Black Myth: Zhong Kui vs Cinder City

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Mythological Tang Dynasty China
• Platforms: PC and all other mainstream console platforms
• Release Window: TBA (Estimated 2028 or later)
• Unique Feature: A new entry in the 'Black Myth' saga based on the Chinese mythological figure Zhong Kui, the 'demon queller', promising a unique blend of historical setting and ghost-style horror combat.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Seoul
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, GeForce NOW
• Release Window: 2026
• Unique Feature: A seamless, open-world MMO that blends tactical third-person shooting and survival horror with large-scale, cooperative PvE raids against titanic bosses in a visually stunning, post-apocalyptic Seoul.

• Tiger: The teaser trailer shows Zhong Kui riding a tiger, suggesting that he may have an animal companion for traversal and possibly combat.
  Mythical Animal
• Captured Demons (Speculative): As a 'ghost-catching god,' it's possible that Zhong Kui could temporarily command the demons he has captured to fight alongside him.
  Demonic

• Captured Souls: Defeated ghosts and demons. These could serve as a currency for upgrading abilities or as lore entries in a bestiary.
• Calligraphy Scrolls: Hidden scrolls showcasing Zhong Kui's mastery of calligraphy. These could provide lore, unlock new skills, or offer buffs.

• Hidden Lore: Found through exploration in the ruins of Seoul. These items piece together the story of the apocalyptic 'Event' and the various factions.
• Crafting & Upgrade Materials: Scavenged from the world and from defeated enemies. Essential for improving weapons, armor, and vehicles.

• Chinese Mythology
• Dark Fantasy
• Soulslike
• Action RPG
• Folklore
• Supernatural
• Horror

• Post-Apocalyptic
• Sci-Fi
• MMO
• Tactical Shooter
• Open World
• Survival Horror
• Korean Setting
• Cyberpunk

• The Underworld Sword: Magical Sword
  Zhong Kui's signature weapon, bestowed upon him by Yama, King of Hell. It is forged in the fires of the underworld and is capable of vanquishing powerful demons.
• Martial Arts: Unarmed
  Zhong Kui is a master of martial arts, suggesting that unarmed combat and various hand-to-hand techniques will be a viable part of his moveset.

• Conventional Firearms: Varies (Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns, Snipers)
  A vast arsenal of realistic 21st-century firearms with weighty handling and deep customization.
• Futuristic Gadgets: Utility
  A range of high-tech tools including drones for reconnaissance, cloaking devices for stealth, EMPs for disabling synthetics, and deployable turrets.

• Scholar's Robe: The iconic attire of Zhong Kui, representing his past life as a scholar. Players will likely be able to find and equip different sets of armor inspired by the Tang Dynasty and mythological designs, providing various defensive stats and bonuses.

• Customizable Armor Sets: Players can find, craft, and upgrade a variety of armor sets. Customization includes color palettes, insignias, and cybernetic augmentations. Gear provides both cosmetic and gameplay-affecting stat bonuses.

• Historical & Mythological Attire: Players can be expected to unlock and equip various outfits for Zhong Kui, from his traditional scholar's robes to more ornate, divine armor befitting his role as a demon queller.

• Functional & Cosmetic Armor: Players can fully customize their character's appearance by equipping different armor pieces. The system allows for deep cosmetic personalization with various colors and insignias, while also providing crucial gameplay stats and perks.

As a Soulslike ARPG, players can expect a deep progression system. Zhong Kui's abilities will revolve around his mastery of martial arts and his new demonic powers. Upgrades will likely be tied to his magical sword, forged in the underworld, and his ability to see and capture different types of ghosts and demons.

Progression is based on a multi-class system, allowing players to swap between different loadouts of weapons, gadgets, and support tools. Enhancement revolves around scavenging, crafting, and upgrading equipment. A deep skill tree and perk system allow for further customization of the player's futuristic knight.

The game will take place across both the mortal realm, specifically Tang Dynasty China, and the underworld (Hell). The structure of the world has not yet been detailed but is expected to feature a mix of historical locations and mythological realms.

The game features a massive, seamless open world. Players can freely roam the city across its overground (ruined streets, skyscrapers), underground (subways, sewers), and sky, with no loading screens. Player actions can dynamically change which factions control different city districts.

