2015 saw the release of the clumsily-named but commercially-successful movie Monkey King: Hero is Back. Today, we get a release date and a trailer for a video game based on that movie, and it looks like so much fun. Unfortunately, THQ still hasn't changed the title--Monkey King: Hero is Back (the video game) will release for PS4 and PC on October 17, 2019.

The game features the same vibrant art style as the film, and it will also tell the story of how the young monk Liuer meets his hero, Sun Wukong (the Monkey King). However, players will control the Monkey King himself, and the game will focus on his point of view rather than Liuer's. The trailer showcases a lot of cool, kungfu-style combat, as well as a variety of enemies both big and small. It also hints at an armor upgrade and shows the Monkey King swinging a bo staff around. Fantastic.

The Monkey King character has been around a long time. The 16th century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, was the first to immortalize him. Since then, though, he has been featured in countless books as well as quite a few movies and games (like Dota 2). He always seems to score well with audiences. 2015's Monkey King: Hero is Back, for instance, grossed about $140 million through its refreshing take on the hero's story. In addition to developing the story of that film, this new game will help to fuel the Monkey King's already storied reputation.

So, this game has some good pedigree in its source material, a fun and interesting trailer, and a release date not all that far away. What's not to like? Well, video games based on movies do have a checkered past. For every  Alien: Isolation there is an Aliens: Colonial Marines, so until it drops on October 17, the jury is still out on Monkey King: Hero is Back. That being said, this is a promising trailer, and this does look like a game worth paying some attention to. We'll keep you updated as we approach its release.

Pre-orders for Monkey King: Hero is Back are live now for PS4--$39.99 on the Playstation Store. The "Hero Edition" pre-order is also available for $64.99, and this includes a season pass worth two DLCs, two costumes, and some in-game items. Pre-ordering either version of the game grants access to two exclusive "game modes": "Paradise" and "Desperation." PC users will be able to pre-order the game as soon as August 19.