Black Myth: Wukong, the highly anticipated action RPG, is set to launch next week. Ahead of its release, developer Game Science has released a dedicated benchmark tool on Steam, allowing players to gauge their hardware’s capabilities before diving into the game.
The benchmark tool pushes even the most powerful graphics cards to their limits, highlighting the game’s demanding nature. My initial test with an RTX 4090 GPU and Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU at 4K resolution with maximum settings yielded an average of only 22 frames per second. This performance is comparable to demanding titles like Alan Wake 2, mainly due to Black Myth: Wukong’s implementation of path tracing, a complex rendering technique that enhances visual realism.
However, Game Science has equipped the game with a variety of upscaling and frame generation technologies to mitigate performance issues. The benchmark tool supports DLSS 3, FSR 3, XeSS, and Unreal Engine’s TSR, enabling players to optimize visual fidelity and frame rates. After enabling DLSS 3 at a 60% render resolution (Balanced mode) and activating frame generation, I achieved a much smoother gaming experience.
While the benchmark tool provides a helpful indicator of potential performance, it’s crucial to remember that real-world gameplay scenarios might yield different results. Game Science plans to use the benchmark data to identify potential issues before the game’s launch on August 20.
Despite the game’s demanding graphics, the system requirements remain relatively tame. According to Game Science, players can enjoy the game with a GTX 1060 if they lower the settings. On the high end, an RTX 4080 Super is recommended for optimal performance. My benchmark runs revealed that Black Myth: Wukong consumes a substantial 13.5GB of VRAM, making the 16GB VRAM of the RTX 4080 Super a suitable choice.
The benchmark tool provides a comprehensive look at the game’s graphics settings and performance, allowing players to fine-tune their experience and ensure a smooth gameplay experience. While Black Myth: Wukong may demand high-end hardware, its robust optimization features and relatively tame system requirements suggest that a vast range of players will be able to enjoy the game.
