At least when there's a monster, you know where to look.

Game Title: PHANTOM BLADE ZERO

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (October 28, 2026)
• PC (October 28, 2026)

Trailers:

• Phantom Blade Zero - Announce Trailer | PS5 Games
• Phantom Blade Zero - Launch Trailer | PS5 Games

Developer: S-GAME, S-GAME Studio, S-Game Technology Hong Kong Limited

Reviews aggregates:

OpenCritic: 91 Average - 97% Critics Recommend

Metacritic: 88 / 100

Some Reviews:

PCGamesN - Tom Hopkins - 10 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero sets up an IP and gaming series we'll see a lot more from. Of course, it borrows aspects from some of the best games ever, but S-Game has created a truly original experience that feels incredible to play, looks stunning, and leaves you with a huge grin. It's a new gold standard for action RPGs. Once it was over, I just wanted to keep exploring Wulin, fighting more incredible bosses along the way. Hopefully I get that chance sooner rather than later.

Wccftech - Francesco De Meo - 10 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is a genre-defining game that stands as one of the best current-generation titles to date. Effortlessly marrying the fluidity of a combat system that masterfully balances offense and defense with tight world design, staggering weapon variety, and some of the most memorable boss fights in recent memory, S-Game has delivered a masterpiece with its first major PC and console release that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the absolute peak of the genre

Sirus Gaming - Erickson Melchor - 10 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero embodies everything we love about kung fu on the silver screen, from the deadly dance that is the fights to the emotions that fuel every conflict, all woven into a tapestry of old and new cultural inspirations. It represents a bold new direction in terms of presentation and aesthetics. If you have even the slightest interest in wuxia games or pure ARPG’s with a touch of Souls-like mechanics, I wholeheartedly recommend this game. I would even go so far as to say that it’s deserving of a permanent spot in your games library.

SteamDeckHQ - Noah Kupetsky - 10 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is the best game I have played this year, and quite possibly the best Action RPG I have ever played, but it requires a lot of compromise to play it comfortably on the Steam Machine. The variety of weapons and their abilities, combined with fluid combat, a beautiful world, and an intriguing story, blend seamlessly to create an unforgettable experience. The extremely minor inconveniences don’t matter when you consider everything the game does right, and I would consider this Game of the Year material.

PlayStation Universe - Ben Fellows - 10 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is an absolute masterclass in action-RPG design, offering some of the finest combat choreography, depth, and world-building I've ever had the honour of experiencing. Watching S-Game elevate their foundational roots into a grand-scale AAA marvel where their passion blazes through every frame is nothing short of astounding. While minor camera quirks and invisible walls occasionally pop up, its breathtaking kungfupunk aesthetic, rewarding exploration, and razor-sharp Sha-Chi blade mechanics make it a flawless triumph from start to finish.

Skill Up - 'I STRONGLY RECOMMEND'

Phantom Blade Zero is a pretty chunky game at 40 or so hours. But I swear, man, it's all killer, no filler. It feels like a 40-hour long crescendo where it starts small and quaint and linear, but by the end, every part of it feels so deep and expansive and rewarding. You can absolutely tell that SGA left nothing on the field here. There is so much passion and work put into every inch of it. The result is a brilliant action game that is absolutely worth experiencing. If you are a fan of this genre, I really do strongly recommend it to you.

The Gamer - Sam Woods - 5 / 5

Some all-time great boss battles, a phenomenal soundtrack that fuses Chinese sounds with contemporary genres, and a story that tugged on the strings of even my cold, tainted heart. Phantom Blade Zero is a genuine Game of the Year contender and is one deserving of a place in action-game folklore.

The Outerhaven Productions - Keith Mitchell - 5 / 5

After waiting all these years for Phantom Blade Zero and playing it from front to back, it’s clear that S-GAME put real love into creating this masterpiece. The combat, the storytelling, the world, and the way Chinese culture is woven into this dark fantasy all come together into something special. Phantom Blade Zero is a generational game that anyone who enjoys action and adventure games needs to play.

