The action RPG genre has seen some heavy hitters in the past couple of years. Black Myth Wukong and Stellar Blade are the first two to come to mind, both offering exciting combat with fast-paced action and flashy finishers. These are the types of games that are hard to put down simply due to how fluid and addicting the gameplay is.
Phantom Blade Zero is the next big action RPG that has been able to grab the attention of the genre’s community. Unless you live under a rock, you’ll know that it’s one of the most anticipated titles this year. Whenever a game has this much hype surrounding it, the chances of disappointment increase dramatically as expectations become too unrealistic. This is why I went into Phantom Blade Zero with my expectations in check.
However, I believe S-Game has created something genuinely special here. Simply put, Phantom Blade Zero surprised me by how good it is in multiple facets. It doesn’t just succeed in combat, it does a phenomenal job at exploration, build variety, and constantly rewarding the player for their efforts. It offers an experience that I will remember for a long time and one that has easily landed on my game of the year list.
Fluid Combat Makes Phantom Blade Zero Hard to Put Down
When S-Game began promoting Phantom Blade Zero, and showcased the incredible-looking combat, something didn’t sit right for me. The more I learned about the game, the more I thought to myself, “There has to be a catch.” I felt that there was just no way the combat was as fluid and downright epic as the trailers showed off. It simply looked too good to be true.
Now that I got my hands on the game and played through the campaign, which took me around 40 hours, I can assure you that the trailers are just the tip of the iceberg and the combat system is deeper and is even better than what was shown to fans. Phantom Blade Zero features some of the best combat the action RPG genre has seen in a very long time, and I would even argue that it may just be up there with the all-time greats, such as Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden.
With a combat system that is easy to learn but hard to master, Phantom Blade Zero is an action game meant for everyone. The barrier to entry is low for players new to the genre, while the skill ceiling is so high that action enthusiasts will have a field day attempting to pull off a series of crazy combos. I found myself focusing on the latter, chaining attacks together like a madman as I attempted to execute the coolest ways to punish enemies.
Through a series of parries, counterattacks, flurries of strikes, and ranged takedowns, Phantom Blade Zero made me feel like a martial arts master. While not entirely similar, I’d say the combat is closest to Black Myth Wukong in terms of speed and overall feel.
However, where Black Myth: Wukong places a greater emphasis on dodging and staff techniques to gain the upper hand, Phantom Blade Zero puts more focus on chaining together flashy sword combos, switching between weapons, and parrying incoming attacks.
The barrier to entry is low for players new to the genre, while the skill ceiling is so high that action enthusiasts will have a field day attempting to pull off a series of crazy combos.
Despite it usually coming together cinematically, there are rare occurrences where combat stumbles. I’m not talking about the combat system itself, which is perfect in my eyes, but the problems that arise during enemy encounters. Sometimes the game can’t keep up with the speed of the fight, and fighting so aggressively will sometimes result in you pushing the enemy behind invisible walls, objects in the environment, or onto a cliff you can’t reach.
The same goes for enemy takedowns, which players can execute after draining the enemy’s health to a low amount and pressing circle. Pressing the takedown button too far away from the enemy, or when the enemy is caught behind an object in the environment, can cause your character to initiate the animation to absolutely nothing. In other words, he does it into the air, ruining the cinematic nature of fights and breaking immersion. However, I can see this being fixed in future updates.
Slight issues aside, I can’t stress enough just how good this combat feels. And the most amazing part, which I’ll get into more in the next section, is that the overall feel of combat can entirely change depending on your loadout, all while remaining super high quality. This is due to the dramatic differences between weapons and how they play.
Endless Build Variety Means Endless Replayability
My favorite part of any action game, whether it be a Soulslike or RPG, is build variety. I find it to be one of the most important aspects of these types of games, since it adds different playstyles and replayability. Phantom Blade Zero not only has an incredible amount of build variety, but it arguably has the most in the entire genre. Honestly, I can’t think of any game of this type, excluding Soulslikes, that offers this much depth to builds.
With over 30 main weapons and over 20 Phantom Edges to find, the combinations are truly endless. You can equip two of each at a time, giving you plenty of room to experiment with different combinations and develop a playstyle that feels uniquely yours. Add in Medicines, which grant various buffs and also allow you to equip two at once, and the possibilities for customizing your build become even greater. Oh yeah, and there’s a ton of accessories to equip as well.
