Black Myth: Wukong Unveils Six-Minute Short Film in Honor of the Year of the Horse

If you were hoping for another sneak peek at Game Science’s sequel to 2024’s breakout title, Black Myth: Wukong, you might be a bit surprised. Instead, we have a captivating six-minute short film that teases what’s in store for Black Myth: Zhong Kui. This in-engine creation celebrates the Chinese New Year with a unique twist—an extraordinary cooking demonstration set in the game’s mythical ancient China.

While I anticipated epic battles with monstrous foes, I was taken aback by this wild culinary showcase. The studio clearly exudes confidence, as this short is labeled “non-canon” and “unrelated to the main storyline,” yet it’s a visual feast that honors the Year of the Horse.

One of the standout moments for me was the dramatic fate of a certain slab of meat, which hangs in the background early on, its eyes wide open and seemingly unnoticed on the first viewing. It’s definitely worth a second look to catch all the intricate details.

Though this doesn’t showcase the game itself, it serves as an impressive tech demo. Just look at the squishiness of the fish! The particle effects for dust and chopped leaves might be the weakest link, but they’re still the best I’ve encountered. And the liquid effects? Absolutely mind-blowing. Not to mention the creature designs are top-notch.

This isn’t Game Science’s first rodeo; it’s actually their sixth New Year release! The first was for 2021’s Year of the Ox, which felt more like a game trailer for Black Myth: Wukong than a short film. In 2022, they delivered a 12-minute mockumentary featuring a fictional version of the studio programming kittens into Wukong, complete with real motion capture footage, to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. The Year of the Rabbit in 2023 brought us a stop-motion animation of a bunny trying to get a PC version of a Game Science game up and running. Then, for the Year of the Loong in 2024, they released a 13-minute live-action drama with a musical number. Last year’s entry for the Year of the Snake was also live-action, cleverly incorporating a bunch of Black Myth merchandise into its narrative rap.

So, this year’s sixth New Year release feels relatively straightforward, especially since it’s crafted using the engine for the upcoming Black Myth: Zhong Kui and even mentions the game by name. However, I did notice a distinct absence of horses. If you’re curious about what that might look like, a teaser trailer was shared last year.