Saudi Gamer - Mohamed Ibrahim - 5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero is simply a joy to play. Its combat feels great, the weapons offer plenty of variety and the boss fights are a real highlight. It has its share of flaws, but they do little to spoil the otherwise excellent game

But Why Tho? - Kate Sanchez - 10 / 10.0

A beautiful and horrific game, Phantom Blade Zero has everything to be both the game of the year and to be a gateway to wuxia for new audiences. It’s an epic story of betrayal and conspiracies while also being about love and brotherhood. It brings unique, interesting combat systems and progression that put players’ creativity first, while its exploration mechanics and traversal elements make you more curious with each new zone. With a dense story and robust lore, Phantom Blade Zero feels like a world that has existed for decades, lived in and loved, but maybe that’s because of wuxia, or because this is exactly the kind of game that you can just lose yourself in. Phantom Blade Zero is a masterpiece.

Gamersky - 奕剑者柴王 - 9.8 / 10.0

Phantom Blade Zero is undoubtedly an exceptional, remarkable, and truly unique game. With an investment comparable to that of a major AAA production, S-GAME has brought its producer's almost obsessive vision to life, creating a work with an unmistakable personal style and creative identity. At the same time, its mature gameplay framework and broad commercial appeal make even its most demanding and unconventional elements accessible and enjoyable to a wider audience.

screenactu - Laurely Birba - 9.8 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero’s combat system should be taught in every game design school. It’s rare to see this level of mastery, even from studios with years of AAA experience under their belts. The boss fights are absolutely brutal, with an intensity that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The slightest mistake or hesitation when reading an enemy’s attack patterns can cost you a huge chunk of your health. Beyond the sheer challenge, these encounters really showcase S-Game’s talent for cinematic presentation and sound design. The game has a real sense of spectacle that carries through every part of the experience, with each region receiving an incredible amount of care and attention. One area where Phantom Blade Zero really exceeds expectations is exploration, which is surprisingly well designed. Completionists will have a field day, although the more nitpicky players may prefer to focus on a few rough edges, particularly when it comes to the lock-on system. We don’t know yet whether Phantom Blade Zero will be named GOTY 2026, but it certainly has what it takes.

CGMagazine - Jordan Biordi - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is a game that, when I started playing, I genuinely didn’t want to stop. As an action game, it feels to me like how Lies of P felt as a Soulslike—incredibly engaging and genuinely genre-defying. If my criticism has ever meant anything, then hear me when I say you NEED to play this game.

GamerBraves - Ralph - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is an action game that combines Eastern martial-arts style with steampunk influences and puts a strong focus on combat strategy and weapon mastery. Instead of relying only on fast attacks and precise execution, it pushes you to think about how to approach each fight through its varied weapons, enemy mechanics, and progression systems. Combat is its biggest strength. Precise Parry, Precise Dodge, weapon switching, and Sha-Chi management leave plenty of room for experimenting and tactical choices, and each weapon brings its own moveset, skills, and identity. The way Chinese cultural elements are built into enemy animations and boss mechanics makes the combat both satisfying and distinct. Exploration is also a strong point, with branching paths, hidden content, and areas that change as the story moves on, and its side quests connect closely to progression, combat challenges, and world-building.

Dualshockers - Christian Bognar - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is hands down the best action RPG this year, and quite honestly, one of the best action games I have played in a very long time. It has exceptional build variety, featuring an immense number of weapons and skills, all feeling distinct from each other and catering to different playstyles. It features a world filled with secrets, such as hidden bosses, storylines, and even completely optional regions, making exploration just as fantastic as its combat and progression systems. Despite its slight hiccups in performance, there's very little I'd change in S-Game's Phantom Blade Zero and I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up as a nominee for the grand prize at the Game Awards.

Areajugones - Alfonso Cánovas - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero delivers the most alive, fluid traversal I’ve felt in years, and a combat system that’s effortless to pick up yet genuinely demanding once the difficulty curve kicks in. Its bosses are bursting with invention, its arsenal gives every weapon real personality, and it runs beautifully even on mid-range hardware. The storytelling is scattered and the lack of map markers can leave you adrift, but neither dents what S-GAME has built here: a serious Game of the Year contender.

