good but unexceptional critical reception. While the overall response to the game was strong, Black Myth: Wukong falls short of where nominees both present and past rate.

As detailed on the official The Game Awards website, 10 percent of the vote comes from fans, while 90 percent of the decision goes to the jury (mostly composed of press and journalists). Based on past years, these judges often favor action-based RPGs with strong narratives — Black Myth: Wukong checks these boxes in a major way, plus some. Although it might not be the most obvious choice, there are plenty of reasons why Black Myth: Wukong deserves GOTY at TGA 2024.

10 GameScience's First AAA

Regardless of the opinions about Black Myth: Wukong's nomination, there is no denying what the developers at GameScience have accomplished. This being the first AAA installment from the small company sets a precedent for things to come, and the fact the studio scored a GOTY nomination on its first AAA release is an impressive feat. GameScience managed to create something both familiar and novel, combining some of the best elements/features from similarly styled games and improving upon them or reimagining them entirely.

To be fair, the founders of GameScience are former Tencent employees, and the fact that the studio hasn't previously published titles of this scale isn't going to be a major consideration for judges at TGA. But it's worth noting that when Black Myth: Wukong started development, Game Science had fewer than 30 employees working on the game, as reported by IGN.

9 Replayability

Replay value comes built-in with Black Myth: Wukong, as seen with the New Game+ mode featured after finishing the game the first time and in the alternate, "True Ending" found after completing a secret area that most won't find until a second replay. Black Myth: Wukong seems to be designed with the expectation that players will miss things on their first run, and NG+ provides powerful upgrades and better weapons/armor, so accomplishments from NG feel like they really matter in NG+.

Further, the strongest weapons in the game are only available in NG+, and the narrative elements are interesting enough that a second or third playthrough of the game does not feel stale or cumbersome. If replayability counts for anything, Wukong is a prime example of using NG+ to enhance the player's overall experience of the game.

8 Simplified Soulslike Mechanics

Black Myth: Wukong uses or improves upon popular soulslike mechanics, such as re-spawning at shrines upon death without the punitive loss of experience. The combat mechanics feel oddly familiar, with aspects reminiscent of previous GOTY-winners Sekiro and Elden Ring, yet distinctly different — Black Myth: Wukong isn't technically a soulslike after all, even if elements such as the Perfect Dodge mechanism feel very soulslike.

This is all to say that Black Myth: Wukong has created truly innovative and original combat that builds upon and pays homage to contemporaries and predecessors from a range of RPG styles and is accessible in ways other soulslikes aren't. The leveling mechanic and narrative linearity equate to players not being overwhelmed by any single boss, getting lost in a labyrinthine world, or becoming frustrated piecing together fragmented storylines.

7 Visual Design & Art

Despite the potential for performance issues, Black Myth: Wukong offers an unparalleled, visually dynamic experience. Each chapter includes a variety of beautiful architecture and detailed background settings, from deserts to snowy mountains and beyond. Not to mention the character, NPC, and enemy designs, all of which feel original and carefully planned, as well as the beautiful artistry seen in cutscene content.

While there are separate award categories for these aspects, the art and design in the game add to the overall immersion and will certainly play at least a ive role in judges' decisions for GOTY. Black Myth: Wukong's visual adaptation of the iconic Journey to the West story and legendary characters like the titular Sun Wukong results in a complete artistic vision that pulls players into the myth.

6 Boss Design

Though there are over 100 bosses scattered across the game, each has a completely individualized combat style and personality. They are also woven into the narrative with intention, each serving a unique purpose and leaving players feeling accomplished after defeating them. Some bosses will feel insurmountable at first, but these foes quickly force players to adjust their strategies, experiment with different spark investment and gear, and learn to utilize the correct stances.

The move set for each boss is deliberate and well-thought-out, teaching players how to use each stance as they advance through the game. This translates to a truly fulfilling sense of accomplishment when a particular build or technique finally pans out. Even the most challenging bosses, such as Erlang, the Sacred Divinity, can be overcome reasonably with a solid strategy.

5 Hidden In Plain View

While the lack of an open world or running into invisible walls can break immersion to some extent, nothing in Black Myth: Wukong feels unintentional. The barriers to exploration are balanced out by the hidden aspects of the game that players are free to discover on their own, particularly the dozens of hidden bosses that cannot be accessed without taking deliberate steps. Despite having a pretty linear path, Wukong can be surprisingly difficult to navigate.

Where an open world offers players a sense of discovery and purpose, Black Myth: Wukong presents a linear path with hidden forks, such as side quests that lead to powerful bosses that can only be discovered with thorough exploration. Each chapter is ripe for discovery, and the game deserves consideration for striking a delicate balance between the open world and linear styles of level design.

4 Reignite The Sparks

The leveling system in Black Myth: Wukong, called Self-Advancing, can be done anytime, and respeccing Spark points is possible at any Keeper's Shrine from the very beginning of the game. This may seem like a simple detail, but the ability to respec at will gives the player an incredible degree of freedom to experiment with different builds, which in turn leads to players developing strategies catered to their preferences and each individual boss.

Where many action RPGs have locked players into their decisions and forced them to commit to a particular build, Black Myth: Wukong removes all barriers to advancement and encourages players to rethink strategy. This is especially useful in the early chapters as players learn various combat mechanics and build an arsenal for the more difficult late-game bosses.

3 Smash, Pillar, Thrust

On that note, the combat mechanics are perhaps one of the most compelling reasons Black Myth: Wukong is deserving of GOTY. As mentioned above, the game utilizes features from popular soulslikes, most apparently with the Perfect Dodge mechanic. However, these fundamentals are enhanced dramatically when players start understanding how to use each Staff Stance - Smash, Pillar, and Thrust - and when they start discovering new spells.

Defeating each boss requires a catered understanding of their move-set, and which stances or spells the player uses will change depending on which boss they're fighting. By the final boss, players will have practiced enough that they'll understand the nuances, benefits, and use-cases for each stance, spell, and piece of gear they collect throughout the game.

2 Journey To The West

There's little doubt that Black Myth: Wukong is a stunning adaptation of the epic 16th-century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, or that this will be a major consideration for judges in this year's GOTY decision. Traditionally, the winning games have been narrative-focused, containing strong cinematic elements and including well-written dialogue and carefully planned narrative design. The writing in Black Myth: Wukong particularly stands out, even from the initial battle sequence against the Gods.

The overall story arc, character development, dialogue, and narrative design in Black Myth: Wukong are what will set it apart from the other nominees. There may not be a better video game adaptation of a classic tale than this one, and based on judges' preferences in past GOTY awards, an engaging story and intentional narrative design are crucial for a winning title.

1 A Complete Experience

When all is said and done, no single element of any GOTY nominee will ensure a win, and the overall gameplay experience will be the final say. Black Myth: Wukong is a complete, self-contained package, unlike other nominees such as Shadow of the Erdtree or FF7 Rebirth that require knowledge of the franchise to fully appreciate. While it is based on Journey to the West, players don't need to have read the novel to appreciate the story or characters - if anything, the game will interest players in reading the novel.

Further, Black Myth: Wukong excludes the frustrating aspects of popular soulslikes while incorporating more universally enjoyable elements, striking a delicate balance between fans of the soulslike genre and those that prefer a more straightforward action RPG. The level, combat, and boss design are standouts among the nominees, as well as the advancement system and art/cinematography. For all of these reasons and more, Black Myth: Wukong has a real shot at winning Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024.

Sources: The Game Awards, IGN