Black Myth: Zhong Kui reveals 15 minutes of gameplay on the developer Game Science's official YouTube channel. Read on to learn more about the next game in the Black Myth series.
Black Myth: Zhong Kui Feature More Demon Slaying Action
15 Minutes of Early Game Development Footage
Black Myth: Zhong Kui has released the first extended gameplay footage for the game, posted on developer Game Science’s official YouTube channel on August 20, following the cinematic trailer released a year ago. The latest 15-minute trailer shows a substantial look at the work-in-progress build, showcasing gameplay and some animated cutscenes. However, on the game's website, the studio says that the "promotional footage may naturally differ from the final release," as some of what they're exploring is experimental.
The video follows the new protagonist of the Black Myth series, a human swordsman, but the developer hasn’t confirmed whether the protagonist is the legendary demon slayer Zhong Kui himself. Interestingly enough, the unnamed swordsman is dressed in long scholar-like robes, potentially adding another connection to Zhong Kui’s origins as an imperial examination candidate.
Another point is that the swordsman is conventionally attractive, unlike Zhong Kui’s grotesque appearance in folklore. The legend goes that, even though Zhong Kui excelled as a scholar and topped the imperial examination, he was denied his honors because the emperor found his appearance insultingly repulsive.
Commenters on the YouTube video have theorized that the unnamed protagonist could be Du Ping, Zhong Kui’s close friend and eventual brother-in-law, as one of the characters could be Zhong Kui’s sister. The latter's frightening appearance is better suited for the character shown riding a large tiger in last year's reveal in Gamescom 2025.
Grounded, Defensive Swordplay
On the game's website, the developer said that Black Myth: Zhong Kui is similar to the previous installment, as it's rooted in Chinese mythology and folklore, and that it will be a single-player ARPG following the "same business model as before." They also said they hope to preserve elements players loved about Black Myth: Wukong while "eagerly exploring distinctive gameplay tailored to the new protagonist."
This is shown with how the swordsman has a much more grounded combat style as compared to the playful Destined One, who uses spells and transformations alongside his enchanted staff. For example, while fighting a group of humanoid demons, the less-mobile swordsman wove in slower sword attacks, melee hits, dodges, parries, and brutal finishers. The importance of parries was also demonstrated in a boss fight, where consecutive, successful parries were able to stagger the large demon.
Aided by Flaming Swords and a Possession Mechanic
The protagonist has his own magical tools. During combat, his sword occasionally catches on fire, and it can absorb and store fire for later use. The swordsman also uses what appears to be a piece of parchment paper that quickly engulfs the forest in flames. He also controls the same parchment to entangle a turtle-like demon.
In a boss fight, the swordsman calls down a humanoid creature to help him in combat. Then, it appears he projects his soul into the creature, allowing him to use its lightning-imbued weaponry and supernatural moveset. When the swordsman comes back into his own body, his swords also become enchanted with lightning. The ability to summon demonic allies could have roots in Zhong Kui’s iconography, commonly depicted as traveling surrounded by ghosts and demons.
Story Cutscenes Offer a Glimpse of Chinese Folklore
The trailer also offers brief glimpses of the game's Chinese folklore-inspired story, showing humans and the supernatural naturally sharing the world. Some depictions include a drowned woman attacking and dragging the previous boss into the water, the protagonist playing music with skeletons, and the protagonist grappling a giant missing the top portion of its body.
On the game’s website, Game Science has said they can’t share more about the story or gameplay. It seems that Zhong Kui’s story hasn’t been finalized, and the studio is effectively crowdsourcing for more ideas, referring to fan deep dives on their videos as "theories so wildly imaginative that they’ve gone far beyond even the development team’s own understanding of the project. We can’t take notes fast enough!"
August 20 has become a tradition for Game Science, with the studio marking the date with major Black Myth updates almost every year. It began with Black Myth: Wukong’s first gameplay reveal in 2020, followed by another major gameplay showcase in 2021, new footage in 2022, and its release trailer in 2023, before Wukong officially launched on August 20, 2024.
The studio continued the pattern with Black Myth: Zhong Kui, announcing the game in 2025 and sharing its first extended gameplay showcase exactly one year later. With Game Science itself describing August 20 updates as a tradition, another major Zhong Kui reveal on August 20, 2027, would be expected of the studio.
Source:
Black Myth: Zhong Kui Gameplay Trailer and FAQs