IGN - Travis Northup - 9 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best action games I’ve played in a long time, with standout combat that never came even close to feeling old across 50 hours of playing. It all takes place in a sharp, unique world that I adored spending time in despite the fact that just about everyone and everything in it wanted me dead. Its tale of betrayal and revenge mostly plays it extremely safe, and some unfortunate invisible barriers and technical hiccups can cause minor frustrations – but the overwhelming majority of my time with this stunning, incredibly well tuned adventure was downright awesome.

GamesRadar - Luke Kemp - 4.5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero is not a Soulslike. This needs to be the first thing that I tell you, because you need to wipe away any such preconceptions in order to fully appreciate what it is (and is not) doing. The intricate combat and hostile land come instead from wuxia storytelling traditions, and a supernatural martial arts world that can be traced back to the director's first game Rainblood: Town of Death. While "very, very good" is not a genre, it's certainly an accurate description of this game.

SavePoint Gaming - Jake Su - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero pairs extraordinary martial arts combat with inventive weapons, superb bosses and a compelling wuxia world. Camera issues and familiar side-quest objectives occasionally interrupt the flow, but its depth and responsiveness keep rewarding mastery and delivering an epic adventure.

PSX Brasil - Marco Aurélio Couto - 95 / 100

Phantom Blade Zero stands out for its dynamic and engaging combat, accompanied by striking art direction, a captivating narrative, and a top-notch soundtrack. With original ideas and highly competent execution, S-Game delivers one of the best action games of the generation and a must-play experience for fans of the genre.

Nexus Hub - Sam Aberdeen - 9.5 / 10

I can confidently say that Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best action games of the decade. The combat is outstanding, rewarding a far more aggressive playstyle than I expected. Thanks to extraordinary motion capture work and a reverence for martial arts cinema and Chinese history and mythology, it creates a splendid fusion of styles and inspirations that gives it a distinct identity. Where the story stumbles, the gameplay picks it right back up and I think players itching for a thrill ride unlike any other will definitely find that Phantom Blade Zero delivers thrills in spades.

Combo Infinito - Ariel Souza - 9.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the finest action games of this generation, delivering exceptional combat, spectacular boss battles, and breathtaking art direction inspired by Chinese martial arts cinema. Its deep weapon customization, rewarding exploration, and outstanding optional content make the 55-hour adventure consistently exciting. While occasional level design frustrations, some narrative shortcomings, and PC performance issues prevent it from achieving perfection, S-GAME has created an extraordinary experience that stands among the best games of 2026.

Push Square - Liam Croft - 9 / 10

S-GAME has been building to Phantom Blade Zero for almost a decade, and its craft has spawned one of the PS5’s very best action games. An intense and fast-paced combat system is the star, with so much variety backing it and incredible enemies to test it. Fun exploration, beautiful visuals, and a unique style then help it reach the heights of the genre’s elite, as Phantom Blade Zero deserves to hang with the best of the best.

INVEN - Soojin "Eonn" Kim - 9.2 / 10

The action in Phantom Blade Zero is unmistakably stylish. While secondary systems trail behind the combat in polish, engaging in combat renders those shortcomings secondary. Delivering clean visual clarity alongside flashy action within a continuous combat rhythm is a remarkable achievement. The distinct design of every weapon in the arsenal is equally impressive. Weapons do not merely swap animations or tweak stats; each offers a fundamentally unique combat loop that feels distinct at your fingertips. Combat is where Phantom Blade Zero truly shines. With flashy kung fu action and a stellar soundtrack, it delivers non-stop thrills through to the end credits. Executing seamless cinematic moves with simple inputs lets players step fully into the shoes of a wuxia legend.

Voxel - João Pedro Muller - 92 / 100

With excellent level design, unique and fluid combat that is, above all, fun, a vast array of weapons, and a deep focus on exploration, Phantom Blade Zero surprises not just through its individual merits, but because the experience as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts — making it one of the best games of 2026.

