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Phantom Blade Zero Says Its Side Quests Will Influence the Main Story
S-Game is preparing to launch Phantom Blade Zero later in the year and has shared an important detail: the game will be more than a combat-forward action showcase and will focus on something many action RPGs struggle to justify: side quests. According to the studio, optional quests in Phantom Blade Zero are designed to meaningfully affect the main narrative, rather than exist as isolated errands for materials and XP.
CEO Qiwei Liang, AKA Soulframe, says the side-quest structure is inspired by the butterfly effect, implying that smaller decisions made off the critical path can produce larger downstream consequences. The framing is notable because it shifts “side” content into core pacing and story context. It also sets a higher expectation for cohesion, as this kind of design only works if the main plot and secondary stories intersect cleanly.
Honour and Consequences Are the Stated Drivers
Liang suggests that choosing to help strangers you meet will shape the protagonist’s alignment, particularly around honour. In other words, engaging with side quests is not just about completionism. It is a choice that can influence how the larger story unfolds, with “macroscopic” changes promised later as those early decisions ripple outward.
The claim is ambitious but carefully worded. The studio has not described branching paths in detail and has not confirmed whether the system uses a hard morality meter, a hidden state, or a set of flags tied to specific questlines in Phantom Blade Zero. That missing mechanical clarity is the key question, because “choices matter” systems can range from cosmetic dialogue variations to genuinely different missions and endings.
The Big Unknown: How This Works in Practice
S-Game has not explained how players will read these consequences. Will there be visible tracking? Will it be purely contextual? Will certain side arcs lock or unlock mainline beats? Will outcomes change encounters, bosses, allies, or endings?
Until the studio shows the system in motion, it is hard to judge how deep the butterfly effect goes versus how much is narrative flavour. Still, the intent is clear. Phantom Blade Zero wants side quests to feel like key parts of the story, and not chores.
Phantom Blade Zero is currently scheduled to launch on September 9 for PlayStation 5 and PC.
