Black Myth: Wukong could be exactly what Sony needs to drive up the sales when the PlayStation 5 Pro comes out at some point later this year.
Make no mistake—no one has confirmed the PS5 Pro yet—at least, not out loud. But with the rumblings growing stronger by the minute (and as revealed by this chip manufacturer via MoneyDJ), it’s only a matter of time before Sony confirms it, and when that happens, it will need a game to showcase its full capabilities.
Enter Game Science’s debut game.
Black Myth: Wukong and the PS5 Pro feels like a match made in heaven. Because of the steep PC requirements, the PS5 has become the de-facto console platform for the action RPG title (and because it’s not on Xbox, for some reason.)
The “Minimum” tier requires a PC with at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or Ryzen 5 1600 with 16 gigabytes of RAM and an Nvidia 6GB GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD 8GB Raden RX580. Moving up to the “Recommended” tier means ponying up arguably twice as much for an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT / INTEL Arc A750, which could easily go for $200 on its own.
Both systems with such specifications cost more than the $449 it takes to get a PS5 at your local retail store. The best part? The game would look better on the PS5 than on either system.
While Black Myth: Wukong on PS5 isn’t perfect, Game Science has done an excellent job optimizing the game to run well on what should be “inferior” hardware. Can you imagine how much better the game could look on the PS5 Pro?
Despite possibly not being a massive hardware upgrade, the PS5 Pro will still be a mid-generation upgrade offering improved graphical performance, allowing for higher resolutions and better frame rates.
Black Myth: Wukong already showcases impressive visual fidelity. On the PS5 Pro, it could reach even greater heights with features like ray tracing and improved texture quality. Harnessing this technology could help enhance the game’s already beautiful environments and character designs, making for a more immersive experience.
Better yet, the PS5 Pro’s enhanced processing power could help mitigate problems players face with certain PS5 modes.
For example, Digital Foundry notes that the “Performance” mode of the game relies on frame generation to achieve its 60 frames per second target, which results in an increase in input lag. This wouldn’t be a huge problem if Black Myth: Wukong wasn’t such a combat-intensive game requiring quick reflexes.
Because of the added delay, you’ll find yourself getting hit even when though swore you styled on one of its 91 bosses by pressing dodge at just the right time.
Moreover, the PS5 Pro will still use the same advanced SSD technology exclusive to the PS5 – critical for seamless transitions between exploration and combat in a game like Black Myth: Wukong.
We still don’t know what the PS5 Pro will market as its target. Still, we have a hunch that it will sell gamers on a console that can consistently run games on 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, making switching between “Performance” and “Fidelity” modes a moot point.
Very few well-optimized games can take advantage of the added power that the PS5 Pro could have. Final Fantasy 16, which reportedly melted PS5s last year, stands out as an example. However, the JRPG giant is a relatively niche title that doesn’t have quite the same pull as Black Myth: Wukong, which is setting records on Steam and going absolutely bananas in China.
With its stunning aesthetics, engaging gameplay, and potential improvements with further optimizations, Black Myth: Wukong, riding high on its flying nimbus, should be a PS5 Pro-optimized title right off the bat.
If it’s not, we’re pretty sure heaven’s armies will revolt.