• Bikes: Ground Vehicle
  Fast and agile vehicles for navigating the ruined streets of Seoul.
• Mechs: Heavy Armor / Combat Vehicle
  Powerful, player-piloted mechanical suits used in large-scale combat and raids. They can be customized and upgraded.
• Aerial Vehicles: Air Vehicle
  Includes helicopters and advanced drones for aerial traversal and combat engagements across the city's vertical landscape.

• Zhong Kui: Playable Protagonist
  A brilliant scholar with a fierce appearance who, after a tragic end, becomes a powerful deity tasked with hunting ghosts and demons.
• Yama: Key NPC / The King of Hell
  The judge of the underworld who recognizes Zhong Kui's righteous soul and grants him his new powers and purpose.

• The Journey of Zhong Kui
  A cinematic campaign that will retell the classic folk story of Zhong Kui, from his life as a brilliant but scorned scholar in the Tang Dynasty to his transformation into a powerful guardian of the mortal and spirit realms.

• Main Campaign
  A branching, emotionally resonant story following the player's quest to find their missing daughter, where choices can affect the world state and narrative outcomes.
• World Boss Raids
  Large-scale, cooperative endgame encounters where teams of players use vehicles and mechs to take down titanic bosses that can appear in both instanced and open-world areas.
• Dynamic World Events
  Randomly occurring events such as horde attacks or legendary adversary spawns that require players in the area to team up to overcome.

• Q: What is Black Myth: Zhong Kui?
  A: It is the next single-player action RPG from Game Science, the developers of Black Myth: Wukong. It is a new story in the 'Black Myth' saga, focusing on the Chinese mythological figure Zhong Kui, the demon queller.
• Q: Is this a sequel to Black Myth: Wukong?
  A: No, it is a completely separate game with a new protagonist and story. However, it exists within the same universe of Chinese mythology. The developers have suggested that a Wukong sequel or DLC could still happen in the future.
• Q: When will it be released?
  A: There is no official release date or window. The game was just announced at Gamescom 2025 and is in very early development. It is not expected for at least three to four years.
• Q: What kind of gameplay can we expect?
  A: It will be a Soulslike action RPG, similar to Black Myth: Wukong, but is expected to feature 'horror or ghost-style combat' and new mechanics centered around Zhong Kui's role as a vanquisher of evil spirits.

• Q: What is Cinder City?
  A: Cinder City is an open-world MMO tactical shooter set in a post-apocalyptic version of Seoul, Korea. It combines a deep, single-player style narrative with large-scale cooperative multiplayer.
• Q: When will it be released?
  A: The game is scheduled for release in 2026.
• Q: Is it a single-player or multiplayer game?
  A: It is both. It has a full, cinematic main story campaign that can be played solo or with a squad, and is set within a persistent massively multiplayer online world with large-scale raids and events.
• Q: What engine does the game use?
  A: Cinder City is being developed on Unreal Engine 5 and supports advanced features like ray tracing and DLSS 4.

• ENTIRELY SPECULATIVE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. As the game is in very early development, these are hypothetical projections for a future next-generation title built on Unreal Engine 5. They do not represent official information.
• Laptop Performance Note: A future title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop. Actual performance would vary significantly based on the final game's optimization and the laptop's specific hardware configuration.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5, such as Lumen and Nanite.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Next-gen games will require laptops with cutting-edge cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and sustain performance during intense, visually-demanding boss fights.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of demonic entities and the physics of a detailed world.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance and responsiveness in the skill-based combat.
• Game Name: Black Myth: Zhong Kui

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. As official specs were not provided, these are hypothetical projections for a next-generation MMO built on Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Performance Note: A title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop for the best experience. Actual performance would vary significantly based on the final game's optimization and the laptop's specific hardware configuration.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle advanced features like real-time ray tracing and the massive scale of MMO raids.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and high entity count will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the large number of players, AI enemies, physics, and ensuring a smooth experience in large-scale battles.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a tactical shooter.
• Game Name: Cinder City

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5, such as Lumen and Nanite.
• Cooling Thermals: Next-gen games will require laptops with cutting-edge cooling solutions to prevent thermal throttling and sustain performance during intense, visually-demanding boss fights.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of demonic entities and the physics of a detailed world.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance and responsiveness in the skill-based combat.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle advanced features like real-time ray tracing and the massive scale of MMO raids.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and high entity count will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the large number of players, AI enemies, physics, and ensuring a smooth experience in large-scale battles.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a tactical shooter.