Black Myth: Zhong Kui vs Project TAL

• 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: Single-Player Only (with AI Party)
• Setting: Korean Mythology, Dark Fantasy
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Consoles
• Release Window: 2027
• Unique Feature: A single-player, 'Monster Hunter'-style ARPG where players can climb colossal bosses, combined with an intelligent AI companion party system and a level-less progression.

• 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

• AI Party: A core feature of the game. The player is accompanied by a party of intelligent AI companions who dynamically react to combat. They can taunt bosses, deploy defensive barriers, heal the player, and perform combo attacks, fulfilling dedicated combat roles like Tank, Healer, and DPS.
  Varies

• 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.

• Pieces of the Great Relic: The central objective of the main story, required to close the void and save Arsiltus.
• Fragments: Found by exploring the vast environments. These are essential for unlocking new skills, armor, and weapons.
• Runes: Found through exploration and by defeating enemies. Runes are a primary method of enhancing and customizing the player's abilities in this level-less system.

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

• Korean Mythology
• Open World
• Action RPG
• Monster Hunter
• Dark Fantasy
• Single-Player

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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 a core part of the RPG experience. The player's combat style is determined by their choice of 5 different weapon types (e.g., heavy weapons, shield, high-mobility weapons), each with unique skills. Progression is also tied to the distinctive companion system, where each of the intelligent NPC allies has their own unique abilities and combat roles (Defense, Support, Melee, Ranged, Magic).

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, open world with a variety of vibrant fantasy landscapes, including sweeping plains, forests, and mythical structures. The world is designed for seamless traversal and encourages exploration of its dungeons and hidden corners.

• 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 Last Guardian: Playable Protagonist
  The hero of the story, tasked with a mission to find the pieces of a broken great relic to save the continent of Arsiltus.
• AI Companions: Party Members
  A party of intelligent NPCs with unique skills, personalities, and combat roles (Defense, Support, Melee, Ranged, Magic) who accompany the player.

• 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 Story Quests
  A cinematic campaign that follows the Last Guardian's quest to find the pieces of the broken great relic and close the void that has consumed the continent of Arsiltus.
• Dungeons
  Optional and mandatory dungeons that must be completed to expand the world and acquire essential items and upgrades for character growth.
• Brutal Hunts
  Targeting and defeating the 70 formidable 'Brutal' bosses scattered throughout the world to progress the story and gain powerful special items.

• 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 Project TAL?
  A: It is an upcoming single-player, open-world action RPG inspired by Korean mythology. Its gameplay is a mix of 'Monster Hunter' and 'Dragon's Dogma', where you fight colossal bosses by climbing them, and you are supported by an intelligent AI party.
• Q: Is it a multiplayer game?
  A: No, it is a strictly single-player experience. The 'party' consists of the player and their AI companions.
• Q: How does progression work?
  A: The game features a unique 'level-less' progression system. Instead of gaining XP, your character gets stronger by exploring, finding runes, crafting gear, and defeating bosses to unlock new skills and items.
• Q: Is it a Soulslike game?
  A: It shares some similarities, such as fast-paced, skill-based combat and challenging bosses, but it is primarily an action RPG with a strong narrative and a unique AI companion system, drawing more comparisons to Monster Hunter and Dragon's Dogma.

• 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 title built on Unreal Engine 5, with requirements likely similar to other high-fidelity open-world ARPGs.
• Laptop Performance Note: A title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop for the best experience. The game's seamless open world and 'Monster Hunter'-style colossal bosses will be very demanding.
• 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 and maintain stable framerates during boss fights.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, effects-heavy combat 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 complex AI of both companions and colossal monsters, as well as the physics of the open world.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the fast-paced, skill-based combat.
• Game Name: Project TAL

• 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 the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain stable framerates during boss fights.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, effects-heavy combat 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 complex AI of both companions and colossal monsters, as well as the physics of the open world.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the fast-paced, skill-based combat.