Phantom Blade Zero’s developer confirmed that the game is neither a Soulslike nor a traditional hack-and-slash, but something entirely different, an amalgamation of different genres the studio has tentatively dubbed “Wuxia Action Game.” A six-minute gameplay trailer forPhantom Blade Zerowas first displayed at a PlayStation event in January earlier this year, followed by an announcement trailer in May, signaling a ramping up for the game’s marketing.
Phantom Blade Zerois a third-person action RPG combining elements of Chinese martial arts and steampunk. A white-haired protagonist wielding a katana was shown in both trailers, making it likely that he will be the main playable character. The appearance of a stamina bar, boss fights, parry mechanics, and items that appear similar toDark Souls’ Estus Flasks, has led some to draw parallels with Soulslikes, prompting the team lead to respond and clear up confusion.
In a recent Twitter post, thePhantom Blade Zeroaccount shared a developer’s letter from Soulframe (Qiwei Liang), the CEO of S-GAME and creator ofPhantom Blade Zero, detailing how fans eagerly anticipating the game may have mislabeled the title’s genre based on initial impressions. According to the CEO,Phantom Blade Zerois “neither a Soulslike nor a traditional action game,” but a unique title that doesn’t neatly fit into established genres, and trying to compare it to existing titles is an exercise in futility.
Phantom Blade Zero Is Not a Soulslike or a Traditional Action Game
According to Liang,Phantom Blade Zerostarted as an attempt to bring “Hack and Slash into a multi-layered map,” essentially trying to combine the Soulslike map structure with fast-paced action combat gameplay. However, during the course of development, the project evolved into something “rarely seen or experienced in games.” He equatesPhantom Blade Zero’s attempt to carve out its own niche with howBruce Lee’s unique brand of filmscreated a genre of their own, now referred to as “Kung Fu films, Wuxia films, or martial arts films.” Soulframe Liang characterizes this new “Wuxia Action” genre with over-the-top action sequences, traditional Chinese lore and mythology, and cinematic story sequences.
Phantom Blade Zerodoes not yet have an official release date, but the CEO has confirmed that the launch date announcement will be held before 2025 runs out. A hands-on demo for the game is being held at Shougang Park in China, and fans may be able to see more gameplay footage as venue-goers get a chance to try the title out. While there are rumors about a potential downloadable demo on PC and PS5, no official announcements have been made. At the end of the day, regardless of which genrePhantom Blade Zerofalls under, the level of polish, attention to detail, and the mouth-watering action sequences shown in the trailers have fans salivating for the full release.
