WATCH ORDER: THINGS TO WATCH BEFORE BLACK MYTH WUKONG

Black Myth: Wu Kong is a game set in Buddhist mythology, released on 19 August 2024. Sun Wu Kong is the monkey king who was a god incarnate, even upon learning the ways of Buddhism from his master, he tends to be erratic, brave, and nonchalant. He is the smartest of all monkeys but he still finds difficulty in understanding the line between him being a part god part monkey and sometimes even part demon. Well the game itself has a very detailed backstory and lore to be understood hence this blog will give you the watch list so that you can enjoy the game to the fullest.

1. The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven's Palace (2014)

The movie is set in Buddhist mythology, where there is a constant war between demons and gods especially between the Bull demon and the Jade Emperor, heaven gets destroyed to pieces and the protector sacrifices herself to recreate heaven, while doing so one of her crystals falls onto the human world inside the crystal a monkey was born with its life energy, who is none other than Sun Wukong, a priest takes him under his wing to teach him everything he knows. Sun after learning everything goes back to his friends the monkeys and becomes the king of the monkeys for his prowess.

Sun Wukong learning from the priest. "The Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven's Palace (2014)". IMDb,https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1717715/mediaindex/

This movie shows the origin story of Sun Wukong, it also shows how he obtains all his abilities, his weapon the special staff, and also his armor.  This movie also has very horrible VFX and graphics, the movie is quite wholesome as it touches upon, Sun's love life, even though he is very erratic in nature, he too finds solace in someone. The movie also depicts Sun's true form by the end of the movie which ties everything related to understanding Sun's origin story clearly depicted, which makes this a must watch before playing the movie, to understand the characters and the lore better, which gives an overall better gaming experience.

2. Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013)

This movie is set after the monkey king is trapped by Buddha to atone for his sins for 500 years, a young man who aspires to be a demon hunter by not using violence finds himself facing 2 demons a fish demon and a pig demon. Unable to defeat both, his master tells him to seek Buddha through the Monkey King. Sun in this movie is shown as a full-blown demon who even after 500 years of isolation is still unable to atone for his sins and continues to be a demon.

Sun Wukong is satisfied after killing a few demon hunters. "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons (2013)". IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2017561/mediaindex/ 

This young man comes to Monkey King in order to find a way to tame the demon pig, in the process he frees the Monkey King without realizing, Sun tests his resolve for Buddha, and the young man starts to chant the Sutra and even after witnessing soo many deaths, he remains unmoved by anything Sun has to throw at him. Sun in his true form of the devil, turns into a giant gorilla, when he faces Buddha himself he realizes how much smaller than Buddha he is, physically and morally. Eventually, he joins the good side and follows the path of Buddhism, spreading and preaching the teachings.

3. Black Myth: Wu Kong - Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer (2020)

The trailer itself shows the amazing gameplay of Wu Kong as he traverses a land of demons, although the overall story is still unclear, it shows that there is a way to transform into others, as well as transform into any other animal, it shows some of the most important features of Wu Kong including the staff which can change its size as he wields, there is also his ability to walk on clouds. The opponents as shown here are the four heavenly gods.

Wu Kong uses his clone ability against the wolf demon. "Black Myth: Wu Kong - Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer (2020)" https://images.app.goo.gl/tDitRboTo41hGvbo7

Apart from this they also have some fighting gameplay that looks very clean, the boss battles look very fierce and a little bit on the difficult end, the game developers at GameScience have honestly done an incredible job in bringing Wu Kong to the video games, where every gamer out there can experience all these cool abilities that he has in order face the troubles he has to face to reach Buddha.

Alright, there is the list of everything to watch before you play the game, hope you guys have enjoyed the read, if you did make sure to spread the word about this blog to others interested as well, cause I am only going to be bringing you guys more of what you guys just read, hopefully I have at least motivated you to give one of these movies mentioned a watch. Well, I only wish to improve your experience in entertainment. 

GENSHIN IMPACT : Epic battles and mythical heroes unleashed.

1.OVERVIEW

    Genshin Impact is an open world RPG(Role Playing Game),where players embark on an unforgettable journey in a vast open world. At the heart of the story are two siblings, Lumine and Aether, from which players can choose either as their protagonist. Though the story remains unchanged, players have the option to play as a male or female character, adding a personal touch to their adventure. The tale begins as the siblings find themselves transported to a new dimension, only to be captured by an archon, god-like beings in this world. The character not chosen by the player is taken captive, while the protagonist engages in a fierce battle with the archon, eventually getting overpowered and losing consciousness. Upon awakening, the protagonist discovers themselves in the outskirts of Mondstadt, a bustling city. There, they meet Paimon, a mysterious and quirky companion who floats and possesses no known backstory with this we move on to understand how the world works and we set a foot on a very long journey of how to get our the other sibling back.

    One of the captivating aspects is the concept of archons and visions. Each of the seven countries is presided over by an archon, with each archon associated with a particular element, these archons have different personalities and are also playable which makes the game more interesting. Within the game, players encounter four main types of missions: Archon quests, World quests, Side quests, and Story quests. While certain elements may overlap, each mission offers a distinct story and perspective, providing players with a vast array of experiences. With around 70 playable characters, each boasting their own individual stories, Genshin Impact offers an expansive narrative to explore.  

