Phantom Blade Zero Review – A Kung-Fu Spectacle That Keeps Getting Better

Phantom Blade Zero is an action-adventure game that puts spectacle, fluid combat and player experimentation ahead of punishing difficulty. While some of its mechanics might initially remind you of a Soulslike, S-GAME has created something much closer to a traditional cinematic action game like God of War (2018), complete with spectacular boss fights, a cinematic presentation and a world that genuinely rewards exploration.

The story follows Soul, a warrior who has been framed for the murder of his master and left with a mortal wound after a betrayal. With just 66 days left to live, he sets out to uncover the truth behind the events that brought him to this point. What starts as a personal quest quickly develops into something much bigger, taking him across a strange and dangerous world filled with memorable characters, hidden locations and an impressive arsenal of weapons.

Combat – Speed, Precision and Spectacle

Combat is easily the biggest strength of Phantom Blade Zero. S-GAME has managed to create a system that feels fast, spectacular and deep enough to constantly encourage experimentation.

At its core, combat revolves around basic attacks, Sha-Chi attacks, blocking, dodging and parrying. On a controller, Square handles basic attacks, while Triangle triggers Sha-Chi attacks and combinations. The system requires careful resource management, as Sha-Chi is also consumed when blocking enemy attacks. Simply holding your guard and waiting for an opening isn't always going to cut it.

Each of your two main weapons has its own Sha-Chi reserve, meaning that switching weapons during combat isn't just about changing your attack style. It also gives you access to a fresh pool of resources, allowing you to keep the pressure on without breaking your rhythm.

This is one of the most important aspects of the combat system. You're encouraged to experiment with both weapons rather than sticking to a single favourite. You can start a combo with one weapon, switch when its energy runs low and continue attacking with the other. It creates a satisfying flow that makes every encounter feel dynamic.

Enemy attacks also come with clear visual cues, letting you know when to parry or get out of the way. Perfectly timed defensive moves create opportunities for powerful counterattacks, rewarding players who take the time to learn enemy patterns.

Then there are Phantom Edges, secondary weapons that consume a separate resource and introduce even more possibilities. Some allow you to attack from a distance, others are designed to break enemy defences, while certain abilities can even summon allies to fight alongside you. There's plenty of variety here, and combining all these mechanics is what gives Phantom Blade Zero its distinctive combat identity.

An Impressive Arsenal of Weapons

One of the biggest contributors to the game's longevity is its arsenal. There are more than 30 main weapons available, alongside a wide selection of secondary Phantom Edges. Almost every weapon comes with its own attack combinations, animations and special abilities.

The differences go well beyond cosmetic changes. One-handed swords, dual-bladed weapons and massive two-handed weapons offer completely different approaches to combat. Some are better suited for fast combos and relentless attacks, others provide better crowd control, while certain weapons feature unique effects that can completely change your strategy.

The Soultempered upgrade system is another particularly interesting addition. Besides improving weapon stats, certain upgrades introduce new mechanics and additional attack combinations. A weapon you already enjoy using can become even more versatile after unlocking its upgraded form.

I also appreciate how easy the game makes it to experiment. Resources invested in one weapon can be refunded and moved to another, which is S-GAME's way of encouraging players to try different combinations rather than sticking with the same loadout throughout the entire campaign.

In fact, this is probably one of the most important pieces of advice I can give anyone playing Phantom Blade Zero: don't get too attached to one or two favourite weapons. Every new enemy and boss is an opportunity to try something different, and some combinations can completely change how you approach combat.

Boss Fights – A Great Reason to Explore

Phantom Blade Zero features more than 50 boss fights, and what makes them special is that they rarely feel like simple variations of the same encounter. Each opponent comes with a distinct fighting style, attack patterns and mechanics that require you to adapt.

Some fights feel like elaborate kung-fu movie sequences, while others demand careful observation and precise timing to find the right opening for a counterattack. Every major battle has its own identity, and the spectacular animations make these encounters feel like cinematic showdowns.

What's particularly interesting is that many bosses aren't simply obstacles placed along the main path. Some of the most memorable opponents can be discovered through exploration or side quests. Defeating them often rewards you with their weapons, providing yet another reason to venture away from the main objective.

Difficulty is another area where Phantom Blade Zero separates itself from traditional Soulslikes. On the standard difficulty, most encounters aren't designed to keep you stuck repeating the same fight for hours. With the right equipment, enough character upgrades and a good understanding of the combat mechanics, many bosses can be defeated on your first or second attempt.

That doesn't mean there's no challenge here. Optional bosses and hidden areas can seriously test your abilities. The game offers four difficulty levels, ranging from Wayfarer for a more relaxed experience to Hellwalker for players looking for a tougher challenge. There's also a special 66 Days challenge that becomes available after completing the campaign.

World Exploration and Side Quests

Phantom Blade Zero isn't a boss rush game, nor does its entire experience revolve around moving from one arena to another. The game follows a linear structure, but its environments offer considerably more room for exploration than the opening hours might suggest.

Early areas are fairly straightforward, mainly serving as an introduction to the game's mechanics. However, later locations become much more expansive. You'll find branching paths, hidden rooms, optional bosses and entire areas that are easy to miss if you stick exclusively to the main story.