GameRant - Nick Rodriguez - 9 / 10

Great weapons and impactful gear gel nicely with Phantom Blade's other major combat strengths, namely enemy variety. Worth special attention is the game's boss roster, which is shockingly large and diverse. I can't really think of a single boss battle that wasn't enjoyable, or at least memorable, and Phantom Blade Zero has a lot of these battles. Like my 40-plus-hour playtime, I am pleasantly surprised by just how many bosses S-GAME was able to pack into this project, all without sacrificing quality. Phantom Blade Zero has many strengths, from its rewarding exploration or incredible soundtrack. But the main takeaway should be this: Phantom Blade Zero has enough X-factor to make it a must-play for any action-RPG fan, and a definitive leap forward for S-GAME.

TheSixthAxis - Nick Petrasiti - 9 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is spectacular, occasionally gloriously ridiculous and packed with reasons to keep exploring. But more than anything, Phantom Blade Zero is a challenging friend that I am gagging to spend more time with.

Press Start - Adam Mathew - 9 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is a spectacular martial arts action game that understands style matters as much as survival. Its superb combat, inventive weapon systems and unforgettable bosses easily outweigh a few technical blemishes and repetitive encounters. S-GAME has delivered a confident, ambitious knockout that deserves to be experienced by action fans everywhere.

Console Creatures - Johnathan Cariati - 9 / 10

The more I played Phantom Blade Zero, the more I fell in love with it. S-GAME has crafted an action RPG that delivers exactly what I’ve been craving: fast, fluid combat with an incredible arsenal of weapons, spectacular boss encounters and enough depth to keep me experimenting throughout the adventure. I wish the early story beats set the stage better and that some traversal mechanics and technical issues didn’t interrupt the experience. But when I think back on my time with Phantom Blade Zero, what stands out are the incredible fights, the strange characters I encountered, and how often I wanted to keep playing. The team behind this game has extraordinary passion, from its elaborate animations to the smallest details in its environments. You can feel how much S-GAME wanted to bring this world to life. Soul has 66 days to find a cure and clear his name. I spent my time in Wulin wishing the adventure would last a little longer. Phantom Blade Zero is a labour of love and one of the best action RPGs I’ve played in years.

ScreenRant - Leo Faierman - 9 / 10

Fifty hours later and my first playthrough of Phantom Blade Zero was complete on Hellwalker, it's slightly-tough-but-fair highest difficulty mode. Completing a playthrough unlocks a special "66 Days" challenge, limiting retries and restricting you to a single save file. The fact that I'm already hours into my NG+ run says it all: Phantom Blade Zero is impressive, worthy of your time and, incidentally, the perfect cure for soulslike fatigue.

Gameblog - Jeremy H KiKiToes - 9 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is an intense, generous and exhilarating action RPG that manages to inspire as much excitement and awe as it does frustration. Its difficulty may put off less daring players, although the multiple difficulty settings can also make the game far too easy. If you're after those adrenaline rushes that make the experience so special, you'll have to accept a few occasionally poorly handled difficulty spikes, particularly when it comes to certain bosses. But if you can look past those rough edges, you're in for one hell of a ride. Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best games of the year.

PPE.pl - Mateusz Wróbel - 9 / 10.0

Phantom Blade Zero demonstrates just how formidable Asian developers are when it comes to creating compelling action games. Following in the footsteps of Wukong, this is another must-play title - packed with exploration, stunning environments, a deeply intriguing world, and a combat system that will stay with us for a long time to come.

SECTOR.sk - tomass - 9 / 10.0

Phantom Blade Zero delivers dozens of hours of challenging action, with demanding boss fights and multiple endings that encourage replayability. However, confusing map navigation, forced exploration to unlock certain skills and occasional backtracking can disrupt the pacing. Despite these shortcomings, it is easily one of the best games of the year and an impressive achievement for S-Game.

Oyungezer Online - Eren Eryürekli - 9 / 10.0

With its debut game, S-GAME has hit almost all the right notes to deliver an unprecedented action-packed spectacle. While there's still room for improvement in its storytelling, that doesn't overshadow the fact that Phantom Blade Zero hits the mark on most of its ambitions. One of the best action games in recent years!

