Phantom Blade Zero, S-Game’s ambition in a wuxia ARPG, is firing up the hype with last-minute publication of nearly one hour’s worth of raw gameplay footage from the developer’s recent “S-Party” in Beijing. These long demos offer the best look yet at the Unreal Engine 5-powered game slated for PlayStation 5 and PC. Although the official launch window is said to be in 2026, this clearly establishes Phantom Blade Zero as one to watch.
Presented first during the 2023 PlayStation State of Play, Phantom Blade Zero has always made headlines for its unique blend of wuxia style and hyperspeed in combat. Sneak peeks, including a memorable boss battle that happened earlier this year, have promised over-the-top action in the game. These long demo recordings available across several YouTube channels by invited players and creators delve further into combat systems, enemy types, and level design.
It was quite assuring for many attendees at the “S-Party” event, who indicated that the demo had three different settings of difficulty, Breaker, Initiate, and Defier. Reports suggest that the hardest option, Defier, was surprisingly challenging with some players failing to defeat the first boss. This level of difficulty reinforces Soulframe Liang, CEO of S-Game, in claiming that Phantom Blade Zero does not belong entirely to the categories of a traditional Soulslike, nor a typical action game, but in effect has its own unique genre. Players who tried the demo describe a compelling mix of mechanics akin to Devil May Cry, Sekiro, and Ninja Gaiden and subtly combine them with elements often found in Soulslike games like bonfires and health-restoring flasks.
With all the hype from the recent success of Black Myth: Wukong, all eyes are on Phantom Blade Zero. More news are expected from fans as the game is set to show its features at China Joy 2025, August 1-4, then a global demo at Gamescom 2025, happening from August 20-24. These appearances will go a long way in creating clarity and consolidating the title as one of the most exciting narratives in an ever-changing action RPG landscape.
