Now that I've seen Phantom Blade Zero's structure, S-Game is making something special

When last I played Phantom Blade Zero, I greatly enjoyed what I played - but I was left with plenty of questions. Our Summer Game Fest 2024 demo gave me a taste of the game's combat, and a look at some of the boss fights - but that can only account for so much once all is said and done. I wondered about the game's structure; the level design, exactly how things tie together, and the like. Plenty of games have great boss fights, but what's the glue holding it all together? 

At Tokyo Game Show 2025, I had my answer. Sitting down for a roughly hour long session with the most recent updated demo, I had my chance to go through a full level of Phantom Blade Zero. While certain elements have been tweaked from what will be the final release - I was told certain collectibles were retooled and balanced for the demo session - I'm beginning to see what S-Game is going for with Phantom Blade Zero, and I'm ready to lock-in for the full release, whenever that release date actually is. The team might have something truly special on their hands.

Everything I said about the game's combat last time remains true. It's fast, frenetic, and feels like a good mix between games like Ninja Gaiden and a more "traditional" Soulslike. What is notably different, however, is how the game's level design informs how players make use of the tools at their disposal. The level I played had me first ascend through a quarry, fighting enemies as I passed through structures connecting two cliff faces. While not required, stealth is rewarded; whenever you break an enemies stance with parries or defeat them with stealth, there's a chance that a QTE can pop up letting you seamlessly jump to another enemy nearby Batman Arkham style to continue your destructive streak seamlessly. Platforming is a core element of the level design, and in fact one ranged enemy was out of reach for several minutes where he would continue to be a menace as I was engaging with other enemy groups while making my ascent. Near the top of the quarry I finally had my chance to find my way over to deal with him, rewarding me with an item that could eventually give me a permanent buff, Legend of Zelda style.

While Phantom Blade Zero isn't strictly a "Soulslike", checkpoints do present themselves similarly - though with the game's focus on verticality and platforming, one nice touch is that whenever you're near a checkpoint an ethereal thread will connect itself to you, giving you a hint when one is nearby, and in which direction. You can fast travel from any checkpoint in a level to each other, allowing you to backtrack and collect items you might have missed earlier. A midboss I defeated gifted me a new subweapon, a hammer, that could be used in certain sections of the map to break open a path forward or to optional collectibles. While it's impossible to see how this sort of backtracking will apply to the full game, it still shows that Phantom Blade Zero doesn't want to just be a purely linear affair. There's a real benefit to exploring off the beaten path.

One other example of this was a boss fight I ran into against a distinguished swordswoman. Completely optional; I was told that I could escape the fight at any time and continue forward. I was even told that defeating her would prevent her from showing up later; the implication was clearly meant to be that she might be a companion of some sort later, but instead it was the team's way of showing that if I had defeated her, she wouldn't show up at the second phase of the final boss of the demo. A cheeky touch, but the point of it all was made clear. Even on its own, the final boss of the demo was a fantastic showcase of the team's talent. The main boss puppets a group of soldiers to fight with him, them each taking turns striking you or working in tandem depending on the attack. While you can strike the main boss directly, it's actually to your benefit to take down some of the smaller enemies separately - otherwise he'll use them to replenish his own health when he runs low.

In the second phase, the tides are turned and the puppeteer becomes the puppet as he takes on an entirely different combat style. It's this phase where the woman from earlier will hop in after enough damage is dealt, making an already intense encounter into something truly memorable. I already knew that the game's bosses were off to a promising start after last year, but seeing the team continue to nail that aspect of the game, and to even tie it into the level design in such a significant way, has me even more excited to see what's in-store for me with the full release. Phantom Blade Zero is a game that you should be keeping an eye on; if our impressions from last year weren't enough to make that clear, S-Game is a team to keep an eye on. Stay tuned for further impressions in the weeks and months ahead.