Gameliner - Hannah Herzberg - 4.5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero was definitely worth the wait. The story is fine, but it’s clear that developer S-GAME wanted to focus primarily on spectacle and cool visuals. And you notice that right away. The game is packed with cool action scenes, and it feels amazing to wield Soul’s sword.

RPGamer - Jordan McClain - 4.5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero is staggeringly impressive in so many ways. Its kungfupunk identity is thoroughly fleshed out by an innovative, exceptionally designed combat system that is a gorgeous love letter to wuxia tradition. Full of clear love and effort, the game’s combat — especially its ingenious bosses — ranks among the best in an action RPG or in any game, period. Although its progression systems and Remnant Dust economy unravel in the second half, the combat’s mechanical footing remains firm throughout, even as the game gradually opens up its exploration and makes combat against regular enemies trivial. With its generationally marvelous presentation, Phantom Blade Zero is ultimately a must-play experience that RPGamers shouldn’t miss.

Hardcore Gamer - Kevin Dunsmore - 4.5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero is a triumph, managing to deliver a fantastic story and intriguing world to explore, while also building out a deep and rewarding gameplay systems that encourage experimentation with unique and exotic weapons. The story combines different storytelling techniques to tell a personal story while also incorporating world-building techniques that further immerse players into the greater story. While the dialogue is clunky and its possible to miss quite a bit of it, it's still a tale that will easily suck you in. As is the world, which allows you to make it as linear or as open as you want, but always provides a sense of wonder across its eight regions. At the heart of the game's design and gameplay is experimentation, whether that be going through all the nooks and crannies on the map, building out Soul's skills, or tinkering with the 30+ different weapons. Combat is fast, deadly, and deep, taking what could be simple mechanics and creating a system that rewards thinking, experimentation, and a healthy dose and attack and defense. Finally, the game comes packaged in a gorgeous presentation that's a bit rough around the edges performance-rise, but looks beautiful and boasts some of the most impressive animation work in a game to date. Phantom Blade Zero isn't just an excellent new IP, it's an excellent game that not only manages to meet expectations, but surpass them in Kungfu cinema style.

ComicBook - Darrus Myles Jr. - 4.5 / 5

Blending martial arts fantasy with some Souls-like elements and Metroidvania-inspired exploration, Phantom Blade Zero delivers an adventure steeped in the mystique of the Wulin, where dangerous warriors and hidden paths await around every corner. Its wealth of combat options makes experimentation a joy, while its world offers plenty of incentive to stray from the beaten path. Some frustrating design choices keep the experience from reaching its full potential, but after finishing my first playthrough on Hellwalker mode with 197 deaths (yes, the game tells you this at the end), I walked away with a massive grin and a newfound appreciation for the art of the fight.

VGC - Dave Aubrey - 4 / 5

The boat hasn’t been rocked and the genre hasn’t been overturned, but Phantom Blade Zero is a damn good action game that shouldn’t be ignored. This is undoubtedly stronger than genre stablemates like Black Myth: Wukong, and S-Game has also managed to craft one of the best looking Unreal Engine games. It could use a bit more polish, but Phantom Blade Zero has ensured that I will be eagerly paying attention to whatever S-Game makes next.

Dexerto - James Busby - 4 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero is a martial arts masterclass. It delivers over-the-top swordplay and fast, flashy, thrilling fights that make it the best action game of 2026. The environments are absolutely stunning, rivaling Black Myth: Wukong’s visuals while surpassing it with more rewarding exploration and better combat. Its world is also brimming with secret bosses, hidden weapons, and new paths to uncover that make it hard to put down. While Phantom Blade Zero’s story and regular enemies don’t always match the same highs of its addictive combat, if this is the kind of quality we can expect from S-Game going forward, then I can’t wait to see what’s next from the Beijing-based studio. 

GamersRD - Rubén Castillo - 8.7 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is a spectacular action title that manages to exceed expectations the moment you pick up the controller. Blending soulslike elements with a combat system heavily inspired by Wuxia cinema, it delivers clashes so fluid and meticulously choreographed that they feel straight out of a martial arts film. Its rich atmosphere, diverse weapon arsenal, and demanding boss encounters elevate it into an outstanding release. While it has a few minor visual hiccups, action enthusiasts will find here a formidable new champion of the genre.

