How to play guide

Black Myth: Wukong Beginner's Guide: Focus, Spells, Shrines and Tough Bosses

A starter guide to Black Myth: Wukong: default PC keys, the light-heavy attack and Focus loop, spell categories, what Keeper's Shrines do, spending Sparks and Will, and common boss-fight mistakes.

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Black Myth: Wukong is an action RPG released in 2024 by Chinese studio Game Science. Inspired by the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, it puts you in control of a monkey warrior called the Destined One, taking on hundreds of creatures and bosses with a staff. It is known as much for its demanding boss fights as for its visuals.

While it resembles Souls-like games, it has its own systems: Focus points built with light attacks and spent on heavy attacks, spells in separate categories, abilities taken from enemy spirits, and transformations. This guide shows players stuck in the early chapters how to use these systems together; it avoids story and boss spoilers.

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The game supports many languages, including a Turkish interface and subtitles.

Goal of the game

The game follows a linear story told across six chapters. In each one you explore areas and face regular enemies and many bosses, both optional and required. Defeating enemies earns Will, the game's currency, and experience; levelling up grants skill points called Sparks, spent in the Self-Advancement menu.

According to Maxroll's guide, several resources work together in combat: light and heavy attacks, sprinting and dodging use Stamina; hitting enemies or charging heavy attacks builds Focus, which is spent to power up heavy attacks; spells use Mana; transformations rely on a separate resource (Might) and Spirit skills on Qi. You heal by drinking from a Gourd with limited charges. Keeper's Shrines are checkpoints: resting refills your resources but respawns regular enemies.

Controls

Key	Action
`W A S D`	Move
`Shift`	Sprint
`Space`	Dodge
`Ctrl`	Jump
`Left click`	Light attack
`Right click`	Heavy attack (hold to charge)
`Middle mouse button`	Lock on / release lock
`1 / 2 / 3 / 4`	Cast spells
`R`	Drink from the Gourd
`Q`	Use equipped consumable
`F`	Use Spirit skill
`V`	Staff Spin
`E`	Interact (shrines, items, NPCs)
`Z / X / C`	Smash / Pillar / Thrust stance (once unlocked)
`P`	Photo mode

First steps

Consider a controllerThe Steam page marks the game as gamepad recommended. It is fully playable with mouse and keyboard, but many players find dodge and spell timing more natural on a controller. Whichever you choose, settle your controls in the first chapter.
Activate your first shrineA glittering golden trail in the air means a Keeper's Shrine is nearby. Light incense with E to make it a checkpoint. According to Maxroll, at shrines you can rest, travel between shrines, change spells, reallocate Sparks, craft gear, make medicines and trade.
Build Focus with light attacks, spend it with heavy onesThe core loop: fill Focus with light attack chains, then cash it in with a heavy attack for big damage. Fighting only with light attacks is slow and costly in stamina.
Dodge with timingDodging with Space costs stamina. A perfectly timed dodge just as an attack lands grants extra Focus. Panic-dodging drains your stamina and leaves you exposed.
Spend early Sparks on survivalIn the Self-Advancement skill trees, put your first points into health, stamina and dodging. Maxroll notes that you can reset Sparks at a shrine for free, so experiment without fear.
Slot your first spells on 1-4Spells are split into categories and you equip only one from each. Control spells such as Immobilize, which briefly freezes an enemy, create safe openings, especially against bosses.
Collect SpiritsDefeating some strong enemies and bosses lets you absorb their Spirit. Each gives a passive bonus and an active skill used with F. According to Maxroll, missed Spirits can be reclaimed at shrines.
Upgrade your GourdThe Gourd has limited charges and a long drinking animation. At shrines you can change its contents, add soaks for bonuses and upgrade it. Do not ignore Gourd upgrade materials you find.

Tips and tactics

Watch the boss firstOn the first attempt, focus on learning the boss's moves rather than winning. Once you see which attacks leave openings and which require a delayed dodge, the next attempts get much easier.
Drink at a safe momentThe drinking animation is long, so drinking mid-combo will likely get you hit. Create distance, wait for the boss to finish a move, then drink.
Use Immobilize to escape tooControl spells are not only damage windows but breathing room. When low on health, freezing an enemy to back off or drink is often the smarter use.
Experiment with stancesYou start in Smash stance; Pillar and Thrust unlock as you progress. According to Maxroll, Smash lets you charge heavy attacks while moving, Pillar lets you climb your staff to evade attacks, and Thrust focuses on reach. Switching stance for a boss can change the fight.
Use enemies near shrinesRegular enemies respawn when you rest at a shrine. Before a boss, clearing a group near a shrine a few times is a natural way to gather Will and experience.
Look for meditation spotsAccording to Maxroll, meditation spots in each area award Sparks. Exploring off the main path is a way to earn skill points without levelling up.
Do not skip Celestial MedicinesMaxroll notes that Celestial Medicines permanently raise stats such as health, mana and stamina, and are found while exploring or crafted with Mind Cores. Going back to explore thoroughly makes a real difference in a hard chapter.
Upgrade gear with WillAt shrines you can craft new staves and armour with Will and materials. Boss fights become more forgiving not just through skills but through armour with better defence.
Leave a stubborn boss for laterMany bosses are optional. Rather than being stuck for hours on one off the main path, move on, get stronger and come back.
Use transformations in emergenciesTransformation spells briefly turn you into another creature and run on their own resource. According to Maxroll, they do not use Mana, so they remain a strong option even when your mana is empty.

Common mistakes

Fighting only with light attacks: players who never spend Focus on heavy attacks deal little damage and waste stamina.
Panic-dodging repeatedly: your stamina runs out just as the boss's most dangerous attack arrives.
Drinking from the Gourd in the middle of a boss combo: the long animation makes you an easy target.
Putting all Sparks into damage: in early chapters, health and stamina save more runs than extra hits.
Skipping shrines: an unactivated shrine means a long walk back after every death.
Stubbornly retrying an optional boss: moving on, getting stronger and returning is usually more efficient.

Frequently asked questions

Does Black Myth: Wukong support Turkish?

Yes. According to the Steam store page, the interface and subtitles support Turkish; full voice acting is in English and Simplified Chinese.

Is it single-player?

Yes. The Steam page lists it as single-player only.

How many chapters are there?

The game has six chapters that follow a linear story.

Can I play with mouse and keyboard?

Yes, and keys can be rebound in the settings. The Steam page lists full controller support and recommends a gamepad.

Can I reset my skills?

Yes. According to Maxroll, you can reallocate Sparks for free at a Keeper's Shrine.

Which systems is it on?

It is listed on Steam for Windows, and was also released for PlayStation 5.

This guide was written for version: This guide reflects the live version as of September 2026. PC keys are the defaults and can be changed in the options.