As with many new games, I have hit that point in a playthrough when a game's imperfections start showing themselves. For as much as there is to love in Black Myth: Wukong (2024), there are many areas where the game falls far short of its potential. After thirty hours of gameplay, the Unreal engine's power has faded, and I am left with the sense that there’s not much behind the veneer of the game.

Don’t get me wrong, it is not like this veneer isn't an achievement in and of itself. The worlds of BMWK are some of the most beautiful I have ever experienced in a video game.

Having traveled through three different environments, I still pause to look around and marvel at the sheer beauty of the visual constructions. The awe-inspiring views are a testament to the care the developers have put into crafting this world. However, for every instance, I find myself enthralled by the visual fidelity of lush forests, sprawling deserts, and snow-covered mountains; I have also begun to experience a deep sense of emptiness about being in these spaces.

As much as I do not want to acknowledge it, in BMWK, there isn’t much more than some great boss battles or plants to gather. Like the original Destiny (2014) or early No Man’s Sky (2016), BMWK has fallen into the trap of compensating for lack of substance with style. Yes, the world is beautiful, and the gameplay is good to excellent, depending on your level of engagement with the game's combat systems. Still, there are no experiences that attach meaning to the places the player occupies. I often think, “Okay, this is a beautiful place, but why should I care.” The beauty of it all feels empty.

A lot of this reaction can be attributed to the Destined One being alone most of the time as a character. The Destined One has no companions or friends; he is not grounded to anything outside himself. In the game's opening moments, we meet the Keeper, who acts as a guide for much of the initial chapter. But halfway through the chapter, he disappears, and we never see him again. His only interaction with other entities is during the speeches given by bosses, who he kills and moves on to the next one without blinking an eye. The Destined One is a hollow character devoid of emotion, which, even as a silent protagonist, is hard to pull off.

The Destined One ends up being an empty avatar with only a single facial expression and me never enlightens the audience about himself in any meaningful or memorable way. This is disappointing since I was excited to explore an enthralling story within one of the world's most remarkable cultures and essential countries, but so far, the characterization and narrative choices have turned out to be missed opportunities and are a weak point in an otherwise good game.