The developers of Phantom Blade Zero have shared a new statement about what kind of game it really is. Surprisingly, it’s not what most people expected.
Despite comparisons to games like Sekiro or Devil May Cry, the team says Phantom Blade Zero is neither a Soulslike nor a hack and slash!
“At first we wanted to make a game that brought ‘hack and slash’ into a multi-layered map,” the devs explained in their official statement. “But once the animations and environmental assets came together, everything was stitched together by a strong cultural aesthetic.”
That unique style is inspired by Wuxia, a mix of Chinese Kung Fu and the Spirit of Xia. It definitely shaped the direction of the game in a big way.
If you want to read of the official statement, you can do so here:
So What Is Phantom Blade Zero?
According to the team, Phantom Blade Zero is best described as an ARPG. But even that feels like a loose label.
“Phantom Blade Zero is not exactly a ‘Soulslike’ game or a traditional ‘action game.’ Broadly speaking, it falls under the category of ARPGs. But more specifically – maybe it could create a new identity that is Wuxia Action Games?“
The goal of the game is to stand apart from both Western action games and typical Soulslikes.
While everyone is excited to see more gameplay, it is clear that Phantom Blade Zero is trying to create something unique. It may not fit exactly into existing genres, but that might be exactly the point.
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