Geek Culture - Kevin Low - 8.6 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero stuns with its dazzling KungFu Punk combat that feels as good as it looks, but clunky traversal and an overall lack of polish outside of battle mean that S-GAME’s debut title is still one step away from greatness.

NoisyPixel - Orpheus Joshua - 8.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero delivers an exceptional Wuxia action experience, combining exhilarating combat, phenomenal boss fights, and remarkably diverse weapons with thoughtful level design and a captivating Kungfupunk world. While its underdeveloped storytelling and occasional technical issues hold it back, S-Game's ambitious action RPG excels where it matters most, offering one of the most satisfying combat experiences in recent memory.

MMORPG - George Yang - 8.5 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best action games out there, thanks to its enticing world and high-speed gameplay. The story takes a while to come together and the gameplay may sometimes overstay its welcome, but its unabashed Wuxia inspirations will have you feeling like a badass, even when you’re getting your butt kicked.

GAMES.CH - Flo Merz - 85%

"Phantom Blade Zero" playfully combines elements of the Soulslike genre with bonds from rows such as "Ninja Gaiden" and "Castlevania". The first look quickly suggests: This looks like "Dark Souls", plays like "Dark Souls" and is basically a Chinese "Dark Souls"! In fact, the similarities with FromSoftware's action RPG are not to be dismissed. Away from the presentation, however, the game goes its own way. This is especially evident in the combat system. Instead of relying exclusively on the comparatively thoughtful approach of classic soulslikes, "Phantom Blade Zero" combines well-known genre elements with numerous combo attacks and a significantly higher pace. If you absolutely want to draw a comparison, therefore, rather titles like "Where Long: Fallen Dynasty" come to mind.

Atarita - Eren Eroğlu - 84 / 100

Bearing S-GAME’s signature, Phantom Blade Zero is a title that showcases the studio’s future potential while far exceeding all of my expectations with its extraordinary gameplay, captivating world and the variety it offers. Once the minor shortcomings that undermine the gameplay experience are ironed out, a truly remarkable experience awaits you.

GameSpot - Richard Wakeling - 8 / 10

As someone who plays these kinds of games a lot, this might not be the same experience for everyone. Yet the bosses still posed enough of a challenge that I had to bump the difficulty back down to medium, so it feels more like a wildly unbalanced swing than anything else. It’s disappointing because, under the right circumstances, Phantom Blade Zero’s combat is spectacular. Its Wuxia-inspired action nails the free-flowing, back-and-forth nature of its kinetic influences with aplomb. Being able to cleave through dozens of enemies who barely put up a fight isn’t a fatal flaw, but tedium, and the fact you know how thrilling combat can be makes it a more glaring issue. It’s this misstep that holds Phantom Blade Zero back, but it’s still a fantastic game that any action aficionado should lap up.

Checkpoint Gaming - Omi Koulas - 8 / 10.0

Phantom Blade Zero is a spectacularly satisfying action game that rewards precise combat and experimentation of its extensive arsenal. Its ‘Kungfupunk’ world and dance-like martial arts choreography make a strong impression, but convoluted storytelling and some frustrating navigation, as well as a confused soundtrack, holds it short of becoming a legend in its art.

Glitched Africa - Marco Cocomello - 8 / 10.0

Phantom Blade Zero delivers exceptional action combat, spectacular boss fights and a beautifully crafted world that makes exploration a joy. Its impressive weapon variety and clever progression systems make it one of the most satisfying action RPGs I’ve played, but a convoluted story, a lack of respawning enemies and disappointing PC performance hold it back from greatness. Despite these flaws, S-GAME has created a fantastic action game that’s well worth experiencing.

Gamekult - Cael - 7 / 10

Phantom Blade Zero is a brilliant new effort from China, delving into wuxia's love of spectacle and dynamic choreography to deliver a strong action game system with varied build options and many memorable bosses and setpieces. So why the 7/10 ? Unfortunately, as of writing, we've encountered an unbreakable softlock on a key side quest to unlock the true ending. Although S-Game acknowledged the softlock in recent patch notes, we haven't been able to move past that bug yet, and thus, cannot guarantee that other players will have any more luck. A bunch of other, more minor issues — like the unfocused narration or some damage-spongey boss fights — bring the overall rating down.

