Phantom Blade Zero pushed me to my limit with an all-timer soulslike boss

I tried out plenty of great games while in LA for Summer Game Fest, but few dazzled me quite like Phantom Blade Zero. Combining elements of martial arts action games with a grim soulslike tone and sky-high difficulty, it left a big impression on me in two ways. The first was how it punished me over and over again, thanks to its new, extreme difficulty mode. The second? One of the best boss fights I’ve ever seen.

Prior to getting hands-on with the game, Phantom Blade Zero‘s trailers already impressed me, thanks largely to its gorgeous visuals and elaborate, dynamic combat animations. Chinese developer S-Game is basing its action on several forms of martial arts from its homeland, and the results look stunning. A few months back, Phantom Blade Zero released another new trailer titled Year of the Snake that featured one of the most intriguing bosses I’ve seen in a long while. An encounter that pits you against a group of nimble, puppet-like enemies directed by one main boss, it seemed like a change of scenery versus your typical, beefy, 1v1 soulslike encounter. Our resident Phantom Blade Zero hype master Lauren described it at the time as “the coolest boss ever,” and having now taken it on myself, that description isn’t as hyperbolic as you might think.

In the first stage of this battle, the Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars is essentially a puppeteer controlling a group of seven pawns that have individual combat AI and a collective hivemind, meaning they can individually slash and lunge at you but are regularly summoned for a coordinated group attack. The Chief Disciple will also occasionally push past his henchmen and give you a good pasting himself, putting your parrying skills to the test.

Once slain, two of his minions resurrect him for a second stage, turning the puppeteer into a puppet himself. Not only is this visually striking, but the soundtrack takes an unexpected turn as the dramatic, orchestral score switches out for some Doom-esque metal, laced with scratchy, high-pitched guitar riffs reminiscent of a Rage Against the Machine track. Now strung up above you by blood-red threads, the Chief Disciple is flung around the arena and divebombs you with aerial attacks. While not necessarily more difficult, it completely changes the dynamic. And with that metal blaring into your eardrums, which is sporadically pierced by some shrill, eerie screeches, it’s a truly memorable boss fight. I’m struggling to think of the last time I played a boss encounter as (pleasantly) surprising as this.

I also want to shout out one of Year of the Snake’s new weapons: the hilarious but lethal ‘soft sword,’ which has a wobbly blade that flexes whenever you move around or swing it. Maybe I’m just easily entertained and have the brain of an infant, but it gives me plenty of amusement.

After conquering the Chief Disciple, I move on to try a different slice of the game that showcases Phantom Blade Zero’s new, extreme difficulty tier. Using an advanced AI that can learn your movement and attack patterns, mix up the boss’ attacks, and even fake attacks and blocks, it’s unspeakably challenging. Clearing a small pit of rank-and-file enemies and one mini-boss takes me a solid 20 minutes. The final boss of the demo? Unbeatable. I endeavor for a good 40 minutes, and in that time I don’t think its HP falls below 50%.

While all soulslikes are intensely challenging by nature, Phantom Blade Zero is pushing itself to be right up there with the most brutal. If you fear soulslikes are going soft, that won’t be an issue with PBZ.

With a few more regular enemies available to slay in this demo, the flow of Phantom Blade Zero’s combat (and its visual grandeur) is also put on display. While soulslike elements permeate PBZ, its combat feels closer to an action game than the likes of Elden Ring or Lords of the Fallen. There are flurry attacks that let you unleash a powerful combo of slashes and strikes to push enemies backwards. There are scenario-specific animations that you’ll rarely see, but are a delight when you do experience them. One sees you lunge forward with your sword to impale an enemy in front of you and fling a leg backwards to land a powerful kick on anything lurking behind. The transitions between attacks are impressively fluid as well. It’s a joy just to watch Phantom Blade Zero’s combat, let alone partake in it.

I’m excited to see more of S-Games’ ambitious project, especially if it can deliver more epic, unique-feeling boss encounters like the Chief Disciple. The combat already feels sensational, so with access to a full arsenal of weapons and skills, I’m sure it can ascend to an even higher level. While we haven’t seen too much of its narrative prowess just yet, the promise of eight different endings at least proves that the story is far from an afterthought. This may just be the most promising soulslike in the works right now.