# Phantom Blade Zero Fixes Boss Fight Annoyance > Phantom Blade Zero adds checkpoints to boss fights, cutting player frustration. - Title: Phantom Blade Zero Fixes Boss Fight Annoyance · IGN | Shortify - Summary: Phantom Blade Zero adds checkpoints to boss fights, cutting player frustration. Phantom Blade Zero includes checkpoints in boss battles, reducing repetitive… - Keywords: phantom blade zero, boss fights, checkpointing, s-game, action rpg, travis northup, scrub tax, game design, gaming, entertainment, Phantom, Blade - Source: IGN — https://ign.com/articles/phantom-blade-zero-fixes-my-biggest-annoyance-with-boss-fights - Author: Travis Northup - Published: 2026-10-29T11:30:00+00:00 - Read time: 2 min - Topics: phantom blade zero, boss fights, checkpointing, s-game, action rpg, travis northup, scrub tax, game design, gaming, entertainment ## What is the Scrub Tax? The Scrub Tax refers to time wasted after dying in boss battles, including long walks, unskippable cutscenes, and loading screens. > the Scrub Tax is an irritating procedure (intentional or otherwise) that games make you go through after getting yourself killed like the low-skill scrub that you are ## Why do boss fights waste time? Modern games require players to restart boss fights from scratch after dying, wasting hours on repetitive phases instead of challenging ones. > if i die at any point in any phase of a boss fight, i should have to start over again from the very beginning ## Phantom Blade Zero’s solution Phantom Blade Zero adds checkpoints during boss fights so players can quickly return to action after dying without restarting the entire encounter. > phantom blade zero has shattered the idea that this is just the way it has to be ## How does checkpointing help? Checkpointing reduces the time spent replaying boss phases, allowing players to focus on the more challenging parts of the fight without frustration. > it trims a ton of fat and empty calories by making it easy to get right back into its showpiece showdowns ## Why is this important? Players spend significantly more time on repetitive boss phases than the actual challenging parts, making the experience feel less rewarding. > i can count on one hand the number of games that haven’t followed this format over the past decade ## What do players say? Players feel frustrated by the time wasted on repetitive boss phases and want more efficient ways to progress without restarting from scratch. > i’ve been excited for a final confrontation with a boss i’ve crawled over hot coals to face, only to find myself irritated 20 minutes later ## How does Phantom Blade Zero work? Phantom Blade Zero allows players to return to action immediately after dying, reducing the time spent on each boss fight to under 5 minutes per death. > a death in phantom blade zero is likely to cost you less than 30 seconds ## Why do developers avoid checkpoints? Some developers believe checkpoints make boss fights less challenging, but Phantom Blade Zero shows they can be both challenging and efficient. > but travis, adding checkpoints to boss fights trivializes difficulty ## What’s the impact? Phantom Blade Zero’s checkpoint system improves pacing and player enjoyment by reducing repetitive play and focusing on the most challenging parts of boss fights. > i want developers to be able to take more chances with boss encounters, and checkpointing is a truly powerful tool ## Why is this a problem? Many games lack checkpoints in boss fights, causing players to waste hours on repetitive phases instead of the challenging parts of the encounter. > i’ve come to the conclusion that forcing players to restart boss fights from scratch is quite a cheap way to make those encounters feel more challenging ## What’s next? Players are encouraged to share their experiences with Phantom Blade Zero’s checkpoint system to influence future game design decisions. > i think that once players start finishing phantom blade zero later this week, they might very well share the same revelation ## Why does this matter? Checkpointing in boss fights can improve player experience without reducing the challenge, making games more engaging and less frustrating. > i want to live in a world where instead of being punished as i go through the completely normal process of learning an encounter, every failure has almost zero friction to it ## What’s the takeaway? Phantom Blade Zero’s checkpoint system reduces player frustration in boss fights by allowing quick returns to action after death. > phantom blade zero fixes my biggest annoyance with boss fights ## Key takeaway Phantom Blade Zero includes checkpoints in boss battles, reducing repetitive play and improving player experience.