2.CHARACTERS

    As players assume the role of Aether or Lumine, the chosen protagonist emerges as a classic hero figure. Though they may not be overly talkative, their voice carries a sense of justice, heroism, and courage. As they traverse this realm alongside the player, they share the same confusion and wonder, adding an authentic and relatable element to the game.

    Next in line is Paimon, the enigmatic companion, brings a touch of whimsy to the adventure. Floating and perpetually short in stature, her age and backstory remain unknown. Paimon serves as the intermediary between the protagonist and NPCs, often engaging in conversations that can be both amusing and occasionally drawn-out. While her combat presence may be limited, her Japanese dubbing adds a playful charm to her character, though some players may find her voice slightly annoying.

    Among the diverse cast of characters, Kaeya stands out as a cold-hearted individual. Donning a cool demeanor, his elemental affiliation lies in ice, and he holds the position of Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonious,  now knights favonious are just a group of people who keep the city of Mondstadt safe from any kind of external problems. Despite his cool appearance, his actions evoke suspicion, making players question his loyalty and wonder if he may eventually betray the others.

    Lisa is a strong character and a librarian with an affinity for electricity, captivates players with her seductive speech, occasionally bordering on cringe or awkwardness. Her intelligence shines through her knowledge of myths and ancient stories, making her a valuable asset within the Knights of Favonious.

 Lastly Barbara, a water-element character and a healer, proves to be an indispensable ally throughout the game. As one of the few water element characters, she provides invaluable support in the team, even though usually healers are undervalued in a team. With hints of a pop singer background, Barbara's healing abilities complement her singing as she is a pop star who would usually sing in concerts, enriching the lives of those who listen to her sing at the same time she works as a nun in Mondstadt which is probably where she learnt how to heal.

3.FILMIC AESTHETICS

    Visually, Genshin Impact boasts cinematic appeal with its breathtaking scenery. From meticulously detailed flowers to captivating color contrasts and dynamic wind effects, every aspect of the game's visuals seamlessly fits together like a completed puzzle, and hence it is as satisfiying to watch it as completing a puzzle. There are times when you would rather watch the scenery around you than the characters conversations. The scenic beauty often captivates players, leading them to appreciate the environment as much as the character interactions. The cutscenes, reminiscent of anime, offer exhilarating action sequences that leave players craving for more. While the game may have fewer cinematic scenes overall, each one is meticulously crafted and truly remarkable.

    The music in Genshin Impact stands out as a phenomenal aspect of the game. The developers have created original compositions using instruments from various cultures, perfectly capturing the essence of each city. This attention to detail enhances the immersive experience, making players feel truly immersed in the game's world. The combination of stunning visuals, captivating auditory elements, and meticulous cinematography ensures that Genshin Impact is an outstanding and satisfying gaming. Unlike a lot of other long games which turn out to be sufferable this is a rather gorgeous game, even though it is long at least you have the satisfaction of watching something so soothing and peaceful which makes this an all around fabulous game.

4. PERSONAL OPINION

    As of now there are 5 countries we know of they are Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru and Fontaine, Fontaine is the most recent one and it hasn't been released yet as I write this blog but it seems like a great addition to the game as seen on trailers so far. The developers have made sure to make these countries similar to those in real life where in there are various unique components within each country, such as culture, architecture, and missions assigned by NPCs and finally the NPC's themselves which gives the player a vacation type of an experience. 

    Amidst the engaging storyline, the acquisition of weapons and artifacts presents a challenging grind, sometimes you would need at least a week to actually wait around for the resources to regenerate or sometimes wait for the domain to open up, these domains open up only on certain days of the week, I find this really cumbersome and one would need to have a lot of patience to get through it. In this open-world RPG, players must invest time into obtaining and upgrading their arsenal, from finding the right stats on weapons to leveling up characters and artifacts. This intricate process adds depth and complexity to the gameplay, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the unique elements of the game.

 Not all archons are on the good side as we have seen one of the archons stole our sibling, some archons are really cool like the one in Inazuma others like the one in Sumeru was really boring. Seeing that the archons are playable it is quite annoying when the playable archons are not as strong as when their story was playing out, although it is understandable considering the balance in the game should be maintained, including the archons there are around 70 playable characters and each has his/her own story with a load of fighting and puzzles which basically runs the whole game. 

5.CONLUSION

In conclusion, I would rate this game a solid 4.5 out of 5. Genshin Impact is an immersive open-world RPG that offers a captivating gaming experience. With a choice between Lumine and Aether as the protagonist, players embark on a thrilling adventure in a dimension governed by archons and their associated elements. The game's vast world, inspired by real-life cultures and architecture, is brought to life with stunning visuals and a phenomenal soundtrack. The diverse cast of characters, engaging quests, and meticulous attention to detail make Genshin Impact a truly exceptional RPG.

Overall, Genshin Impact successfully combines its visually stunning landscapes, immersive gameplay mechanics, and captivating storytelling to create a remarkable gaming experience. Whether exploring the vast open world, engaging in epic battles, or uncovering the secrets of the archons, players are sure to be enthralled by the charm and depth of this extraordinary RPG.