Now you’re probably thinking to yourself, “That’s not necessarily a good thing, because of quality over quantity.” Well, let me put it this way: every single weapon has unique abilities, giving each its own purpose. For example, one of my favorites is Seamless Death, a duel wield weapon that hurls a barrage of flying rings toward the enemy after every perfect dodge. Another favorite of mine is Outlaw Warblade, which allowed me to stick my sword into foes and drain their health to recover mine. Like I said, each weapon serves a purpose.
The same principle applies to Phantom Edges, which are essentially this game’s version of spells. There are plenty to acquire, most of which are unlocked by defeating bosses and completing side quests, adding a nice touch to your build and bringing it to the next level. Whether you need healing, a defensive ability that protects you from incoming attacks, a powerful damage-dealing skill, or even minions to fight alongside you, there’s a Phantom Edge suited to your playstyle. My personal favorite is Fire Meteor, a meteor hammer engulfed in green flames that sets enemies on fire. This helped me deal extra damage, which is always satisfying.
I was amazed at the sheer number of quality weapons Phantom Blade Zero has. The last time I ever felt truly rewarded with each new weapon found was when playing Elden Ring, and even then some of the weapons there were clearly shooed in for the sake of it. S-Game carefully crafted every single weapon and Phantom Edge, giving players a reason to experiment, find a preferred playstyle, and after beating the game, replay through the story with a different loadout. Just talking about it makes me want to hop back in to try out different combinations.
A World as Rewarding as It Is Beautiful
Now that we have established that Phantom Blade Zero excels at combat and build variety, let’s talk a little bit about exploration. This was my biggest fear going into the game, as there wasn’t enough shown in the promotional trailers to hint at a world worth exploring. To my surprise, Phantom Blade Zero’s world is surprisingly huge, with multiple paths, hidden areas, and a labyrinth-like layout filled with secrets and rewards.
In order to get the most out of Phantom Blade Zero, you’ll want to explore thoroughly. There are two reasons for this: one, exploring is the best way to become powerful since it leads to necessary materials for upgrading weapons, increasing attack power and health, and two, you will miss out on some of the game’s best content if you don’t.
Deciding not to explore will result in missing out on some of the game’s most epic bosses, hidden storylines, and even completely optional locations on the map. There are two optional regions in the game, both massive and fully realized, that I would have completely missed if I had simply followed the main quest’s waypoint. The fact that the developers put just as much effort into these areas as they did the mandatory ones is a testament to their passion for the world they created, and you can feel that passion through and through.
Phantom Blade Zero does a phenomenal job at rewarding the players’ curiosity. I was constantly rewarded for going off the beaten path, rarely finding something that I would consider pointless. Accessories, medicines, materials, quest givers, bosses, are all tucked away in this game’s beautiful world, just waiting to be discovered.
There are two optional regions in the game, both massive and fully realized, that I would have completely missed if I had simply followed the main quest’s waypoint.
One of the coolest aspects of the game, and something that genuinely surprised me, was the amount of Metroidvania elements it utilizes. As you explore each region, you’ll encounter blocked off paths that require a specific key or Phantom Edge in order to proceed. After obtaining the right item, you can then return to these areas and progress through them. This usually leads to a very valuable reward, making returning to earlier regions worth your while.
Phantom Blade Zero is hands down the best action RPG this year, and quite honestly, one of the best action games I have played in a very long time. It has exceptional build variety, featuring an immense number of weapons and skills, all feeling distinct from each other and catering to different playstyles. It features a world filled with secrets, such as hidden bosses, storylines, and even completely optional regions, making exploration just as fantastic as its combat and progression systems. Despite its slight hiccups in performance, there’s very little I’d change in S-Game’s Phantom Blade Zero and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up as a nominee for the grand prize at the Game Awards.
- Released
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October 29, 2026
- ESRB
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Unreal Engine 5
- Developer(s)
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S-Game
- Publisher(s)
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S-Game
- Exceptional combat system
- Deep build variety with too many weapons to count
- A focus on rewarding exploration with hidden areas, bosses, items, and questlines
- Cinematic boss fights
- Impressive level design
- Hiccups in performance
- Sometimes enemies get trapped behind invisible walls and behind objects in the environment
