S-GAME announced “stylish kungfupunk” Wuxia action RPG Phantom Blade Zero will receive a new demo in 2024. The new demo will offer a glimpse into the game’s main story and combat before its release at a later date.
Originally announced at the May 24 PlayStation Showcase, Phantom Blade Zero quickly caught the attention of players with its compelling combat and visuals. The game was confirmed for both PlayStation 5 and PC, but further details about a release date and demo were not announced at the time. Fortunately, a demo will be available next year for fans to try out.
Phantom Blade Zero Confirmed
During a ChinaJoy 2023 stage event, S-GAME confirmed a 30-minute demo of Phantom Blade Zero will be playable in 2024. Although the game is in development for both PlayStation 5 and PC, exact platforms for the new demo have not been confirmed just yet. Moreover, the game’s release date has not been announced.
Director of Phantom Blade zero confirms a 30 minutes playable demo of the project will be available on 2024! pic.twitter.com/4ifrQojGTp
— Phantom Blade Zero (@pbzero_official) July 30, 2023
Here’s an overview of the new title, via PlayStation Blog:
Kungfupunk
Phantom World, the universe that the game is set in, is a universe where many kinds of powers converge. You’ll find Chinese Kungfu, intricate machines reminiscent of steampunk, arts of the occult, and intriguing stuff that doesn’t quite fit into any of these categories.
In Phantom Blade Zero, you’re Soul, an elite assassin serving an elusive but powerful organization known simply as “The Order”. He was framed for the murder of The Order’s patriarch and gravely injured in the manhunt that ensued. A mystic healer managed to save him from death, but makeshift cure only lasts for 66 days. He must find out the mastermind behind it all before his time runs out, against powerful foes and inhuman monstrosities.
Worldbuilding
Phantom Blade Zero unfolds in a semi-open world. We are aware that “open world” is the buzz word in these days, but with limited resources, we would rather present you multiple maps of reasonable size, and handcrafted and populated with diverse activities, instead of one huge continuity full of repurposed/reused assets.
The dark/bleak visual style that you’ll see a lot in the game is a deliberate decision. A bleak world makes characters with hearts of gold really stand out. Plus, it serves as a reminder to never let your guard down. There are plenty of powerful beings that want to see you dead. They’re challenging but abundantly rewarding, in the form of weapons, armor, artifacts, skills, among other ways to customize or progress your character.
Authentic Kungfu moves
We are huge fans of the hack and slash genre. Stellar titles like Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden are insanely exhilarating with their huge arsenal of moves and lightning-fast pace. However, they are not for everyone. What’s more popular today is “strategic action game”, such as Soulslikes and Monster Hunter. They choose to slow things down a notch or two, giving players more time for strategic thinking. But that approach doesn’t convey the kind of action fest we have in mind, namely, the sleek, breathtaking moves in Kungfu movies back in the 1990s.
