YouTube user ‘s1mple s1mple’ has shared a lengthy 22-minute gameplay video from Phantom Blade Zero, giving us a good look at the first area and the enemies players will face. It’s always interesting to see how a game actually plays beyond trailers, and this footage paints a promising picture.
Inspired by titles like Devil May Cry and Sekiro, Phantom Blade Zero is an action RPG powered by Unreal Engine 5. Unlike many people initially thought, it’s not another Souls-like game. The developers have emphasized that point, so don’t expect the usual punishing difficulty or slow pacing often associated with Soulsborne titles.
Phantom Blade Zero is currently planned for PC release, as confirmed by S-Game earlier this year. It will be available on both Steam and the Epic Games Store, although those storefront pages haven’t gone live yet. There’s no firm release date, but a trailer hinted at 2025, with the possibility of slipping into 2026 if things don’t go as planned.
One notable technical aspect is the support for NVIDIA’s DLSS 4 technology, announced in March 2025. It’s unclear whether other upscaling technologies, like MFG, will be supported, but hopefully we’ll receive more details closer to launch. The gameplay video itself runs smoothly with no obvious stutters, which is impressive for a UE5 game. Although if you look closely, some distant enemies show 30FPS animations, which might be a performance optimization or an area for improvement.
What really caught my attention is how fluid and fast the combat feels. The animations are sharp and responsive, and enemy damage doesn’t feel unfair or exaggerated like in many recent action RPGs trying too hard to mimic Souls games. It’s refreshing to see a game that might strike a better balance between challenge and fun without punishing players endlessly.
Check out the gameplay video below and see for yourself:
What do you think? Is Phantom Blade Zero preparing to be something special or just another action RPG in a crowded market? I’m kinda hopeful after watching this footage. The smooth gameplay and detailed visuals show a lot of promise, though it’s still early days.
