At Tokyo Game Show 2025, the SECO team went hands-on with Phantom Blade Zero, the highly anticipated action RPG from S-Game. What followed was an hour of intense combat, slick parries, and merciless bosses that tested every reflex. This hands-on preview shows why the game has fans calling it a must-play for anyone craving punishing but rewarding action.
The Setup and First Impressions
Phantom Blade Zero wastes no time throwing players into chaos. The demo begins at the bottom of a canyon where Soul, the assassin protagonist framed for murder, faces off against soldiers, archers, and mounted enemies. Every encounter feels deliberate, each swing of the blade carrying real risk.
The combat revolves around two meters — health and Shaqi. While health is obvious, Shaqi is a hybrid of stamina and energy that fuels heavy attacks, blocks, and parries. Run out of it and the character becomes breached, leaving them wide open. It’s a fresh twist that adds pacing and decision-making to every fight.
Phantom Blade Zero Hands-On Preview: Combat Depth and Flow
Combat in Phantom Blade Zero balances aggression and timing. Perfect blocks, called parries, not only deflect damage but also drain an enemy’s Shaqi. Dodging plays a role too, especially against brutal and killer moves, the game’s two special attack types. Executing the right defense triggers a ghost step — a brief teleport that flows into a counterattack.
The system feels like a hybrid of Ninja Gaiden’s pace and Sekiro’s rhythm, creating a style that rewards precision without punishing creativity. One standout sequence during the hands-on involved scaling scaffolding while archers rained arrows, forcing reactive use of ghost steps and ranged counters.
Boss Fights That Demand Precision
The Tokyo Game Show demo introduced three major bosses — Huan Jun Copper, Red Wraith, and Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars.
Huan Jun Copper is a hulking brute with a Warhammer and dirty tactics, literally blinding players with sand. His timing tests the player’s mastery of parries and Shaqi management. Red Wraith, on the other hand, brings a deceptive calm before ambushing the player later in the demo. The climactic multi-phase duel against the Chief Disciple and his six followers showcases Phantom Blade Zero’s cinematic combat design — coordinated enemy attacks, parries, aerial counters, and even resurrection mechanics.
Death isn’t the end but it carries weight. Each failure costs Soul a day from his limited 66-day mission, a feature that adds tension and urgency without rehashing Soulsborne tropes.
Phantom Blade Zero – Year Of The Snake Trailer
byu/Evravon inPhantomBladeZero
Weapons, Style, and What’s Next
Soul can carry two main weapons and two phantom edges — limited-use powers such as Flaming Mane, a lion mask that spews fire, or Bash Pole, a devastating Warhammer gained after defeating bosses. Weapons like Seamless Death and Jagged Edge allow fast or heavy playstyles, while finishers explode into cinematic blood sprays that match the game’s wuxia-inspired tone.
Even in an hour, the progression felt addictive. Every death taught something new, every boss felt fair, and every parry delivered satisfaction. If the rest of the game keeps this consistency, Phantom Blade Zero might stand alongside the genre’s best.