Creative Bloq - Alan Wen - 3.5 / 5

Phantom Blade Zero has a lot going for it to distinguish itself from other AAA Souls-inspired games emerging from China in recent years, thanks to its painstaking martial-arts mocap combat and unique kung-fu-punk vision, but several frustrating design choices keep it from being a work of a grand master.

Eurogamer - Emma Kent - 3 / 5

All of which leaves us with quite a tricky picture. This game is exceptional in so many areas - the animations, the beautiful environments - and when the combat works, the sense of flow is incredible. Street fights with multiple opponents feel so cinematic and so satisfying, allowing you to be truly creative and expressive with your fighting style. Then you walk into a boss battle and feel all that power fade, like you're waiting your turn to get hits in with a wooden sword. This slows the pace of the early to mid game in particular, and I wish S-Game had been prepared to speed us through to the real meat of its gameplay a little faster. Combined with the other smaller issues and niggles - plus the pretty unremarkable narrative and lore dumps - it just takes the shine off what is otherwise a very impressive action title. Who knows, maybe another patch or two will even things out. Because there are some incredibly fun weapons to play with here… if only they had been sharpened.

Metro - GameCentral - 6 / 10

There’s a lot of good stuff in Phantom Blade Zero but viewed as a whole it feels poorly balanced and awkwardly fitted together. Some of the problems are so obvious it’s strange that the game got this far, and became so polished in other areas, without anyone noticing the mistakes. Overall, we enjoyed it more than Black Myth, but the inconsistency of the experience makes it difficult to recommend unreservedly. Whether it’ll end up fulfilling its potential via patches, or simply a sequel, we’re not sure but we’re already looking forward to Phantom Blade One.

I’m maybe 75% of the way through the new Onimusha. I just feel the need to highlight how much it absolutely RIPS. Capcom is obviously on a generational run again. This new one manages to take all the right lessons from things like Dark Souls. It feels like a perfect mix of souls, DMC, and the original Onimusha games.

I know Phantom Blade Zero is going to kinda take over the specific niche of samurai action for a while, and while I’m stoked to play that I wanna shout a triumphant return from one of my fave franchises.

-Onlive (2010)

-GameStick & Ouya, both (2013)

-Google Stadia (2019)

A lot of times a game will come out and there will be general agreement that the game could have been much better if a few changes had been made. E.g. map should have been tighter , game could have been shorter to avoid too much repetition etc.

Cases where the bones are there for a brilliant game but it turns out they made some decisions people weren't happy with.

What are examples of where Devs have taken on this sort of feedback to make a much better sequel?

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 comes to mind

In the past month, I've been on a multiplayer online games kick. I decided to go back and play a few games of League of Legends, a few games of DOTA2, a few games of Apex Legends, and a few games of Team Fortress 2.

All of these games, all of them, have been ruined by botters. People who are leveling accounts, boosting, botting, using AI overlays. I've never seen it this bad before in my life.

Even worse, the developers are penalizing the players and introducing more invasive systems that aren't doing anything about the problem. Riot Games is forcing players to use Vanguard, which installs invasive kernel level software onto your computer. DOTA2 is using a "behavior system" + a time-in-game gate, thereby penalizing players for not wanting to play full-bot games, restricting players from being able to access ranked queues, and punishing the player with a loss of privileges if they decide to leave/abandon games. TF2 has full lobbies of bots.

What's worse still, these games all use MMR systems, but don't give a singular fuck about the player experience. They accept no accountability or fault for the fact that their games are infested with bots; instead, they punish the player. There is no loss forgiveness, there is no MMR protection, there are no quick-exits from the lobbies when these bots emerge. You have to sit and play the round out, wasting your passion and your time; if you don't, you'll lose elo/MMR, you may face additional penalties (chat restrictions, longer queue times, lower priority queuing, etc). But the problem isn't player-made; it's bot centric, and it's gotten really, really bad since AI has started being injected into everything. Bans are also done in long, slow waves; this gives bots long periods of time to ruin players' experiences at scale, far worse than the RMT days of old via games like WoW and the MMORPG genre in general. An account can be banned, and 10 new bots are up and running to replace that account within minutes. It is beginning to feel like the old days, where you would log into an MMO and see nothing but bots farming bosses, farming mats, ruining the auction house, etc... except it is transcending the genre.

