Summary
It was revealed in an interview thatPhantom Blade Zerowill offer four difficulty options. The hack ‘n slash will also feature several leniencies in its gameplay, such as in boss battles. For example, players won’t have to completely restart boss battles inPhantom Blade Zeroif they’ve reached a boss’ second phase. If defeated, players will restart from the farthest phase they managed to get.
Phantom Blade Zerois an upcoming action RPG from Chinese studio S-Game. The game was compared to Soulslike games andDevil May Cryafter its announcement. However, the studio didn’t take long to clarify its main inspirations, stating thatPhantom Blade ZerofeaturesNinja Gaiden-style combat within aSouls-like map. In other words, it blends traditional hack ‘n slash gameplay with areas that encourage exploration. Most importantly,Phantom Blade Zerowill include a feature many Soulslikes often refuse to implement.
According to the Chinese forumTieba,Phantom Blade Zerowill include four difficulty levels. Based on a machine translation, these appear to be Easy, Normal, Hard, and Very Hard. While difficulty settings aren’t new in games, they remain a contentious topic regardingSoulslikes and a potential easy mode. The inclusion of difficulty levels inPhantom Blade Zerowas championed by some and criticized by others. At the moment, it’s unclear whether the difficulty levels will impact specific gameplay elements because the forum message also mentioned a potential mechanic where the ending changes based on how many times the player dies.
Phantom Blade Zero Campaign Lasts Around 20 to 30 Hours
The same announcement revealed thatPhantom Blade Zerowill feature a main story estimated to take 20 to 30 hours to complete, alongside an additional 20 hours of side content, aligning it more with modern action RPGs than pure hack ‘n slash games, which are generally much shorter. Regarding side content,Phantom Blade Zerowill include a boss rush mode, allowing players to rematch bosses from the main campaign while also introducing hidden bosses.
The news reinforced some details, such as thatPhantom Blade Zerowill feature 30 primary and 20 secondary weapons. The primary weapons will consist of blades, including single swords and dual blades, while the secondary weapons will range from spears to hammers. In a boss fight trailer,Phantom Blade Zero’scombat showcased promising kung fu-inspired choreography with a frenetic pace. So far, 2025 is shaping up to be an excellent year for hack ‘n slash announcements and releases, includingPhantom Blade Zeroitself,the reveal ofNinja Gaiden 4, and the upcomingLost Soul Aside.
