Phantom Blade Zero Is A Delightfully Punishing Action-RPG

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We often categorize fans by the games they enjoy. Someone might be a shooter aficionado, a puzzle expert, or a sports enthusiast, each bringing a certain image to mind. But then there are those of us who love really challenging action games – the ones who enjoy a tough fight and thrive on overcoming obstacles. We like to call ourselves “sickos.” At Tokyo Game Show 2025, this “sicko” got to play Phantom Blade 0, the highly anticipated new action RPG from S-Game. It’s packed with powerful weapons, devastating finishing moves, and relentless enemies – everything needed for a truly intense experience. After an hour of non-stop fighting, boss battles, and plenty of defeats, I had just one thought: how quickly can I request some time off work?

Sophisticated Swordplay

You take on the role of Soul, an assassin wrongly accused of killing his leader. This demo starts with him at the base of a canyon. Almost immediately, we run into an enemy camp. There’s no gentle introduction to combat – two soldiers rush us, then a spear-wielding rider on horseback appears, and an archer starts targeting us from a tower. I draw my sword, ready to fight and find a good position to strike.

Phantom Blade 0 is primarily an action game. Fighters, including your character, have both a health bar and a Sha-Chi meter. The health bar works as you’d expect, while Sha-Chi is a combination of stamina, skill, power, and energy used for special attacks. It’s not a strict stamina-based combat system like in Soulslike games; you can perform basic attacks and dodge without worrying about being unable to defend. However, you *do* need Sha-Chi to execute stronger Sha-Chi (also known as heavy) attacks, and it’s depleted when you block. If either you or an enemy runs out of Sha-Chi, you become breached, which breaks your defensive stance and leaves you very vulnerable until the meter refills.

The best option isn’t necessarily to go in sword-a-flailing, like in Ninja Gaiden, or take turns parrying like in Sekiro; it’s almost like a middle ground where elements of both converge.

I take some arrow damage, but I successfully fight through the small group of enemies. As their health and Sha-Chi decrease, I can perform finishers – impressive and violent moves that defeat them. Continuing on, I find a small bell hanging from a wooden stand. Ringing it reveals a section of the map. This bell also acts as a respawn point and allows for quick travel, much like the bonfires in Dark Souls.

As a fan, I quickly discovered that timing a block *right* as an enemy attacks lets you parry, and it’s so much more than just defense! It’s actually essential to winning fights. Not only does it stop damage without using up your Sha-Chi, but it also drains the attacker’s! I found that while you *might* be able to muscle through one enemy with all-out offense, it just doesn’t work against stronger opponents or groups who are constantly trying to overwhelm you. It’s not about rushing in wildly like in Ninja Gaiden, or perfectly trading parries like in Sekiro. It feels like a really cool blend of both – you push forward, *invite* attacks, then parry and strike back. It gives the combat a very distinct feel.

It’s not that avoiding attacks is useless. Enemies use special attacks – Brutal Moves and Killer Moves. You should block Brutal Moves, but dodge Killer Moves. Successfully using the correct defense lets you perform a Ghostep, a stylish teleport dodge that immediately sets up a counterattack. This is especially helpful as I ascend the unstable scaffolding along the cliff face. I silently eliminate one swordsman while climbing, but I miss getting a spearman, so I have to depend a lot on those Ghosteps when he and the three reinforcements he brings try to overwhelm me with attacks.

Death is Only the Beginning

I died for the first time about 15 minutes into the demo. After battling across a few separate platforms, I fought two enemies wielding spears. I defeated one quickly, but I took too much damage while attacking. I attempted a more cautious strategy with the second opponent, but as I tried to create some distance, an archer from far away killed me with an explosive arrow. My life ended, marked by a red “Dead” message on the screen.

A short while later, I wake up back at the Bell stand I’d seen earlier. This isn’t like a Souls game, where resting at a checkpoint respawns defeated enemies; everyone I’ve beaten stays down for good. There are no rewards to gather from fallen foes, and no need to refight them, but that doesn’t mean dying is consequence-free. Soul has 66 days to finish his task, and each time he dies, one of those days is lost. It’s not yet clear how firm that deadline is, or if we can regain lost days, but I definitely feel the pressure to stay alive and avoid wasting precious time by dying unnecessarily.

I figured it was time to change up my weapons. Soul can carry two weapons for regular fighting, and two Phantom Edges – special, limited-use items, like a strong bow and arrow or the Man-Cutter, a huge halberd that delivers a devastating charged attack. Every weapon has its own unique moves and some kind of benefit or special power. Sanguine, the long sword you start with, lets you unleash a quick series of rolling attacks, perfect for quickly defeating an enemy that’s been broken through.

I’d been using Seamless Death, a couple of weapons similar to Chakrams – they’re great for quick attacks at close range, or you can throw them to deal significant damage from afar. This time, I decided to try out Jagged Edge, a huge greatsword, as I went back to where I died to get revenge on the last spear soldier. I had to run to dodge arrows from the archer across the gap, and eventually found a path to some platforms that let me cross. Along the way, I pulled off a perfect wall-run and instantly killed a swordsman who didn’t see me coming.