I fear we're staring down the decline of online gaming because of these practices. I don't have any recommended solutions; I don't know how to emphasize the need to capture, catalog, and crush the bots earlier, faster, and with more persistent consequences. But what I do know is that, as a player, I'm getting tired of being blamed for the developers' failures to both acknowledge and address the problem. I don't want to spend my free time getting penalized for leaving bot-infested matches. I don't want to spend my time re-grinding MMR because I had the bot on my team, turning the match into a handicap experience. I don't want to be placed in lower-quality queues because I'm tilting at getting bots on my team 4 games in a row, especially when those games takes 30+ minutes. And I don't like seeing other people go through the experience, either; it's very much not a "Fuck you, I got mine" experience. It's a general grief and sadness that the developers aren't adapting fast enough to prevent compromised play experiences in online spaces. This issue seems to be scaling quickly, too. We have to be vocal about the philosophical problem here; the solutions are consistently and repeatedly anti-user, anti-player, and anti-fun. And this is just my experience with this handful of games.

Are you seeing this same problem? What games are you seeing it in? How bad is it, if it all? How is the company/dev team that you're seeing it in addressing the problem? Do you feel the solutions are pro-player, or anti-player?

Edit: Post got big overnight; working my way through each response now. Auto-blocking any and every dumbass who adds nothing to the conversation via weak 1 line insult, or accusations of being a bot. Not interested in morons.

dude kinda saw the direction and future of FPS design for the next 20+ years

Though BioWare has had a slow agonizing death in recent years, I still think it's incredible how they managed to deliver these gaming masterpieces within such a short amount of time (Mass Effect came out in 2007, and Dragon Age Origins in 2009). As someone who grew up on these titles, I still consider them both to be foundational in my taste for the genres - not just in video games - but across media.

I'm a sucker for loot mechanics in games and I don't mean just those easy ones like witcher games where you inspect cupboards and loot boxes. I REALLY like those that have hidden loot behind cupboards or under the tables or just somewhere no one thought the developer will place it there. It gives you a sense of accomplishment for searching around the map and not just glacing to see where the cupboards are.

One game that comes to mind is Tarkov. Yes you could get used to loot placement fast but looting was enjoyable and every run was different.

I'm also playing Hellraiser right now and so far I really like loot placement.

Which games implemented loot mechanics the best in your opinion?

This is my look back at the BF3 era, from the reveal and DLC trailers to the community filmmaking scene. For those who played back then, what made BF3 stand out for you?

There are some very old games that were good but also forgotten by circumstances. I’ll never forget about Nocturne (PC, 1999) by Terminal Reality. It was obviously inspired by Resident Evil origins. The game had big flaws tho: gameplay and controls were clunky and not good and there were many bugs.

But the game itself as in story, lore, characters and enemies design and atmosphere was incredible for its time, you could say it was ahead of its time. This is one of those games i still pray that somehow gets picked up and rebuild in these modern times for a full remake a la Resident Evil 4 or Silent Hill style quality.

Here’s a YT gameplay example video:

https://youtu.be/hDXBGGuwB3w

But more important, do you know about any old and forgotten game that is worth a remake today?

Please share your thoughts!

For me, I just beat Soma last night and now I'm moving onto Yoshi and the Mysterious Book...so you know, real complimentary

Hi guys!

I have been playing so so many open world games, AAA games lately that I kinda feel a bit burned out by it.
I am therefore looking for a nice turn based game which I can complete before GTA. I think it will give me a good break from all this big world kinda stuff.

I have played Expedition 33 already which I loved. i have tried Octopath traveler 2 which I loved the story in so so much but stopped because of the difficulty 😕

Which are you guys favorite turn based games with a great story and a nice combat system?