There’s something about a slick action game with fast-paced combat that feels almost evergreen. Getting into the shoes of a character that can unleash devastating moves with style is a power trip that I always like to indulge in.
In many cases, I’d be quite forgiving of graphical limitations if they don’t get in the way of a sick combat loop – a sentiment that has kept FromSoftware in my good books for quite a while now! However, titles like Lies of P, Black Myth: Wukong, and, most recently, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers have changed that view.
That’s because better graphics mean it’s easier to read enemy attack animations and respond accordingly, while I cannot scoff at some of the sheer grandeur that many locations in the titles I mentioned boast of. Combining form and function seems to be the way forward for action games, and there is an upcoming title that I believe does that to perfection.
I’m talking about S-GAME’s Phantom Blade Zero, an action RPG that recently showcased a bit of its frenetic gameplay loop with an expected 2026 release. If you haven’t watched it already, give it a go. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Perhaps you’ll even share my excitement as I eagerly wait for its eventual release date.
But why does it excite me so? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Bringing Kung Fu To Life
Phantom Blade Zero joins a list of visually resplendent titles that moved from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5 in the early stages of their development. Both Wukong and Wuchang have already proven that S-GAME made the right call on that front, with their environments and combat systems largely benefitting from the upgrade.
Bosses and enemies looked so much better while the ebb and flow of their combat loops felt that much more immersive because of it. I could not help but marvel at how sparks flew off my dual blades every time I clashed them with an enemy’s weapons in Wuchang, feeling like a true master of my weapons in ways that other titles could not replicate.
Watching Soul take on hordes of enemies in the gameplay demo gave me that same feeling and more, considering how S-GAME seems to focus less on the mythology and grandeur of its world and more on the actual combat loop. Souls brings an arsenal of moves and weapons to the table, a fitting skill set for a master assassin.
Every leap, thrust, stab, and parry felt impactful, and the entire experience overall seems so well-polished that I simply cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of the game. While I remain wary of post-release issues, especially after Leenzee’s own misadventures on PC, it’s not unreasonable to speculate that S-GAME and Soulframe Liang have been watching closely and will be sure to avoid any potential pitfalls.
Familiar Chords, New Tunes
Another area where the showcase caught my attention was the manner in which S-GAME has subtly integrated mechanics from other titles that have seemingly served as its inspirations. It was quite thrilling to see many years of playing video games play out in such interesting ways as S-GAME tore through enemy ranks in an effort to get to the training camp that was the focus of their demo.
For starters, the wall-running mechanic was a brilliantly implemented callback to Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia titles from the early 2000s. It’s a mechanic that I found quite cool back in the day, and is one that I am baffled that other studios did not use in the intervening years. However, it isn’t in Phantom Blade Zero just to add a cool new way to traverse its beautiful world.
Running across walls is an effective way to close the distance to your targets in the game, and can be a very useful addition when you’re trying to get to those pesky ranged enemies who fire away from the higher ground in other titles. Used strategically, I’m fairly certain that wall-running is going to be quite the game-changer for many talented players.
And then there was stealth and eavesdropping, a mechanic that took me right back to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice back in 2020, when I was quarantined at home with nothing to do but take on boss after boss every evening. I saw Soul perform his own version of a Mikiri Counter on more than one occasion, too! However, he doesn’t just step down on his enemy’s weapon but rather takes it from them to turn the tables, all in the heat of battle!
It’s a move that I just can’t wait to pull off for the first time, and then keep doing anytime I see a red flash that signals it’s time to turn my enemy’s blades against them! Although I didn’t spot Souls teleporting behind his enemy, I’m sure that the Ghoststep is going to be as cool as this new method of countering what other games would simply call unblockable attacks that have to be dodged.
I could go on and on about all the ways in which Phantom Blade Zero reminds me of nifty additions from my favorite games over the years, but you get the point. It’s time to get to the meat of why it’s my most anticipated 2026 release.
Fast, Furious, Fashionable, and Fun Fighting
Yes, it’s the combat loop on display that makes this game one that I’m going to be playing the minute it releases, and probably long after I roll the credits on it. While S-GAME was careful to blaze through equipment menus and the like in order not to give too much away, it’s clear that Phantom Blade Zero is a game that puts its combat front and center.
Soulframe Liang’s desire to birth the wuxia genre of action games might just come to fruition if the rest of the game is anything like what I saw in the demo. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it loosely translates to martial hero, meaning that it is a story focused on a single martial artist using their skills to meet their destiny or achieve a certain goal.
It’s the perfect framing for Phantom Blade Zero’s narrative given that Soul has only 66 days to uncover the mystery surrounding his master’s death. It’s also a brilliant way to frame the game’s combat considering that only Sifu comes close to replicating the pace and reflex-based style that Souls seems to bring to the battlefield.
It’s also a perfect reason to provide Soul’s enemies with a skillset that’s almost as extensive as his own, making each encounter one in which neither side can afford to give the other even an inch of room to breathe. I can’t wait to see what the best players make of its action, and find ways to make an already stylish game seem even better.
And don’t get me started on its bosses. The final boss that S-GAME showcased in its demo had me wondering how I was going to keep an eye on seven different enemies at once. To give you a bit of context, the Black Rabbit Brotherhood from Lies of P fills me with dread even though I’m quite good at it. I absolutely hate multi-enemy boss fights, but that’s also the reason why I love taking them on – the challenge.
While S-GAME has assured its players that difficulty options are going to make the game as accessible as possible to the vast majority of them, I’m simply going to switch it to its hardest difficulty and get floored by its enemies until I earn the right to wield Soul’s arsenal of skills in all their glory. And that’s not to mention that hardcore mode that the developer has stated will be available after the first playthrough.
That’s a unique way of perfecting New Game Plus, and is one that I’m almost certain will be a challenge no matter how powerful you get the first time around. Phantom Blade Zero brings chills and thrills in equal measures, and looks capable of sustaining the action long after you roll the credits on its story.
A Long Wait Ahead
While I’m definitely enthusiastic about Phantom Blade Zero after seeing what it’s capable of, I would be remiss to not temper my enthusiasm with a bit of caution. I’ve been disappointed by demos in the past, after all. But then again, I did take bets with my buddies on the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
While it’s too early to comment on the potential success of S-GAME’s upcoming adventure, it sure looks like it’s a love letter to fans of action RPGs. Can Phantom Blade Zero live up to my high expectations? I certainly hope so. Could I be proved undeniably wrong once it releases? That’s a slice of humble pie that’s going to be quite bitter indeed after the game’s latest showcase.
Here’s to hoping it’s going to be the former instead of the latter in 2026.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
