Phantom Blade Zero review: S-Game makes its debut in style with one of the year's best action games

Surprises are rare in gaming. At first glance, Phantom Blade Zero had all the hallmarks of a solid, if middle-of-the-road, release. Now that I’ve sunk almost 20 hours into this wuxia- and martial arts-inspired roleplaying game (RPG), it’s clear S-Game has delivered one of the most thrilling action g

<![CDATA[ <article> <p>Surprises are rare in gaming. At first glance, <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> had all the hallmarks of a solid, if middle-of-the-road, release. Now that I’ve sunk almost 20 hours into this wuxia- and martial arts-inspired roleplaying game (RPG), it’s clear S-Game has delivered one of the most thrilling action games in a long time.</p><p>A blistering opening sets the tone, with bombastic battles, dramatic visuals, and gorgeous cinematics that introduce wandering warrior Soul and the reason he’s on a battle-filled journey across the corrupted land of Wulin. The 20+ hour adventure that lies ahead may not deliver everything narratively, but it excels with a stunning world to explore and combat that sings.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Review info</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><strong>Platform reviewed: </strong>PS5<br><strong>Available on: </strong>PS5,<strong> </strong>Xbox Series X|S, PC<br><strong>Release date: </strong>October 29, 2026</p></div></div><p>It’s clear that so much effort has gone into getting this combat spot on, with detailed weapon designs, satisfying sound effects, and some truly outstanding animations. Every time I saw a new weapon or secondary Phantom Art from the impressive variety in the game in action, I was dazzled by the string of attacks and finishing-move flourishes it offered.</p><p>Of course, not all of them were bangers or suited the way I wanted to play, but the better ones stand out way more than the bad, which gave me a lot of tough choices when deciding which two I wanted to upgrade and wield. Even though I stuck with a few favorites throughout the game, I rarely tired of stringing together the intricate combos each one offered. </p><p>Having flashy weapons is all well and good, but if you don’t have decent dance partners to put them to use against, it can get dull fast. Outside of a few exceptions, fodder enemies are fairly easy to cut your way through, but <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> doesn’t miss a beat with its lineup of tough and inventive boss encounters that will put your skills and weapon choices to the test.</p><h2 id="stop-trying-to-hit-me-and-hit-me">Stop trying to hit me and hit me</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2560px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="RFNybkqmrD6MyDjJBW7ZjM" name="1a178738cca28-screenshotUrl" alt="A boss encounter from Phantom Blade Zero" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RFNybkqmrD6MyDjJBW7ZjM-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2560" height="1440" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / S-Game)</span></figcaption></figure><p>What I appreciated most is that, while these bouts are often a relentless barrage of attacks from either side, combat is actually quite forgiving.</p><p>That mainly comes from the option to hold block to deflect most attacks. This will drain your sha-chi (effectively a stamina resource that’s also used for certain skills and abilities), but it lasts a lot longer and can be refilled with a quick weapon switch to keep you in the fight longer. </p><p>You can also choose to try and parry attacks with perfect timing as they land, meaning you do not lose this resource and drain more from your opponent instead, leaving them open to a lot of attacks while it recharges.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2560px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="jNiL5cmGSpLHp8M8gE3apM" name="1a1787351e484-screenshotUrl" alt="Combat in Phantom Blade Zero, with Soul facing two enemies wielding throwing daggers" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jNiL5cmGSpLHp8M8gE3apM-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2560" height="1440" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / S-Game)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Mix in attacks with blue flashes that can be parried with perfect timing to deliver a devastating counterattack, and red flash attacks that must be dodged to avoid significant damage, and combat becomes chaotic but not overwhelming.</p><div class="fancy-box"><div class="fancy_box-title">Best bit</div><div class="fancy_box_body"><figure class="van-image-figure " ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' ><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="GNYTcTWN9f4iFT57EAuRfM" name="1a17872e8a749-screenshotUrl" caption="" alt="Phantom Blade Zero Screenshot" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/GNYTcTWN9f4iFT57EAuRfM-1920-80.jpg" mos="" link="" align="" fullscreen="" width="" height="" attribution="" endorsement="" class="pinterest-pin-exclude"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=""><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / S-Game)</span></figcaption></figure><p class="fancy-box__body-text"><strong>Unlocking a new weapon or Phantom Art and seeing what animations have been cooked up to show it off is one of the most exciting parts of </strong><em><strong>Phantom Blade Zero</strong></em><strong>. The work that has gone into making each piece of equipment unique is impressive, creating an arsenal of gear that is acrobatic, impactful, and continuously satisfying to wield. Thankfully, the game is also generous with resources, so you can try lots of these weapons with ease to find favorites.</strong></p></div></div><p>Key moves you need to watch out for are very readable, while the ability to block almost everything else means you have time to study the opponent’s moves, find your own windows to attack, and survive any small slip-ups — rather than being repeatedly punished for imperfect play.