In today’s world, new games are released every day. While many of them become the talk of the town, have you ever wondered, “Why is this game so popular?”
In this series, we’ll analyze why games that are catching gamers’ attention have become so popular. Read these articles to become an expert on the latest trends. This time, we’re featuring *Phantom Blade Zero*, developed and published by S-GAME.
A kung fu-punk wuxia action game. The animations are incredibly stylish!
This game is a dark “Kung Fu Punk” action-adventure title that blends wuxia with punk fantasy. The protagonist, “Soul,” who has been falsely accused of murdering his lord, embarks on a journey to uncover a web of conspiracies with only 66 days left to live.
The first thing that catches your eye in this game is, without a doubt, the “wealth of animations” and how “cool” they are. The movements change depending on whether it’s a one-on-one or a one-against-many battle, and each weapon has its own unique finishing move.
Another distinctive feature is that each individual weapon—rather than just each weapon type—has its own unique concept and finishing moves. For example, the “Fool’s Remnant Sword,” which you obtain after defeating the boss “Sword-Mad Hana Chisho,” inspired by Drunken Fist.During combat, drinking alcohol with this weapon changes its status to “Slightly Tipsy” or “Heavily Drunk,” allowing you to levitate the sword in midair and attack distant enemies. These unique animations and performance differences for each weapon are what create the variety in combat.
The game also places great emphasis on the feud and past between the protagonist and “Zuo Shang”—a former friend turned arch-rival—as well as the dramatic entrance scenes of the bosses who stand in the protagonist’s way. The cutscenes depicting the protagonist’s soul and his past with Zuo Shang even feature high-quality animated sequences. The scenery is dark yet beautiful, and you can sense the unique Chinese culture and design throughout the game.
Furthermore, the music—which kicks off with intense rock right from the start—surprises players who might have vaguely expected “traditional Chinese-style music” in a good way, with a distinctive soundtrack that really amps up the excitement of battles. It’s also a nice touch that lyrics are displayed for songs with lyrics, showing consideration for users in non-Chinese-speaking regions.
Why is it generating buzz?
The first reason is likely the huge impact of the announcement trailer revealed during the 2023 “PlayStation Showcase.”
Traditional Chinese artistry blends with a dark atmosphere and fluid swordplay. In particular, around the 1-minute 26-second mark, the motion where the character extends their arms and legs to attack enemies closing in from both sides is sure to have captured the hearts of many action gamers. I, too, have been eagerly awaiting the game’s release ever since I first saw that trailer.
Of course, since you can actually perform this move in the full game, you’ll likely find yourself exclaiming “Whoa!” when you spread your arms and legs while fighting multiple opponents.
I mentioned the animations earlier, but in this game, each weapon has different stats and movements. You can equip a total of four weapons: two main weapons and two sub-weapons with a limited number of uses. Furthermore, as you upgrade your weapons, their base stats increase, and new traits are unlocked at certain levels.
This leads to players discussing weapons among themselves—saying things like, “If I max out this weapon and pair it with that one, it’s really strong,” “It’s good to slot the sub-weapons like this,” or “This weapon is fun to use against the boss in that side quest”—as well as introducing their favorite weapons and showing off their own playstyles.I suspect this is why the community has become so active, and why you’re seeing more and more of it on social media.
Additionally, the developers’ consistent emphasis on the fact that “this is not a Souls-like game” may be one of the reasons this title has attracted such widespread interest among players.
With dark 3D action games from China gaining attention in recent years, some people likely assumed from the visuals that this title was “just another Souls-like.” However, the developers have actively communicated how it differs from that image.While incorporating some “Souls-like” elements, the game has prioritized high-speed, spectacular combat reminiscent of kung fu movies. By overturning preconceptions about the genre and raising expectations that “this promises a different experience from previous titles,” it has likely contributed to the attention it has garnered.
The game retains its challenging combat while minimizing the frustration of repetitive gameplay. These features likely made the game appealing not only to fans of “Souls-like” titles but also to those who had previously shied away from high-difficulty action games, broadening its appeal.
When you veer off the main story to tackle side quests, even larger areas open up… This emphasis on volume and exploration is another appealing aspect that makes you want to share the game’s surprises and unexpected twists with others.
Furthermore, the fact that Donnie Yen—an actor active in Hollywood and renowned as a director and action director—serves as a creative consultant further underscores the game’s meticulous attention to “motion.”
This level of attention to detail conveys a deep respect and passion for wuxia and kung fu works. It has the power to attract not only those already familiar with Chinese culture and wuxia, but also those who aren’t—who might simply think, “I don’t really get it, but it’s cool.”
A country’s unique culture and time-honored genres often strike a chord with audiences in other countries. Some viewers might stumble over the fact that they can’t read Chinese characters or the sheer number of specialized terms. However, looking into “wuxia” after watching this film should serve as a gateway to new discoveries and other works in the genre.
Will Its Popularity Continue?
This title surpassed 4 million copies sold within 72 hours of its release. According to the unofficial database site “SteamDB,” the peak number of concurrent players on Steam exceeded 830,000, and as of November 8, the peak for the past 24 hours remained above 550,000—demonstrating that it continues to maintain high popularity even 10 days after launch.
With the rush of new fall releases and the upcoming launch of “GTA 6,” it’s a very busy time for gamers. However, if word of mouth about the “coolness of this wuxia action” spreads in Japan as well, the number of users picking up the game is likely to increase even further.
While there are currently no announcements regarding new content, features that make rematches with bosses easier or the addition of new weapons could allow players to engage in sword fights with a whole new style. Furthermore, videos showing stylish boss takedowns might be shared, potentially serving as a gateway for people to discover the game.
*Phantom Blade Zero* is currently available for PC (Steam/Epic Games Store) and PS5.
