Gabriel Stanford-ReisingerOn the surface, Phantom Blade Zero looks like a Soulslike, but developer S-Game has bucked that label, bluntly saying that anyone who has played the demo now knows that it’s not. It took part in Summer Game Fest after making a “big splash” a PlayStation Showcase last year.
After SGF wrapped up, Phantom Blade Zero’s developer took to X to thank those who played the demo and gave their game the time of day as well as discuss some matters. Most notably, there was discussion around the game being “another Soulslike.” This didn’t sit right with the dev, which tossed the label aside saying that while then game was inspired by Soulslikes in terms of branching paths, hidden secrets, and multi-layered maps, that’s where the inspiration ends.
That's a wrap for #SummerGameFest! We had such a blast ????Thank you for all your love and support of #PhantomBladeZero!
Here is a Q&A letter from our Game Director, Soulframe, to answer some of your most-asked questions at the event. pic.twitter.com/fgfAIne9tl
— Phantom Blade Zero (@pbzero_official) June 11, 2024
The endgame for S-Game is to make a game that has “combo-driven, heart-pounding combat that is hectic, rewarding, and exhilarating.” While it may sound like a game in this subgenre, it bucks some of the common things for it. Phantom Blade Zero will include a difficulty selection and players won’t have to deal with respawned foes after death or interacting with a checkpoint.
What do you think? Does Phantom Blade Zero sound interesting to you? Do you still call it a Soulslike? Let us know below!