Just as Chinese New Year approaches to usher in a period of celebrations, fans of fast-paced action will be equally overjoyed at the latest trailer drop from S-Game for Phantom Blade Zero. The aptly titled Year of the Snake gameplay showcase isn’t just timed for a cultural beat, there are actually snake-themed elements that players can look forward to when the game launches.
Kicking off with a new boss fight, we see the protagonist, Soul, go up against the Seven Judgments, who fight almost as one, stacking the odds against the player immediately. While the main target is the Chief Disciple, having to watch out for six other opponents instantly ramps up the tension involved.
What’s more impressive is that these are not seven separate enemies that Soul is trying to take down, instead, S-Game shared that “the disciples are powered by a group AI, coordinating attacks and launching multi-directional strikes.”
It won’t be a challenging boss fight with just one phase, and the second phase dramatically transforms the encounter, with one single foe to focus on but with significantly different attack patterns and moves. Precise timing remains a key strategy to bring down the enemy, and the demo shows off a true master at work, something many of us probably won’t be able to replicate.
The trailer was also an opportunity to introduce new weapons and Phantom Edges, with the Venemous Softblade, as well as the White Python and Red Viper swords, getting the spotlight. The former is a “flexible sword that excels in countering and deflecting attacks,” which was very useful in the second phase, whereas the latter shows its use in the first phase, with the long and short nature of the two swords working well separately or in tandem.
The new Phantom Blade Zero trailer also gave us a chance to witness the power of the Ink Cut Phantom Edge, which can be chained together with primary weapon attacks to whittle down the enemy’s health quickly. And for the Savage Axe Phantom Edge, the way it is used to finish the boss fight is just awesome.
As per what we have seen before, the speedy kung-fu punk action is simply splendid, from the animations to the visual quality on show, thanks to Unreal Engine 5. There is just something beautiful about how every attack, parry, dodge, and special move in Phantom Blade Zero link into each other, truly delivering a splendid ballet of violence in the hands of proficient players, with the inspiration from “Hong Kong martial arts films of the 1980s and 1990s, alongside the traditional techniques and philosophies of Chinese martial arts,” clear as day.
S-Game also stressed that the trailer contained “significant upgrades in visual quality—textures, models, and lighting—designed to meet true next-generation standards,” with PS5 Pro support for enhanced visuals.
Phantom Blade Zero has no release date just yet, but it will be launching on PlayStation 5 and PC.
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