Phantom Blade Zero: a pre-review after 25 hours with S-GAME’s debut title

Today, I want to share my thoughts on S-GAME’s first non-mobile title after about 25 hours of gameplay. I’ll give you a brief overview of my experience so far—without getting into too many specifics, as I’ll save that for the full review.

I picked it up on launch day, October 29th, and as I write this, I’ve already clocked in around 25 hours over just four days.

Not since The Blood of Dawnwalker back in early September have I been so hooked on a game—dedicating this much time to it in such a short span, especially given my current schedule, which unfortunately doesn’t leave me as much time to play as I’d like.

I’m nearing the end of the adventure; I likely have another 5 to 10 hours left, but I’ve decided not to rush. The full review will be out next week, once I’ve finished the game and explored everything it has to offer, allowing me to provide a definitive verdict.

In the meantime, though, I felt compelled to talk about it—because S-GAME’s first non-mobile project is, at least from what I’ve seen so far, a real gem. And I’m not afraid to go out on a limb: as it stands, I consider it the best action game I’ve ever played.

I don’t want to get bogged down in genre definitions, technical jargon, or deep-dive analyses of individual game systems—I’ll save all that for the actual review. For now, I simply want to share my raw, gut-level impressions after these first 25 hours.

Spectacular gameplay that never ceases to amaze

Let’s start with what I consider—to put it plainly—the high point of the entire production: the gameplay.

Phantom Blade 0 is, quite simply, an astounding action game. It is spectacular to look at, incredibly satisfying to play, and manages to maintain a breakneck pace, thanks to a variety of situations and possibilities rarely seen in other titles within the genre.

There is a vast array of combos, the animations are polished down to the finest detail, and every encounter conveys a remarkable sense of power and spectacle. But what struck me most is how the game makes the constant use of different weapons both engaging and stimulating.

Throughout your adventure, you will encounter an impressive number of bosses—both main and optional—and this leads to one of the features I appreciated the most: many of these encounters reward you with new weapons, each boasting unique animations, abilities, and finishing moves.

It’s not just a matter of acquiring a weapon with better stats to replace your current one; every new acquisition can tangibly alter how you approach combat, opening up new possibilities and encouraging you to experiment.

This system works exceptionally well, partly because you can recover and reallocate points previously invested in upgrades. As a result, you’re never truly penalized for switching gear; even in the later stages of the game, you can take a weapon from level 0 to level 20 in an instant, without having to start from scratch.

Personally, I’ve fallen in love with the "Outlaw’s Greatsword," which I’ve been using ever since I passed the ten-hour mark.

It has become my go-to weapon, though I frequently swap out my secondary weapon—simply to try out everything the game has to offer. And this is one of the greatest rewards: always having something new to experiment with, so that the gameplay never ends up becoming monotonous.

Memorable boss fights and an incredible sense of satisfaction

If the combat system is the beating heart of Phantom Blade 0, the bosses are arguably its high point.

The number of encounters is substantial, but what surprised me most is the variety. We aren't talking about recycled enemies with a few cosmetic tweaks; many of the bosses possess a distinct identity, unique movesets, bespoke animations, and a fighting style that sets them apart from the rest.

What’s great is that this doesn't just apply to the major, story-driven bosses. Even optional encounters often manage to surprise and deliver highly satisfying moments.

Furthermore, the difficulty level can be selected and adjusted right from the start—though I’ve been playing on "Normal" and haven't felt the need to change it so far.

While I haven't encountered any insurmountable obstacles, that doesn't mean the fights lack challenge; on the contrary, finally taking down a particularly tough boss brings an immense sense of satisfaction.

It’s exactly the kind of experience I look for in an action game: learning an opponent's patterns, finding the perfect opening to strike, and achieving victory knowing you truly earned it.

An exploration that truly rewards curiosity

Another aspect that really surprised me is the exploration.

Phantom Blade 0 is essentially a linear game if you choose to follow only the main story. The areas are structured to guide you toward your next objective, without turning the adventure into a massive open-world experience.

However, this doesn't mean there’s no room for exploration.

In fact, it’s precisely when you decide to step off the beaten path and poke around in secondary areas that the game truly shines.

Every area hides something: materials for upgrading weapons, currency, useful items for your arsenal, and—in some cases—even boss fights you’d never expect to encounter in those specific locations.

What I appreciate most is that I rarely felt like I was wasting my time while exploring; even when venturing down a seemingly secondary path, you’re almost always rewarded with something genuinely useful.

There are also more substantial surprises to be found. At one point during my adventure, for instance, I discovered a key that granted access to an entirely new, optional map—packed with content and fresh boss encounters. This discovery really drove home just how much there is to see beyond the main path.

It’s an approach to exploration that I absolutely love: you don’t need to clutter a map with hundreds of icons to entice players to look around. It’s enough to scatter interesting rewards and unexpected scenarios throughout the environment, letting the player’s own curiosity do the rest.

The narrative: the real weak point?

Despite all the excitement, Phantom Blade Zero is certainly not a flawless game.

The narrative aspect is the part that convinced me the least.

While the story’s premise is interesting and some cinematic sequences are truly fantastic, the narrative as a whole feels a bit too chaotic—crammed with so many elements, characters, and details that it ends up feeling like a jumbled, overwhelming mess rather than a cohesive whole.

At times, it feels as though the developers tried to pack in far too much, making the plot unnecessarily complex and over-the-top.

It’s not necessarily a "bad" story, but it’s also not something that keeps me glued to the screen; I often find myself skipping secondary dialogue or ignoring the lore found in books scattered throughout the world, simply because I’m far more invested in what the game offers in terms of gameplay and exploration.

When it comes time for a formal review, this will likely be the aspect that most negatively impacts the final score. That said, it’s important to put this flaw into perspective: in a game like Phantom Blade 0—where combat and spectacular action are the core of the experience—the narrative is hardly the primary draw.

I should also briefly mention the soundtrack, which is excellent and helps enhance the atmosphere of certain moments; however, it’s clear that my engagement stems primarily from other facets of the production.

My take after 25 hours

At this point, I think it’s quite clear just how much Phantom Blade Zero has won me over.

It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered a game that engaged me this deeply—one that kept me wanting to play for hours on end and compelled me to explore every corner of its environments in search of something new.

The gameplay is exceptional; the combat is a delight for both the eyes and the hands, the bosses consistently offer fresh challenges, and exploration provides meaningful rewards for those who choose to venture beyond the main story.

As for the narrative, I would have preferred a different approach—perhaps prioritizing quality over quantity—but that alone isn’t enough to diminish what I consider an extraordinary achievement overall.

That said, I want to take a few more days to finish the adventure at my own pace, uncover what I’ve missed, and see if the final hours hold up to the impressions I’ve formed so far.

For now, I can simply say that S-GAME has created something truly magnificent—a game I can’t wait to complete 100%.

Phantom Blade Zero is already one of the biggest gaming surprises of the year. And, for me at least, it has set a new benchmark for the action genre.

Be sure to check back next week for my full, scored review.