From Polygon · Austin Manchester · · 2m
Phantom Blade Zero: Action Game Preview
Phantom Blade Zero's wuxia combat makes it the most anticipated action game of 2026.
In brief
Phantom Blade Zero's wuxia combat makes it the most anticipated action game of 2026. Phantom Blade Zero, a wuxia-inspired action game with 35-40 hours of gameplay, becomes the most anticipated action game of 2026 after a four-hour preview. Originally reported by Polygon.
Phantom Blade Zero preview
Action game fans have had no shortage of choice in 2026 with games like Romeo Is a Dead Man, Beast of Reincarnation, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword.
Phantom Blade Zero's unique combat
Phantom Blade Zero blends simple controls and intense parries with stylish wuxia animations to create one of the most anticipated non-GTA 6 games of the fall release calendar.
S-Game preview event
I played four hours of Phantom Blade Zero on Windows PC at a preview event hosted by developer S-Game in Beijing, China.
John Wick meets Wuxia
Soul, an assassin being hounded by The Order, a shadowy organization he used to work for, is a John Wick-style assassin on the run.
Soul's 66-day heart
Soul gets mortally wounded fighting his childhood BFF Zuo Shang, and both stab each other through the heart. A creepy little guy called the Flesh Sculptor hooks him up with a new heart that lasts 66 days.
Donnie Yen as creative consultant
S-Game recruited movie star and martial artist Donnie Yen as a creative consultant to help bring its wuxia vision to life.
Wuxia action choreography
Yen leads a team of 15-20 stunt performers and helps choreograph lightning-fast action sequences with wirework stunts.
Sha-chi meter system
Soul's Sha-chi meter, a stamina meter for powerful combos, refills when switching weapons and is crucial for combat depth.
Boss fight highlights
Boss battles are the highlight of Phantom Blade Zero, with tough encounters like a horse-drawn carriage enemy and a foe who conjures additional arms mid-battle.
66 Days difficulty
Each time Soul dies, you lose a day until there are none left in the 66 Days difficulty mode.
Phantom Blade Zero release
Phantom Blade Zero will be released Oct. 29 for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.
Phantom Blade Zero's gameplay
Phantom Blade Zero offers 35-40 hours of gameplay with over 30 weapons and 20 Phantom Edges, which are special attacks rather than usable weapons.
The key point
Phantom Blade Zero, a wuxia-inspired action game with 35-40 hours of gameplay, becomes the most anticipated action game of 2026 after a four-hour preview.
