Phantom Blade Zero review praises inventive combat but finds uneven pacing
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
The review of *Phantom Blade Zero* highlights its inventive, cinematic combat as the game’s strongest feature, while noting that the experience does not maintain that quality throughout. Its elaborate fight choreography and striking animations evoke martial arts films, making encounters feel fluid and full of surprises.
Players control Soul, an outcast warrior in the fantasy world of Wulin, on a revenge mission while facing a limited lifespan and otherworldly threats. The story can be hard to follow, with many characters and factions introduced through lengthy collectible texts. Combat uses Soulslike conventions: players dodge red attacks and parry blue ones to break bosses’ guard.
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In short
- Combat is cinematic and inventive.
- The story and lore can be difficult to follow.
- Boss fights rely on precise dodging and parrying.
How this story developed
- 16 minutes ago The review added that detailed landscapes heighten the game’s visual ambition, and noted that its Soulslike dodging and parrying may deter players who dislike demanding combat.
- 20 minutes ago A review of Phantom Blade Zero praised its inventive, cinematic combat and elaborate fight animations, while saying the quality was uneven and the lore-heavy revenge story difficult to follow.
- Polygon Phantom Blade Zero Reviews Just Beat Every Soulslike In 2026
- GameSpot Phantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense
- Eurogamer Phantom Blade Zero review praises inventive combat but finds uneven pacing
- GameSpot Phantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense | Review
Explained simply
Phantom Blade Zero is an action game set in the Wulin, a fictional world of martial artists and supernatural dangers. Players take the role of Soul, an outcast warrior pursuing revenge while facing a limited time to live.
The game’s fights use a demanding pattern of dodging and parrying, especially in battles against powerful enemies. Its story also introduces many characters and details about the world, some of them through texts players can collect as they explore.
Coverage · 4 sources
- EurogamerPhantom Blade Zero review praises inventive combat but finds uneven pacing
- PolygonPhantom Blade Zero Reviews Just Beat Every Soulslike In 2026
- GameSpotPhantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense
- GameSpotPhantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense | Review
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Originally published by Eurogamer as “Phantom Blade Zero review”.