---
title: 'Phantom Blade Zero - Everything To Know'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=XTMZSC3d7LU'
video_id: 'XTMZSC3d7LU'
date: 2026-10-23
duration_sec: 375
channel: 'GameSpot'
---

# Phantom Blade Zero - Everything To Know

> Source: [Phantom Blade Zero - Everything To Know](https://youtube.com/watch?v=XTMZSC3d7LU)

## Summary

Phantom Blade Zero is an upcoming action RPG developed by Beijing-based studio S-Game, set in a dark fantasy reimagining of the Ming Dynasty. The game follows Soul, an agent framed for murder, who has 66 days to find a cure and uncover a conspiracy. It features a unique 'kung fu punk' combat style, multiple difficulty modes, and is slated for release on PS5 and PC in October 2026.

### Key Points

- **Game Setting and Story** [00:02] — Phantom Blade Zero is set in an alternate reality Ming Dynasty with steampunk, dark fantasy, and folk horror elements. Players control Soul, an agent of the Order, who is framed for murder and hunted by former comrades. After being mortally wounded, Soul is saved by a healer but only has 66 days to live, driving the narrative.
- **Developer Background** [01:18] — The game is developed by S-Game, founded by Liang Quay (known as Soulframe) in 2011. The studio began with the Rainblood series, created using RPG Maker, which introduced concepts and characters that appear in Phantom Blade Zero. The franchise transitioned to mobile in the mid-2010s and then to 3D with Phantom Blade Zero.
- **Development and Scope** [02:14] — Announced in 2023, development started in 2022, with initial concepts from 2017. Originally planned as a smaller project, the positive reception at PlayStation's 2023 showcase led to an expanded scope. The team paused another sci-fi project to focus on Zero.
- **Authenticity and Consultants** [02:43] — S-Game collaborated with martial arts masters, swordsmiths, and actor Donnie Yen as consultants to ensure authentic combat. Yen also portrays the character Mo Yuan. Renowned stunt coordinator Kenji Tanigaki serves as the action director.
- **Combat System: Kung Fu Punk** [03:13] — The combat style, called 'kung fu punk,' fuses traditional martial arts with mechanical forms. Players wield primary and secondary weapons, with dozens of options that drastically change play style. Weapons can be upgraded, and Soul can learn new skills independently.
- **World and Exploration** [04:07] — The game features multiple interconnected open zones with hand-drawn maps. Players explore to progress the story and discover optional content. Bells found in areas allow fast travel across the large maps.
- **Difficulty Options** [04:22] — Four difficulty modes: Wayfarer (story mode), Pathbreaker (intended difficulty), Hell Walker (adaptive enemies), and 66 Days (unlocked after completion, gives the player only 66 lives to finish the game).
- **Release and Editions** [05:10] — The game launches digitally on PS5 and PC on October 29, 2026, for $60. Physical PS5 copies arrive in 2027. A deluxe edition ($70) includes outfits, a digital art book, and soundtrack. Pre-orders get an extra outfit and accessory. An ultimate edition with a steelbook case is planned for physical release.

## Transcript

difficulty options, here is everything to know about Phantom Blade Zero.
World, an alternate reality interpretation of the Ming Dynasty that infuses the time period with elements of steampunk, dark fantasy, folk horror, and more. The game is a wooa. The woo meaning martial arts and the sha being a
chivalous hero. Players take on the role of soul, an agent for a secretive organization known as the order. Soul is framed for the murder of the order's leader and as such is now hunted by his former comrades. One of those order
members is Zoang who is able to mortally wound soul. However, his life is saved by a mysterious healer known as the flesh sculptor. But the remedy will only
work for 66 days, at which point Soul will die. With the time left remaining, Soul seeks both a permanent fix for his wound and to uncover the conspiracy to take down the order that he has been placed in the center of.
Beijing based [music] studio same founded by Leang Quay also known by his founded by Leang Quay also known by his internet handle Soulframe in 2011. Huay began development of his first game Rainblood Town of Death while studying
architecture at university. It was made using RPG Maker and introduced many of the concepts and characters featured [music] in Phantom Blade Zero. Esgame would make two more Rainblood games, expanding on the world and lore before
rebranding [music] the series to Phantom Blade while transitioning to mobile game development to capitalize on their growing market in the mid2010s. The studio made Phantom Blade Executioners, which launched in 2023 for not only
mobile, but PC and console as well. In that same year, Sgame announced Phantom Blade Zero, which would transition the franchise from 2D to 3D, utilizing Unreal Engine 5 for development. The game is designed to be a reboot of the
franchise and a modern reimagining of the original Rain Blood. While it was announced in 2023, development started in earnest in 2022 with the first concepts for the game cooked up in 2017. Initially, the game was meant to be much
smaller than what players will experience in the final release. But the game's reveal at PlayStation's 2023 showcase proved so popular that the team expanded its scope. The studio had another project in the works, one set in
a new sci-fi universe. But the team paused development on that title to focus all its efforts on Zero. Esgame worked with multiple martial arts masters, swordsmiths, as well as actor Don Yen as consultants to make the
game's combat as authentic as possible. Yen also portrays the character Mo Yuan in the game. In addition, the team brought on renowned stunt coordinator and film director Kenji Tanagaki to serve as the game's action director.
serve as the game's action director. [music] revolves around a fighting style that SGA calls kung fu punk, which fuses
traditional martial arts with mechanical forms. As Soul, players wield a primary and secondary weapon with dozens of options for each, which drastically change Soul's play style based on which weapons he wields, with options for both
melee and ranged combat, as well as combinations of both. Different weapons and combat styles are better tailored for certain enemy types. Weapons can be upgraded, allowing for new forms and techniques on top of new skills that
Soul can learn independent from his arsenal. The game's phantom world is made up of multiple interconnected open zones. Players have handdrawn maps to give them a rough sense for direction, but will need to explore for themselves
to progress the game story, as well as discover its wealth of optional content. Players can find bells in the different areas that allow for fast travel across its large maps. The game has several difficulty options for the players to
choose from. Wayf Farer is the game's [music] equivalent to story mode, while Pathbreaker is its intended difficulty. In Hell Walker mode, the difficulty is taken up a notch with enemies becoming more adaptive to your play style while
no longer adhering to predictable attack patterns of their own. The final patterns of their own. The final difficulty, 66 days, is unlocked after completing the game on either Pathbreaker or Hell Walker. It is the
same difficulty as Hell Walker, but to simulate Souls 66 days left to live, the player will only get 66 lives to complete the game. If they expend all 66, it's game over. [music]
PlayStation 5 and PC for $60 on October 29th, 2026. However, the game will only be released digitally on that date with physical PS5 copies launching sometime
in 2027. For $10 more, players can obtain the deluxe edition of the game, which comes with two additional outfits for Soul, as well as a digital art book and a soundtrack. Pre-ordering either edition of the game will unlock another
outfit, as well as an accessory for Soul that increases how much of the game's upgrade currency he obtains at the start of the game. but both are obtainable later into [music] its story for those that don't pre-order. When the physical
editions launch in 2027, there will be an ultimate edition of the game which comes with a steelbook case. Although no pricing information or details on any additional inclusions for that edition at the time of recording. And that's
everything to know about Phantom Blade Zero. For more on the game, including our eventual review, stay right here on GameSpot.