I activate a bell to set a new respawn point, then leap down to confront two enemies armed with bows and arrows. I land on one, immediately performing a throw and stab attack to eliminate him, and then finish off his companion with a powerful strike, causing a burst of blood. Soon after, I’m surprised by two attackers wielding daggers; instead of fighting them with my sword, I summon Flaming Mane, one of my Phantom Edges. This manifests as a flame-breathing lion mask, which swiftly incinerates both opponents, clearing a path for me to continue forward.

Revel in the Struggle

I finally arrive at a wide-open space at the base of the cliffs. After dealing with a few enemy groups, it’s time for my first boss fight. I’m introduced to Wan Jun “Coppermaul”, a huge and imposing character reminiscent of The Butcher from Diablo, wielding a gigantic warhammer that suits his size. I soon discover he doesn’t play fair, as he throws dirt in my face with his weapon, clouding the screen and making it hard to see. Getting caught in that dirt cloud is a deadly error – he grabs me, positions me, and crushes me with a swing that even Cal Raleigh would admire.

I wasn’t giving up, so I tried fighting him again. His attacks were strong and unpredictable, but I soon learned how to block them, weakening his Shi-Chi with each successful defense. Once I found an opening, I went all-out with the Soft Snake Sword, a blade that was flexible like a whip and dealt damage very quickly. There were a couple of close calls, but I ultimately won the fight against the giant. It was a great battle, and it really showed me how crucial it is to learn how bosses attack during the fight itself. I added Bashpole – the name of his weapon – to my collection as a Phantom Edge. Then, I used it to break through a wooden floor and access a new path, allowing me to continue my journey.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I make a hasty retreat, leaving the Red Wraith behind – a decision that would come back to haunt me…

The next boss appeared completely out of nowhere. While exploring what looked like a village, I climbed onto the roof of a circular building. There, dramatically positioned on a small spire, was Red Wraith. Despite her relatively small size, she made a striking impression, especially since there was no cutscene, introductory area, or any warning at all. She immediately attacked with both a longsword and throwing blades, but I used Ghosteps to quickly overcome her defense. However, something didn’t feel right – the battle seemed surprisingly simple. Even Soul noticed this and suggested we could simply leave and run away. But my curiosity took over, and I quickly retreated, leaving the Red Wraith behind – a choice I would later regret.

After a series of smaller fights, I finally faced the demo’s final boss: the Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars. He commands a team of six other warriors, and even as someone who’s played countless action games, I was genuinely impressed by this boss fight. Each warrior, including the Chief Disciple himself, has a separate health bar, and they fluidly switch between fighting on their own and launching coordinated attacks. One moment I was focusing on taking down a single enemy, and the next the entire group was converging on me with a synchronized attack from all sides. Luckily, a well-timed dodge allowed me to jump over their combined assault and land smoothly on the tips of all their weapons.

It’s a beautiful sight to watch, and every time I damage the Chief Disciple during our intense battle, his followers immediately heal him, even at the cost of their own health. I constantly attack the group, and when I’m surrounded, I use a powerful leaping attack with my Bashpole to knock them all back. As they fall, the Chief Disciple switches strategies, sharing his health to ensure he always has at least three followers protecting him. But this turns out to be a mistake, because I exploit his weakening condition and defeat him with a quick, ranged attack from Seamless Death.

The fight wasn’t over, though. His three followers each ran to a different tower, sending out what looked like string. The boss, now known as the Chief Disciple’s Fallen Hope, rose from the ground like a twisted puppet, and the battle started again. This time it was a one-on-one fight; he attacked relentlessly, charging at me with close-range strikes and launching a wave of threads that filled the screen. I thought I could manage even that, until I heard a voice say, “Nothing can separate us, not even in Death!” The Red Wraith was back, and the combined power of both bosses was too much for me to overcome.

I kept losing, over and over. Each time, the fight restarted at the beginning, but I always failed when the Red Wraith appeared – my earlier attempts at showing mercy kept coming back to hurt me. Still, I *did* manage to learn a little more with each attempt, reaching the final phase with slightly more health. As I repeatedly challenged what had seemed like an impossible fight, I started to recognize opportunities to attack. Finally, with my heart racing, I defeated the Red Wraith using a finishing move from my Seamless Death. Then, I endured the furious response from The Disciple’s Lost Hope, and with one final swing of my sword, I cut his strings and severed his head.

The game offers three difficulty levels, and even on the standard setting, I found Phantom Blade 0 to be challenging – which I really enjoyed. It wasn’t unfair, it simply required a lot of skill and effort. After only a little over an hour of playing, I felt like I had improved dramatically. That sense of accomplishment is something you only get with the very best action games. If the full game is as good as what I experienced at TGS, Phantom Blade 0 could truly be one of those exceptional titles.

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2025-10-04 07:00