Phantom Blade Zero Gamescom Latam Preview: A Positively Surprising RPG Experience

Phantom Blade Zero is the next big action RPG set to arrive in 2026. Developed and published by S-GAME, the wuxia game puts players in control of Soul, a well-trained assassin whose goal is to travel the land in order to topple The Order, a mysterious yet powerful organization. Phantom Blade Zero was revealed in 2024 and has since been in development, with only a few teasers released to the public.

Now, the game is closer than ever to launch, with a September 8 release. For some, this may feel like a new soulslike experience to tackle, while others will interpret it as an action RPG with hack-and-slash elements, somewhat like God of War: Ragnarok. Like the outstanding new Marvel Tōkon, Phantom Blade Zero was available to play at Gamescom Latam, and Screen Rant had access to an hour-long hands-on demo.

Phantom Blade Zero Isn’t A Soulslike RPG, & That’s Great

During the demo, which was also made available to the general public, we were able to tackle a mid-game section of the story, traversing a small area of an enemy encampment and facing three different bosses. Several different weapons were also made available for the build, allowing us to get a better understanding of the different playstyles offered by Phantom Blade Zero.

When the game was revealed, the action RPG was immediately seen as a soulslike game. The developer rightly avoids describing the game this way, but certain elements of the subgenre help explain why it has been interpreted this way in the first place. For example, the game’s map is linear, yet interconnected through unlockable shortcuts, much like those seen in games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne.

The combat also presents a higher level of difficulty than that seen in regular action RPGs, like Final Fantasy 16. However, there is an increased level of mobility and button-smashing that pushes it beyond the edges of what would make it a soulslike game. I tend to get wary of non-FromSoftware soulslike games, and was delighted to see that Phantom Blade Zero uses soulslike elements without becoming one entirely, instead opting for its own unique brand.

With different weapons, you get immensely different playstyles in Phantom Blade Zero. I tried out slower, heavy-hitting weapons, as well as fast-paced, less-damaging weapons, and curiously enough, both drastically different options felt like they fit my playstyle. There are two big things about the game’s combat: dodging and parrying. Both of these options open up opportunities for counterattacks, but parrying was, by far, the best.

With relentless attacks and something like a stamina bar, parrying enemies often felt like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but still a lot faster-paced and less punishing than FromSoftware’s shinobi game. Phantom Blade Zero is quite easy and quick to pick up, and once you start figuring out the combat system, it feels less oppressive.

The demo featured three bosses, all of which felt like soulslike boss encounters but adapted to the combat system in the wuxia RPG. While designed like soulslike bosses (and because this is not a soulslike game), they were a lot easier to handle than your ordinary boss in any soulslike game. Even so, they still presented a nice level of difficulty, which may make you fail on your first run.

The first boss in the Phantom Blade Zero demo was a large ogre-like creature with a heavy hammer. What impressed me most during that encounter was that it had a unique move, where it used its hammer to lift a veil of dust from the ground, obscuring your vision for a short period – here, I had to adapt my strategy to either continue fighting without seeing them or run away for safety. It was an ingenious little design choice that really surprised me.

Phantom Blade Zero Looks & Feels Amazing

Apart from gameplay options, Phantom Blade Zero also offers a plethora of options from a visual and design standpoint. Each weapon has a unique set of animations, all of which proved to be gorgeous. It felt amazing to use every option in the demo. The movement felt great and beautiful, as well as the executions, attacks, and everything else.

Another thing to applaud is the enemies’ animations and designs. Their aggressive behavior was represented by a variety of attacks, and the bosses stood out for how great they looked and felt to beat. During my 55-minute run on the Phantom Blade Zero demo, I constantly caught myself saying “wow” to both my own attacks and those of my enemies, flabbergasted at how cool everything looked.

The game does need a final bit of polishing for certain details. For example, I got stuck between two wooden beams while falling through a hole of my own creation, prompting some assistance from the devs present at the event. Some textures could also be improved, even though the fast-paced action quickly makes you forget about some weird strands of hair.

The funny thing is that I was not really looking forward to this game. The demo, however, changed that drastically. By understanding this was not a generic soulslike title but an action RPG with slight soulslike mechanics, I was more compelled to check it out. After playing the demo for Phantom Blade Zero at Gamescom LATAM, I’m genuinely excited about this RPG in a way that I did not think I was going to be.

Systems

Released

September 9, 2026

ESRB

Unreal Engine 5

Developer(s)

S-Game

Publisher(s)

S-Game

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

Franchise

Phantom Blade

PC Release Date

September 9, 2026

PS5 Release Date

September 9, 2026