A full hour of Phantom Blade Zero gameplay has surfaced online, delivering a detailed look at its high-speed combat and stylized world ahead of its 2025 release.
Combat Clarity: Not What You Thought
The new footage, uploaded by GameV and recorded on a PlayStation 5 Pro, gives us more than just a few flashy moments. It’s a full, uninterrupted play session running at 4K resolution with a steady 60 frames per second, offering a proper look at how this thing actually plays. And yes, it plays fast — faster than most expected.
Forget the slow, methodical duels you’d expect from a Soulslike. Instead, you see a blur of quick dodges, precision parries, and long, flowing combos that never seem to let up. The main character, Soul, moves with sharp intent, darting between enemies in a way that’s far more NINJA GAIDEN than Elden Ring. It’s reactive, aggressive, and highly stylized, but still grounded in timing and control.
Animations are smooth and impactful, with clear feedback for every move. There’s weight behind each strike, but nothing feels sluggish. Combat flows naturally, often blending into short cinematic finishers that maintain momentum without interrupting the pace. Enemy types vary, with each bringing a unique rhythm to the fight.
The UI is stripped back, keeping things clean and readable. A stamina bar and a few ability icons sit quietly at the edges of the screen, never pulling attention from the action. That minimalism works in the game’s favor, especially when the environments are this visually detailed.
Not Quite a Soulslike and Not Quite DMC.
When Phantom Blade Zero first appeared, it carried the look of a Soulslike — dark visuals, cloaked fighters, and the kind of moody tension we’ve come to expect from that genre. But now, with this extended gameplay out in the open, it’s obvious that label doesn’t fit.
The director has already confirmed it’s not a Soulslike, and the gameplay proves it. Sure, it borrows some surface elements like stamina-based combat and a grim tone, but the moment-to-moment action tells a different story. This is faster, more kinetic and less about deliberate strikes and more about reading enemy movements in real time, then overwhelming them with speed and technique.
What We Know: Soul, The Order, and the Road Ahead
Behind the action is a story that’s still shrouded in mystery. You play as Soul, an assassin who works for a secretive organization known as The Order. After being poisoned, he’s given just 66 days to live and that looming deadline adds urgency to everything he does.
The game is being developed and published by S-GAME, and it’s running on Unreal Engine 5. That choice pays off in every frame. Environments are richly detailed, often drenched in fog or lit by flickering fires. You’ll move through dense forests, crumbling temples, and war-torn courtyards, each filled with just enough environmental storytelling to make them feel lived in.
What’s most striking is how well the level design supports the combat. From what’s shown, the game isn’t a sprawling open world. Instead, it looks like a series of large, interconnected zones, big enough to allow for exploration and different combat setups, but focused enough to keep the pace tight.
Phantom Blade Zero Release
Phantom Blade Zero is slated for release on PlayStation 5 and PC sometime in 2025. There’s no specific date yet, but with a full hour of polished gameplay already making the rounds, most expect a reveal soon. Gamescom’s Opening Night Live is a likely candidate, especially if S-GAME is ready to show more or finally lock in a release window.
Verdict So Far: Style and Substance
What started as a mysterious teaser is quickly turning into one of 2025’s most promising action games. This latest footage makes it clear that Phantom Blade Zero isn’t trying to follow the crowd. It’s fast, brutal, and stylish, but with enough weight and structure to give it depth.
The combat system stands out. The visual design is memorable. And the fact that it doesn’t neatly fit into any one genre might be the best thing going for it. If you’re looking for a game that blends intensity with atmosphere, without falling into the same patterns we’ve seen a hundred times, this one’s worth keeping on your radar.