Phantom Blade Zero, one of the most anticipated action games of the year, blends Chinese wuxia action with impressive graphics and some peculiar story elements, but its inconsistent execution leaves it difficult to recommend unreservedly. Developed by S-Game, the game is out on PlayStation 5 and PC, priced at £54.99, with a 16 age rating. It arrives on 29th October 2026.
Combat and mechanics: a fluid but uneven system
The combat is built around the Chinese concept of wuxia, mixing realistic weapons and martial arts moves with physically impossible acrobatics and magic. The basics follow standard third-person melee conventions, with light and heavy combos, but there is a strong emphasis on switching between attack and defence instantly, with few unstoppable animations. A stamina gauge is present, and the need to manage it can make combat feel mechanical at times, as players defend for a few seconds and then attack for a similar length, as if taking turns with opponents.
Different enemy moves flash different colours, similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and must be defended in specific ways, with occasional QTE sequences. However, there are freeform elements, such as swapping between two primary weapons and a third limited-use one to keep stamina high. Combos can last a while, often pushing enemies against walls, which can make dodging harder than in open spaces.
Story and presentation: ambitious but flawed
The plot casts the player as an assassin in ancient China, framed for murdering their group's leader and hunted by former allies. At the start, the character is mortally wounded and receives a magical heart transplant that lasts only 66 days. The game is part of an existing series originally on mobile, with constant references to people and concepts it never introduces, making the story feel as if it has started midway through. Some backstory is delivered via nicely animated cut scenes and, in one memorable sequence, shadow puppets.
Graphically, the game is inconsistent: one moment it looks top of the range, the next like an older Xbox 360 title, with the opening cart chase particularly poor. Some animations, such as jumping after climbing, look unconvincing.
Boss battles and overall verdict
Boss fights are the highlight, with a hugely imaginative collection of opponents ranging from humanoid fighters to giant monsters and puppets, with steampunk elements added as the game progresses. Difficulty spikes in these encounters, while ordinary enemies are often too easy. Unlike typical FromSoftware games, there is no long walk to retry a boss, and players can restart in the second phase if they reach it. Enemies do not respawn after saving at bonfire equivalents, leaving empty landscapes after exploration. Three difficulty levels can be changed at any time.
Overall, the game is poorly balanced and awkwardly fitted together, though it is enjoyed more than Black Myth: Wukong. The review scores it 6/10, noting that the combat has unique elements and the boss battles are a real highlight, but the uneven difficulty, ineffective non-boss enemies, lack of enemy respawns, and terrible storytelling are significant drawbacks.
