Black Myth: Wukong vs Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Wukong's boss gauntlet versus Shadow's open-world expansion—both test your patience, but in radically different ways.
Killer boss combat with Journey-to-the-West mythology — Wukong's lategame fights rival Orphan of Kos, but Chapter 2 onward demands real Sekiro-level patience.
Best-in-class single-player DLC if you finished base Elden Ring — Land of Shadow rivals a full game, and patch 1.14 tamed Consort Radahn's combos.
Steam popularity
Black Myth: Wukong
May 2026 peak CCU 16,205 ↓ 14% MoM
All-time peak 2,406,967
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
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Key differences
World design
Black Myth: Wukong's areas are linear corridors with some branching, leaning into corridor-y level design.
Shadow of the Erdtree's Land of Shadow is a sprawling open world filled with hidden caves and vertical paths.
Boss density
Wukong throws over 80 bosses at you, with 17 in Chapter 2 alone—a relentless boss rush.
Shadow has fewer but more elaborate boss fights, each tied to the DLC's lore and progression.
Progression system
Wukong uses traditional RPG skill trees and gear upgrades with no exploration-based leveling.
Shadow relies on Scadutree Fragments hidden in the world to power up, forcing thorough exploration.
Which one is for you?
Pick Black Myth: Wukong if
- You loved Sekiro and Bloodborne and want a 60-hour action RPG run
- You are curious about Journey to the West mythology
- You enjoy boss-rush style design with minimal exploration
Pick Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree if
- You finished base Elden Ring and want 35-40 more hours
- You enjoy obscure progression tied to discovering hidden items
- You are okay with FromSoft's vague questline tracking
Bottom line
If you crave a focused boss marathon with Chinese mythology, pick Wukong. Otherwise, Shadow of the Erdtree is the superior expansion if you already love Elden Ring.