One of my favourite aspects is how the game uses newly acquired weapons to unlock previously inaccessible parts of the world. Certain Phantom Edges can destroy obstacles, activate mechanisms or open new passages. This often encourages you to revisit earlier locations and see what you've missed. These mechanics introduce some Metroidvania elements and add another layer to exploration.

Side quests are also much more important than they might initially seem. They're not just a collection of fetch quests designed to pad out the campaign. Through these missions, you'll meet characters with their own stories, motivations and problems, some of whom you'll encounter again much later.

Even better, your actions can have a direct impact on later events. Certain characters will show up during boss fights to help you out, sometimes changing the entire flow of an encounter. The rewards are often worthwhile, whether we're talking about new weapons, upgrades or access to additional areas.

I'd particularly highlight the final ten or so hours of optional content, which lead to a more complete conclusion to the story. This isn't just a handful of additional fights thrown in after the credits. These sections introduce new locations, memorable boss battles and meaningful conclusions to several storylines you've been following throughout the adventure.

Story and World – More Than a Familiar Revenge Tale

The main story follows Soul, a warrior framed for the murder of his master. After clashing with someone who was once like a brother to him, Soul is left gravely wounded and given just 66 days to live. His journey through Wulin becomes a search for answers, but also a confrontation with much larger forces threatening the entire world.

The narrative uses familiar themes of betrayal, revenge and former allies turning against one another, but gradually expands into a story about a mysterious blight corrupting living creatures and a process that transfers human essence into puppets. This combination of traditional wuxia elements, dark fantasy and technology gives the game a distinctive identity.

However, the story isn't always easy to follow. The large cast of characters, organisations, events and different timelines can occasionally become confusing. Unlike more traditional cinematic action games, Phantom Blade Zero doesn't explain everything through dialogue and cutscenes.

A significant amount of the world's history is revealed through items, written entries, Memory Flowers and environmental storytelling. Sometimes, simply paying attention to your surroundings is enough to understand what happened in a particular location and how it connects to the larger narrative.

That's why I'd strongly recommend taking your time with side quests and conversations with NPCs. Some of these stories are genuinely worth following, and their conclusions can be just as memorable as the main plot.

I wouldn't say the story is the main reason to play Phantom Blade Zero, but it's certainly an important part of the overall experience. Its greatest strength lies in how it builds its world and characters, even when the main narrative occasionally becomes difficult to follow.

Visuals and Soundtrack

Phantom Blade Zero is a gorgeous game, but its biggest strength isn't necessarily its technical presentation. It's the artistic direction. Every location has its own visual identity, ranging from traditional Chinese settlements and forests to surreal environments that look like something straight out of a dark dream.

Visually, the game actually reminds me of Bloodborne. Neither title necessarily needs to be the most technically impressive game of its generation to leave a lasting impression. Their art direction, atmosphere and distinctive visual identity are strong enough to overshadow any technical limitations. Phantom Blade Zero doesn't rely solely on graphical fidelity to impress; it builds a world with a recognisable aesthetic and atmosphere. That's why every new location feels like something worth discovering.

Every part of the world feels carefully crafted. Streets, marketplaces, docks, underground prisons and training grounds aren't just there to fill space. They help create a believable setting and make exploration worthwhile, even when there's no immediate reward waiting around the corner.

The animations deserve special praise. Character movements, combat combinations and finishing moves look incredibly natural and fluid, showing just how much attention went into the choreography. Donnie Yen also played an important role as a creative consultant, contributing his martial arts expertise and motion-capture experience.

The soundtrack is another pleasant surprise. Instead of relying exclusively on traditional Chinese instruments, it mixes hip-hop, metal and electronic music. This approach fits perfectly with what S-GAME calls Kungfupunk, and it really comes into its own during boss fights.

Some encounters combine music, animations and enemy design so well that they genuinely feel like major cinematic set pieces.

Phantom Blade Zero is a much more ambitious game than its early previews might have suggested. S-GAME hasn't simply made another Soulslike. Instead, it's delivered a substantial action-adventure experience built around fantastic combat, an impressive arsenal, rewarding exploration and a huge number of memorable boss fights.

What makes the game particularly special is how well all these elements complement one another. Exploration leads to new weapons, those weapons introduce new combat possibilities, side quests connect us with characters who later play important roles, and every victory gives us another reason to experiment with something different.

The story occasionally loses its focus, and the sheer amount of information and character names can become overwhelming. Still, these shortcomings never come close to overshadowing everything else the game gets right.

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best action games I've had the pleasure of playing. Its combat system is incredibly satisfying, exploration consistently rewards curiosity, and the amount of work put into its weapons and boss encounters is genuinely impressive. This is the kind of game where I don't just want to finish the next mission. I want to find another weapon, discover another hidden location and see what the developers have prepared next.

For me, Phantom Blade Zero is absolutely a Game of the Year contender. Not because it's flawless, but because it brings together almost everything I look for in a great action-adventure game while managing to deliver enough of its own identity to stand out from the crowd.

We played Phantom Blade Zero on PS5 console.

Buy Phantom Blade Zero on Eneba.