The following contains spoilers for
Black Myth: Wukong
.
Since it is based on the 16th century Chinese novel Journey to the West, Black Myth: Wukong has a pool of ready-made characters from which he can tell his story. During their time in Black Myth: WukongPlayers will meet many of these characters, some friends and some enemies, but they will spend the majority of their gameplay with Zhu Bajie, a humanoid pig named Yaoguai, also known as “Pigsy.” Journey to the West.
Bajie is one of the most famous characters in Journey to the West and despite some inappropriate character traits, one of the most lovable. Black Myth: Wukong is the first time Bajie has been adapted as a video game character, meaning that this particular adapted version of his character may differ from the original. Nevertheless, Game Science has done an excellent job adapting Bajie and staying true to the novel, especially considering Black Myth: Wukong takes place five centuries after Journey to the West. Still, there are some subtle differences between this version of Bajie and the original that are worth checking out.
How “Bajie” from “Black Myth: Wukong” compares to “Bajie” from “Journey to the West”
Black Myth: Wukong’s Bajie retains the complexity of the original
Zhu Bajie is one of Journey to the Westis one of the most complex characters, mainly due to his bipolar personality traits, which can make him both lovable and repulsive at times. The same goes for Black Myth: WukongBajie, whose love for Sun Wukong is expressed in his loyalty to the Chosen One, but still often uses the other side of his mouth to talk down to the protagonist. Bajie constantly complains as if he is forced to help the Chosen One against his will, but he still continues to show up and help even though he is not really forced to. He is a complicated character, both in Journey to the West And Black Myth: Wukongbut that’s exactly what makes him one of the best in any story.
Not all features of Bajie’s journey to the West are represented in Black Myth: Wukong’s Bajie
While Bajie’s disposition is the same in both Journey to the West And Black Myth: Wukongnot all of his characteristics are represented in the game. In particular, Bajie is known for being very lustful in Journey to the Westas he allows his desires to cloud his judgement and get him into trouble. In fact, Bajie’s struggle with lust is one of the more humorous aspects of his character, as it shows his own weakness and therefore makes him more identifiable than someone like Sun Wukong. However, Bajie’s iconic lust is not one of his defining characteristics in Black Myth: Wukong.
In Journey to the WestDespite all his faults, Bajie is a kind, loyal friend whose laziness sometimes contributes to his unhappiness – but in the most light-hearted and endearing way possible. In Black Myth: Wukonghe is exactly the same person as in the novel, as his true nature can often be easily recognized in his kind eyes. Bajie has several moments in Black Myth: Wukong where he wears his heart on his sleeve and one of his most emotional reckonings takes place after the final boss fight in Chapter 4.
One of the reasons Bajie is so lovable is because he’s so relatable. As an “everyman” type Yaoguai, he embodies the weaknesses and strengths of the average person, and his journey of growth and self-reflection is one that anyone would experience. Black Myth: Wukong could not have created such a character without the help of his Journey to the West counterpart. Fortunately, the two are almost identical, so even those who have not read the novel can experience the real Bajie.
