Phantom Blade Zero‘s first announcement a year ago at ChinaJoy 2023 got people intrigued by how S-GAME would treat a proper console release. The previous game from the studio is a side-scrolling ARPG with a very eye-catching art style.
So, when gamers saw a third-person action-adventure title coming to the latest consoles, curiosity was understandably piqued. We now have seen some substantial gameplay that featured a fair bit of combat, and a recent interview has revealed the combat in the game is inspired by an iconic piece of Japanese media.
Phantom Blade Zero’s Brutal Combat Inspired by Kentaro Miura’s Magnum Opus
When one thinks of manga, a few easy-to-recognize characters come to mind. Among them would be a tall, broad-shouldered man with a crossbow prosthetic arm and a hulking mass of iron for a sword. Guts, the protagonist of the late and great Kentaro Miura’s Berserk, is referenced in a variety of ways in games, from armor and weapons to his fighting style.
The manga has inspired countless works of fiction across genres and mediums. Hidetaka Miyazaki is one such well-known figure who has shown his love for the series across all of his games, from Demon’s Souls to Elden Ring. Whether it’s the art style, character design, or weapons, Miyazaki has made sure to pay homage to his inspirations in his works.
S-GAME has also chosen this work of art to help build the upcoming Phantom Blade Zero. The Blade is Drawn gameplay trailer showcased a variety of combat situations, and each looked impressive in its own right. There seems to be a special focus given to swift evades and parrying in between brutal attacks and stylish finishing moves. We even had the chance to look at different weapons, which allowed for a change in combat styles.
Speaking with BiliBili, the developers have revealed Berserk was one of their inspirations when working on the title. Others include Vagabond, Blade of the Immortal, Gu Long’s Wuxia novels, and Hong Kong Kung Fu action movies from the 80s and 90s. Bloodborne, Ninja Gaiden 2, and Vagrant Story also feature on the teams’ list of favorite games, and we can see the influences of those titles in the trailer.
S-GAME’s Upcoming Title Could Give FromSoftware Games Stiff Competition
One look at the gameplay trailer shows that the developers have taken inspiration from titles such as Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring. Others would also have been reminded of Where Winds Meet, another action-adventure title featuring Wuxia martial arts and stunning visuals.
The Soulslike genre is experiencing a boom unlike ever before. It seems almost every studio is now planning to make some sort of Soulslike experience. While this is great for fans of the genre, it also needs to be done in a way that doesn’t feel like these are the only kinds of games that will be developed in the foreseeable future.
We don’t have a date as to when the title is going to be released, but with the likes of Shadow of the Erdtree and Black Myth: Wukong releasing in the same quarter, Soulslike fans will be eating well for a while!
What did you think of the combat in Phantom Blade Zero? Let us know in the comments below!
