Summary
Black Myth: Wukongcomes with a plethora of settings that allow players to adjust its visuals and performance. Its graphical settings are largely the same as any other major 3D action RPG, encompassing both big-picture options like view distance, antialiasing, and texture quality. ButBlack Myth: Wukongalso allows players to adjust some of the more minor details of its graphical fidelity, changing, for example, the detail rendered in the NPCs' hair, reflections, and vegetation.
That can all be a little overwhelming, soBlack Myth: Wukongalso provides twopre-configured default settings for different modes: Performance mode and Quality mode. Although each setting has its own benefits, different graphical modes will work differently depending on each system’s specifications. Here’s how each ofWukong’s graphical presets works, and which one is best for different kinds of players.
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Black Myth: Wukong - How Performance & Quality Mode Work
What’s The Difference Between Performance Mode & Quality Mode?
Black Myth: Wukong’s Performance and Quality modes work much like other games that have instituted similar functions:Performance mode displays the game at a slightly lower overall quality, but runs more consistently at a higher frame rate, while Quality mode displays the game at the maximum possible graphical settings (or close to them), but at a potentially lower frame rate. The recommended specs for PC are as follows:
Intel Core 17-9700 or AMD Ryzen 5 5500
16 GB RAM
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060, AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT, or INTEL Arc A750
As per usual,better specs are always preferred, but these recommended settings should be more than sufficient to run the game at either Performance or Quality mode. The game may also run on systems with lower specs, but at the cost of certain graphical settings - for instance, setting the majority of the options to Medium instead of High.
While many of the base settings in both presets are similar,the Performance preset cranks the quality down across several categories to allow for a smoother experience. The following table compares each graphical setting that’s affected by the two presets.
Cinematic
In short,the majority of settings that differ in the default Performance/Quality mode profiles are minor details. Players will be able to enjoy the same high render distance, visual smoothing, texture quality, and post-processing effects on either profile. They may, however, notice some dips in quality when looking at vegetation - sparser blades of grass, or blurrier leaves on trees, for example. Lighting will look less realistic overall, and the visual effects created by the Destined One’s magical attacks may not look quite so impressive. Even so, the profiles are, for the most part, pretty similar.
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Black Myth: Wukong - Pros & Cons Of Performance Vs. Quality Mode
Which Black Myth: Wukong Graphics Mode Is Better?
A degree of preference factors into every player’s choice, but for the most part,Performance mode is the best option forBlack Myth: Wukong. That’s due to the simple fact that it is an action RPG, andtakes inspiration from Soulslike games. Players will have to pay careful attention to enemy movement, ensuring that they get out of the way in a timely manner. This is much easier at the higher, more consistent frame rates provided by Performance mode. On this setting, stuttering is a lot less likely, which means players will less frequently miss cues for incoming attacks. The combat will also feel more fluid and satisfying, and the overall gameplay will benefit from it.
For those still experiencing poor performance,Shadow Quality and Global Illumination appear to be the most demanding on hardware. Turning these settings down can result in frame rate increases.
However, while Performance mode is ideal for players on consoles and PCs that just skirt the recommended specs, some higher-end PCs may be able to handle Quality mode. Systems with specs that are significantly better than recommended may be able to run the game at higher settings without sacrificing frame rates. As a result, it’s best totry out Quality mode first on PC, evaluate its performance, and then toggle Performance mode on as needed.
For those who are still unsure,Black Myth: Wukongoffers a benchmark tool that allows them to determine which settings are best for their individual system’s specs. TheWukongbenchmark is available for free viaSteam, and tests a PC’s capability by rendering a scene from the game and evaluating its performance. This will return a recommended group of settings for the full game, and ultimately, a judgment about whether a PC is capable of running the game. Players can use this benchmark ahead of downloading the game to determine which settings work best for them.
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But again, some players may prefer to use Quality mode anyway, even if it results in a slightly lower frame rate. The game is perfectly playable, if a little jumpier, on this setting. Ultimately, it all comes down to the player’s preference of how to playBlack Myth: Wukong.
The studio behind Black Myth: Wukong, GameScience, has previously been accused of fostering a toxic environment for its workers. The 2023 allegations include sexualized comments against women, misogyny, fatphobia, and more. More details can be foundhere.
Black Myth: Wukong
Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG game from the developers at GameScience. Based on the original Chinese novelJourney to the West,players take on the role of Sun Wukong, a legendary monkey warrior who fights against mythical beasts and beings to save his world.
