Entertainment · Gaming · 1 hr ago
Phantom Blade Zero puts martial arts spectacle ahead of challenge
Phantom Blade Zero launches Oct.
29 for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.
The action game from S-Game follows Soul, a swordmaster whose artificial heart gives him just 66 days to find a way to survive.
Soul is tied to the Order and a world of warriors, but the game offers little explanation of its unfamiliar terms at first.
The game puts martial arts spectacle ahead of demanding combat, setting it apart from action games focused on mastering difficult fights.
Its story grows from Soul’s struggle into a tale of wider conspiracies, though the reviewer says only a few moments had a strong emotional impact.
The review finds Soul’s character thin, despite his pursuit of revenge and redemption.
Phantom Blade Zero prioritizes martial arts as visual spectacle over demanding players master difficult combat, according to Polygon’s review.
The game’s combat is fast and responsive, with weapon switching and varied upgrades, according to a leaked review reported by Notebookcheck.
Polygon says the game’s story introduces many unfamiliar terms with little context and that its protagonist remains two-dimensional.
The leaked review praised the boss fights but said combat can become repetitive.
The game is set to launch on PlayStation 5 and Windows PC, though sources give different dates.
- Who
- S-Game developed Phantom Blade Zero. The story follows Soul, a swordmaster and former member of the Order.
- What
- The game is an action title centered on martial arts combat and spectacle.
- When
- Polygon says it is out October 29, 2026; Notebookcheck says it launches October 28.
- Where
- The game is set in the Wilun and is planned for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.
- Why
- Not stated
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Critical Hits uploaded a review of the game and then deleted it before the embargo.
The review embargo was due to end, according to Notebookcheck.
Notebookcheck gives October 28 as the launch date, while Polygon says the game is out October 29.
Notebookcheck says the PS5 disc version will arrive.
- Developer
- S-Game
- Protagonist
- Soul
- Survival deadline
- 66 days
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5 and Windows PC
- Leaked review score
- 8.5/10 from Critical Hits
2 sources
What people are saying
Unlike many of its contemporaries, Phantom Blade Zero is not more interested in requiring players to achieve the martial prowess of kung-fu masters with their controllers than it is in celebrating martial arts as a spectacle.
Unfortunately, the game pushes this desire too far for its own good.
Did I understand what all these terms meant when I started playing the game? Nope!
Did I feel overwhelmed? Sure did!