Black Myth: Wukong’s Combat Gives Sekiro A Run For Its Money

Most Soulsborne veterans, including myself, agree that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has the best combat system out of any FromSoftware title. The aggression, sword-clashing, aesthetics, and stakes, are all top-notch. If anyone tells you that Sekiro is among their favorites, it’s likely because of the gameplay.

Although Sekiro has stood uncontested atop the pedestal among Souls games as the king of gameplay, Black Myth: Wukong could be the contender to challenge it. It has a slower start with Sekiro, with a high emphasis on spamming rather than timing, but as I progressed through the game and unlocked new techniques, I began noticing how addicted I got to the fighting “dance,” even more so than Sekiro occasionally.

Sekiro’s Reign As The Champion Of Adrenaline

As someone who claims Sekiro as his favorite title, I know and vouch for the appeal the gameplay has. It has a harmonious multi-layered combat system that demands your attention, and, believe me, the satisfaction after mastering is truly unlike any other.

Despite having no weapon variety or cosmetic upgrades (besides the few you get in the expansion), Sekiro’s grounded nature proves that solid fundamentals with a clear vision can bear great things. Alongside the Kusabimaru, you get a Prosthetic Arm with several modifications, a Skill Tree that unlocks special moves and counters, and a literal Lighting-Reversal technique.

Lightning Reversal is the most satisfying thing in the game
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Besides the mechanics themselves, you get to test this system to its fullest extent against a variety of exceptional and challenging bosses. Almost every boss in the game has a level of detail and quality that, in my opinion, puts several games in the genre to shame.

Sekiro gave me an achievement for mastering its combat which I wished other FromSoftware games had given me—trivializing difficulty in the fairest way possible. Much like the Google Pixel series, Sekiro thrives on a minimalist, no-frills approach. It doesn’t rely on flashy gimmicks or extravagance to make an impact. Instead, it embraces simplicity—polishing core elements to perfection.

Black Myth: Wukong’s Aggressive Approach Is Extremely Gripping

I feel like a lot of players don’t give Black Myth: Wukong’s combat a fair shot; I certainly didn’t, which is why I initially complained that it feels a bit too “spammy.” At first glance and even from the game’s promotional material like pre-launch trailers, it seems as though you’re supposed to constantly mash the Light Attack button with an occasional Heavy Attack.

In reality, the combat system is much deeper than you think—the only issue is that the title doesn’t explain it as well as it should. After finishing Black Myth: Wukong twice and unlocking every in-game item and ability, I can safely that the fighting “dance” is much more sophisticated, dynamic, aggressive, and dare I say…better than what Sekiro offers.

Let’s look at one of the early unlockable in-game skills: Resolute Counterflow. This skill allows you to perform a Heavy Attack during a Light combo, and if you time it right, you can attack through the enemy’s hits, essentially giving you invincibility frames. It encourages you to keep on the offensive foot and continue pressure, resulting in a battle where you might never block or dodge.

Resolute Counterflow is the most thrilling way to play BMW
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There are also the three stances in Black Myth: Wukong—Smash, Pillar, Spear—which a lot of people ignore. When you first unlock these stances, you notice how their Light Attacks are the same combo, with the only difference being their Heavy Attack. However, by progressing further in their respective Skill Trees, you unlock skills, methodologies, and combos, that give enemies a reason to keep blocking.

Of course, like the aforementioned Counterflow skill, these stances must be practiced to be mastered. However, once you do that, the game rewards you with a never-ending supply of adrenaline, making you feel like a bigger threat than the boss you’re fighting. 

Black Myth: Wukong Rivals Sekiro’s Formula

Compared to Sekiro, Black Myth: Wukong has a significantly weaker start in terms of gameplay, but its completely evolved form feels smoother than its rival. Sure, it doesn’t have parrying, but the Resolute Counterflow acts like a similar mechanic, and instead of blocking, you continue your pressure to execute it.

There are also Perfect Dodges you can upgrade and weapons you can unlock, some of which have a unique moveset. Although the overall combat isn’t as “tight” and “focused” as Sekiro, the weapon variety and emphasis on being aggressive compensate for it.

In some cases, I believe Black Myth: Wukong takes the grounded nature of Sekiro and improves upon it, adding RPG elements while maintaining that sense of self-improvement. Its above-average boss quality and difficulty feel like a Soulsborne title, and with a dance that’s as rhythmic as Sekiro, you can imagine why I would make the comparison in the first place.