Phantom Blade Zero: Hours of Enthralling Gameplay

Get ready for Phantom Blade Zero, boasting four difficulty levels and exciting gameplay features! This 2025 release promises a thrilling experience. Read on for the latest development updates.

Phantom Blade Zero Development: Debunking the Soulslike Label

Phantom Blade Zero offers four difficulty settings: Easy, Ordinary, Difficult, and Extremely Difficult. While its visuals and combat initially drew Soulslike comparisons following its PlayStation Showcase 2023 debut, the inclusion of varied difficulty levels distinguishes it. The game director, Soulframe, clarified on Twitter (following its Summer Game Fest 2024 appearance) that a Soulslike experience wasn't the goal. Instead, the focus is on "combo-driven, heart-pumping combat that is hectic, rewarding, and exhilarating."

The game's dark atmosphere and challenging boss encounters did inspire Soulslike comparisons. Soulframe acknowledged inspiration from Soulslike games in aspects like multi-layered maps and multiple approach paths, but emphasized that "the similarities stop there," describing the gameplay as "Ninja Gaiden Combat on a Souls Game Map."

Gameplay Details: Extensive Weaponry, Lengthy Playtime, and More

Recent interviews revealed further details. Players can choose from over 30 primary and 20 secondary weapons, each with unique combat properties. Expect a 20-30 hour main story campaign, complemented by an additional 20-30 hours of side content.

Boss fights feature at least two phases. Dying in the second phase allows players to restart from that point, eliminating the need to replay the first. A "Li Wulin" mode lets players rematch defeated bosses, potentially unlocking hidden encounters. A game mechanic influencing the ending is also confirmed, though details remain scarce.

Phantom Blade Zero "Year of the Snake" Gameplay Trailer

The "Year of the Snake" trailer showcases Soul, the protagonist, battling the "Chief Disciple of The Seven Stars," and highlights weapons like the "Weapon No.13 Soft Snake Sword" and "Weapon No.27 White Serpent and Crimson Viper." A 2025 release is hinted at. Soulframe also teased further announcements on the official Twitter (X) page, promising reveals unlike anything seen before.

Phantom Blade Zero is currently in development for PlayStation 5, with a PC release planned. No official release date has been announced. Stay tuned for updates on our Phantom Blade Zero page.