Phantom Blade Zero: A Deep Dive into Gameplay and Development
Prepare for a thrilling adventure! New details have emerged regarding Phantom Blade Zero, including its gameplay mechanics and planned difficulty options. Expect a release sometime in 2025.
Debunking the Soulslike Comparisons
Phantom Blade Zero will offer four difficulty settings: Easy, Ordinary, Difficult, and Extremely Difficult. This directly counters comparisons to Soulslike games, a genre known for its unforgiving challenge. Game Director Soulframe clarified on Twitter that the game's design prioritizes "combo-driven, heart-pumping combat that is hectic, rewarding, and exhilarating," not the relentless difficulty often associated with Soulslikes. While inspired by Soulslike games in terms of level design—multi-layered maps, multiple paths, and hidden areas—Soulframe emphasizes that the core gameplay is distinct, describing it as "Ninja Gaiden Combat on a Souls Game Map."
Extensive Gameplay Features
Players can expect:
- Extensive Weapon Arsenal: Over 30 primary and 20 secondary weapons, each with unique combat properties.
- Substantial Playtime: Approximately 20-30 hours for the main story, with an additional 20-30 hours of side content.
- Innovative Boss Fights: Two-phase boss encounters with a convenient restart feature from the second phase. A "Li Wulin" mode allows rematches with defeated bosses, potentially unlocking hidden challenges.
- Multiple Endings: A gameplay mechanic influencing the game's ending, the specifics of which remain undisclosed.
Year of the Snake Gameplay Trailer and Future Announcements
The recently released "Year of the Snake Gameplay Trailer" showcases Soul, the protagonist, battling the "Chief Disciple of The Seven Stars," and highlights weapons like the "Weapon No.13 Soft Snake Sword" and "Weapon No.27 White Serpent and Crimson Viper." While the trailer doesn't reveal a release date, it confirms a 2025 launch. Soulframe also teased further exciting announcements and previously unseen content in a Lunar New Year video.
Phantom Blade Zero is currently under development for PlayStation 5, with a PC release also planned. Stay tuned for further updates!