</p><p>That’s not to say <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> is without any degree of challenge. A good handful of bosses did flatten me repeatedly, including several dramatic fights that are hiding away off the main path or in side quests, so exploration can be very rewarding if you like to test yourself. </p><p>When facing these enemies, I was especially thankful that there’s no need to trudge back to collect your resources on death if you just want to move on. With the game’s much less punishing difficulty curve, this change of pace is a blessing if you’re not in the mood for yet another Souls-like.</p><h2 id="memory-problems">Memory problems</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2560px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="KjZ83pJfKpwP6dQqnqgScM" name="1a17872d69b99-screenshotUrl" alt="The smith working on an anvil to upgrade your weapons in Phantom Blade Zero" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KjZ83pJfKpwP6dQqnqgScM-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2560" height="1440" attribution="" endorsement="" class="inline"></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / S-Game)</span></figcaption></figure><p>Some of that genre’s obtuseness is kept in the narrative, however. A lot of the game’s story is told in bits and pieces, mainly through flashbacks, Soul’s memories, and memory flowers found in the world that reveal the stories of the people in the places you travel through. </p><p>It makes for some fascinating moments of discovery and some genuinely engaging asides when they come together, but breaking things up this way, especially with multiple story strands in play at once, can make it harder to follow exactly what’s going on all the time. It can kill the pacing at times, too, as sometimes you stop-and-start to listen to multiple of these audio-logs-as-flowers one after the other.</p><p>The problem is only emphasised in a game that’s packed with proper nouns, making it exhausting to keep track of the who, what, where, and when as you ping between different perspectives and time periods.</p><p>At least it’s easy to get swept up in the aura and atmosphere of it all. And when you get back into combat, unsheathing a sword that gets more powerful as you get more drunk, sending enemies flying with a giant tower shield, or chopping some poor soul in half with a two-handed claymore, any niggles fall away. The action at the core is so good and an awesome achievement from the debut developers.</p><h2 id="should-you-play-phantom-blade-zero">Should you play Phantom Blade Zero?</h2><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:2560px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" style="padding-top:56.25%;"><img id="2wsnV8aJPYAZqQErWSp4uM" name="1a17873659768-screenshotUrl" alt="A washed out image of a banyan tree from Phantom Blade Zero" src="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/2wsnV8aJPYAZqQErWSp4uM-1920-80.jpg" mos="" align="middle" fullscreen="" width="2560" height="1440" attribution="" endorsement="" class=""></p></div></div><figcaption itemprop="caption description" class=" inline-layout"><span class="credit" itemprop="copyrightHolder">(Image credit: Future / S-Game)</span></figcaption></figure><h2 id="play-it-if">Play it if…</h2><div class="product"><p><strong>You want to experience some of the best action combat in gaming</strong><br><em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> is up there with the genre greats when it comes to action combat, delivering on variety with a satisfying arsenal of weapons and abilities, and execution when it comes to animations and sound design.</p></div><div class="product"><p><strong>You enjoy the wuxia genre</strong><br><em>Phantom Blade Zero </em>draws from a lot of the iconography and tropes of wuxia in both its story and combat, so if you're a fan, or just want to experience it, then this is a great place to start.</p></div><h2 id="don-t-play-it-if">Don’t play it if…</h2><div class="product"><p><strong>You want a comfortable and easy-to-follow story</strong><br>It is rarely too complicated to follow, but the way the story is presented in <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em>, along with the barrage of proper nouns you have to contend with from minute one, means you might struggle to stay engaged with it at all times.</p></div><div class="product"><p><strong>You want a more traditional Souls-like experience</strong><br>While it can be argued that there is some crossover, <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> is more action-focused and draws very little inspiration from the Souls-like genre, so don't go in expecting an experience similar to the likes of <em>Dark Souls </em>or <em>Elden Ring</em>.</p></div><h2 id="accessibility-features">Accessibility features</h2><p>There are limited accessibility features in <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em>. You can choose to play the game with English VO or with the traditional Chinese VO with subtitles in many languages. Subtitles can be in normal or large, although a very large option would likely be useful for some. There are three controller presets, but no option to remap specific buttons. You can also adjust the intensity of camera shaking, turn off motion blur, and reduce the level of violence.</p><h2 id="how-i-reviewed-phantom-blade-zero">How I reviewed Phantom Blade Zero</h2><p>I played <em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> for around 20 hours, taking my time to complete a handful of side quests while making significant progress on the main story — and I'm absolutely going to stick with it to the end.</p><p>Again, I played on a <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ps5-pro-review">PlayStation 5 Pro</a> on a <a href="https://www.techradar.com/televisions/samsung-s90c-review">Samsung S90C OLED TV</a> and Samsung HW-Q930C soundbar while using a <a href="https://www.techradar.com/reviews/dualsense-wireless-controller">DualSense Wireless Controller</a>. I did play briefly using the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/gaming/playstation-portal-review">PlayStation Portal</a>, and found it was a perfectly fine way to run the game, too.</p><p><em>Phantom Blade Zero</em> has the option to play in Quality, Balanced, or Performance mode. I stuck with Balanced mode for my playthrough, which did a good job of running the game at 40 frames per second (fps) in dynamic 4K with ray tracing, as I experienced very few and very minor stutters. Performance mode targeting 60fps is likely a better option, though, if you prefer smoothness throughout.</p><p><em>First reviewed October 2026.</em></p> </article> ]]>