce us to a broad cast of heroes. Zhong Kui, with his fierce determination and a diminutive, but striking, cape, is the perfect sequel focal. He’s got the charm, but the Black Myth spin paints him even darker. Fans of the first game will still get familiar mechanics like epic Soulslike boss clashes, but now expanded demon puzzle solving.
Confirmed sneak peeks hint new powers: the Scroll of Darkness that Jin Kui wields bolts out spirit traps, freezing demons momentarily and then tearing them apart. Plus, the universe looks even more breathtaking. The maps pulse with detailed animations of haunted lanterns, and the fog of the underworld hangs thick, blinking into walls of ash.
Game Science is doubling down on authenticity, blending stylized art with meticulous muscle and magic physics straight out of ancient Chinese scrolls. Players eager to dive into the gameplay will find minor tweaks to the combat loop that already rocked the first game. They say spirit energy, a key resource, now draws extra power from correctly timed demon art parries, encouraging skill and precision.
More plot details remain tightly buttoned, but it sure feels like a brilliant prequel power-up fused with new mythology. Set to launch in** 2025**, the game is already seasoned with the first trail’s charm and the fist pump of fresh menace that only Zhong Kui can deliver. Expect spirited updates throughout the year, and keep the cape and determination sharp for the next legendary demon dust-up.
Source: https://gamerant.com/black-myth-sequel-zhong-kui-announced/
