00:00Phantom Blade Zero is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable action RPGs I've sampled this year.
00:05The action RPG's wuxia influence is immediately present, with characters gracefully leaping to rooftops,
00:11twisting beyond the reach of incoming attacks and delivering jaw-dropping finishing moves.
00:15Playing on the game's normal difficulty, I'm stunned to find Phantom Blade Zero is fairly forgiving.
00:20At least initially.
00:21Parry windows are reasonably long, and player character's soul can take a few hits before needing to heal.
00:26It's also not too hard to overwhelm average field enemies with combos, although take larger foes for granted at your
00:32peril.
00:33Sure, there may be bonfire-esque bells for resting, fast travelling and so on,
00:36but any souls-like comparisons must be made with a caveat that PBZ is not out to punish unnecessarily.
00:42The game's world offers vertically rich open areas that are a joy to fight through,
00:46and the boss variety during my three-hour preview helped maintain a sense of excitement throughout.
00:50It's no exaggeration to say Phantom Blade Zero is shaping up to be a big hit in 2026.
00:55Are you excited to play this one?
