Since its unveiling in 2020, Black Myth: Wukong has captivated the gaming community with its ambitious vision. Developer Game Science has taken a refreshingly transparent approach, sharing insights that highlight the game’s hero-centric narrative inspired by the classic Journey to the West, all while showcasing the cutting-edge capabilities of Unreal Engine. On PC, the game leverages Nvidia’s version of UE5 to incorporate full ray tracing, promising an extraordinary visual experience. With the full game now available, it’s time to assess whether Game Science has lived up to the high expectations set by its initial trailer and to explore the optimized settings that can ensure a seamless experience across various hardware configurations.
Graphical Fidelity and Environmental Detail
From the moment players embark on their journey, it becomes evident that Game Science has indeed delivered a graphical fidelity that exceeds the initial trailer’s promise. The game opens with a breathtaking introduction, featuring colossal mythical creatures and environments adorned with unique volumetric rendering—a rarity in contemporary gaming.
Each movement, whether it be a dash or a staff swing, interacts with the surrounding fog, creating a dynamic atmosphere. Such real physicalized particles are seldom seen outside of titles like Housemarque’s Returnal, but Game Science has effectively utilized this GPU-intensive effect to enhance the game’s mystical ambiance. Throughout Black Myth: Wukong, these particle effects serve not merely as embellishments but as integral elements that enrich combat, signal enemy attack patterns, and reward players for their victories.
The game’s environments are another highlight, brought to life by several technical innovations. A standout feature is Unreal Engine 5’s Nanite technology, which allows for an exceptional level of geometric detail. Players will find it challenging to spot any geometric edges at typical camera heights and distances, thanks to Nanite’s adaptive level of detail (LOD) that minimizes intrusive pop-in effects. However, it’s worth noting that Nanite does not extend to foliage, likely due to the game’s development on UE 5.0, which predates the addition of this feature in 5.1. Consequently, bushes and leaves exhibit more traditional LOD changes as players approach them.
Shadow stability is significantly enhanced when full ray tracing is enabled, reducing the flickering and blobby appearance often associated with distant shadows on lower settings. However, the absence of Virtual Shadow Maps (VSMs) on non-Nanite geometry leads to shadow inconsistencies, particularly in areas dense with foliage. While this may also affect the PS5 version, players with high-end PCs can opt for the full ray tracing option to mitigate these issues, albeit at a potential performance cost.
Lighting and Reflection Enhancements
Despite some minor drawbacks, Nanite serves as the backbone of the game’s richly detailed environments. The integration of ray tracing further elevates the visual experience, with the game employing software Lumen for diffuse global illumination and specular reflections when full ray tracing is not activated. In darker areas, the indirect lighting detail is particularly impressive, showcasing the game as a strong example of Lumen’s capabilities.
When full ray tracing is enabled, players can expect significant improvements in lighting quality, particularly on rough surfaces. This technology allows for finer details, such as smaller plants and leaves, to be accurately represented, enhancing the overall realism of the environments. The reduction in over-darkening, a common issue with signed distance fields (SDFs), allows for more natural lighting to permeate shadowy areas, creating a more vibrant atmosphere.
Reflections also receive a substantial upgrade with full ray tracing. Unlike traditional screen-space reflections (SSR), which often suffer from artifacts and inaccuracies, ray-traced reflections provide a more consistent and realistic depiction of reflective surfaces. This enhancement is particularly noticeable in water bodies and metallic objects, where reflections are rendered with remarkable clarity and precision.
In conclusion, Black Myth: Wukong stands as a testament to Game Science's commitment to pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling in gaming. The game's use of Unreal Engine 5 technologies like Nanite and Lumen, combined with Nvidia's full ray tracing capabilities, creates an immersive experience that sets a new standard for graphical fidelity and environmental detail.
