During the highly anticipated PlayStation Showcase on Wednesday, an impressive collection of more than 30 games took the spotlight. But, amidst all the excitement, there was one particular game that captured everyone's attention and has now become the talk of the town.
Phantom Blade Zero, an exciting new third-person RPG developed by S-Game, debuted its thrilling gameplay in a trailer that lasted 3 minutes and 42 seconds.
Coined as "Kungfupunk" by Soulframe Liang, the founder and CEO of S-Game, the game plunges players into a somber, rain-soaked universe where they assume the role of Soul, a skilled assassin devoted to the secretive and formidable faction known as "The Order."
Falsely accused of assassinating The Order's leader and gravely wounded during his escape, Soul is miraculously healed by a mystical healer. However, his second chance at life comes with a cruel twist: he is granted a mere 66 days to live. With the clock ticking away, Soul channels his remaining time and energy into the relentless pursuit of the mastermind behind the conspiracy that framed him, determined to expose the truth and bring the real murderer to justice.
Reflecting on the design decisions for Soul's world, Soulframe Liang explained his reasoning behind the moody aesthetic, stating: "The dark/bleak visual style that you’ll see a lot in the game is a deliberate decision. A bleak world makes characters with hearts of gold really stand out. Plus, it serves as a reminder to never let your guard down. There are plenty of powerful beings that want to see you dead."
Upon first glance, the game presents itself as an amalgamation that seamlessly blends elements of Sekiro, Ghosts of Tsushima, and Wo Long into a singular experience. Assuming that the gameplay demonstrated in the trailer is not merely a series of quick-time events, we can confidently assert that Phantom Blade Zero stands a chance to become a serious Game of the Year contender, given its breathtaking combat and battle system.
Liang disclosed that Phantom Blade Zero draws inspiration from an indie game he personally crafted in 2010 called Rainblood: Town of Death. Over the years, the concept evolved and transformed into the popular mobile-based Phantom Blade games developed by S-Game, amassing an impressive fanbase of over 20 million. Consequently, this paved the way for the "spiritual rebirth" of the original Rainblood as Phantom Blade Zero.
PlayStation 5 players can look forward to the arrival of Phantom Blade Zero in the near future. Since the game will also be available on Steam, we can only hope that it will be rolled out on Steam's new game trial feature. Rest assured, we will keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest developments regarding its release.
