Kung fu action game Phantom Blade Zero’s has my new favorite take on hard mode balance: Beating it ‘in a very beautiful manner’ is the true challenge

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Initially when I started playing Phantom Blade Zero earlier this year, I was terrible at it, possibly due to diving headfirst into a boss battle while I was still familiarizing myself with the controls. However, during the last two days at a preview event in Beijing, I’ve progressed from an eager novice to a seasoned veteran, successfully conquering the toughest fight in a one-hour demo on “Hellwalker” difficulty.

Instead of boasting a bit too much, let me clarify that Phantom Blade Zero stands out from the flood of Soulslikes in recent times by focusing more on aesthetics rather than brutality. Unlike games like Sekiro or Shadow of the Erdtree from FromSoftware, or Nioh by TeamNinja, it’s not excessively challenging, even when played at its highest difficulty level. It provides wider parry windows and less demanding stamina usage compared to technical combos in games like Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden. The strategy here is to offer a more forgiving experience, as the game’s appeal doesn’t rely solely on its difficulty.

Qianli Ma, co-founder and combat director of S-Game, expressed during an interview with PC Gamer that while the game seems challenging due to its ‘extreme’ mode label, it is relatively easier than expected. He explained that the goal isn’t just to complete the levels, but rather to do so gracefully in a wuxia, kung fu style, akin to dancing. So, if you aim for a less-than-spectacular victory, success might be achievable. However, achieving a beautiful, dance-like performance is where the real challenge lies.

It’s clear that Hellwalker isn’t an easy opponent; I nearly gave up after about an hour of attempts to defeat the boss. However, thanks to my previous experiences leading up to the fight, I understood exactly what Ma meant. In certain battles, I found myself pinned against walls by hordes of enemies trying to block my parries, but each death wasn’t a significant setback because there were frequent checkpoints. Winning a fight usually resulted in a replenishment for my healing potion.

In a less than graceful manner, getting through those battles wasn’t nearly as exhilarating as triumphing over them with panache. During my third playthrough of the demo, I became fixated on the Juggernaut, a colossal curved sword that pulses with red light whenever you successfully parry with it, gradually building up energy for a powerful strike that deals additional damage. When I managed to take out a group of enemies efficiently, landing parries (which trigger unique counters during specific big attacks) and dodges (which activate special counters on other unavoidable attacks), I felt invigorated.

Phantom Blade Zero offers an exceptional gaming experience that resembles achieving a harmonious flow state, even though it doesn’t have the complex combination moves found in Ninja Gaiden 2: Black.

As a dedicated gamer, I can tell you that the allure of extreme difficulty mode isn’t just about clearing it once; it’s about striving for perfection. Once you’ve given it a go, you realize there’s room for improvement – it wasn’t quite as flawless as you’d hoped. So, the challenge becomes refining every detail, aiming to capture those elusive perfect moments in each playthrough, making every move count throughout the gameplay.

I wanted to know from Mom specifically about how S-Game is altering the challenge level of Hellwalker, compared to regular mode. The changes to essential mechanics are subtle. For instance, the parrying opportunity has shrunk by just two frames. He explained that it’s a negligible reduction because in easy and normal modes, our parrying window is quite generous, so when we reduce it by two frames, that’s what one would expect as a standard in other action games. The enemies dish out slightly more damage, and your stamina gauge decreases a bit more when you miss a parry attempt.

In the updated version, there are major alterations observed in enemy actions and skills, particularly with bosses acquiring fresh maneuvers they won’t employ during regular gameplay. However, what truly distinguishes human bosses at extreme difficulty level, according to Ma, is the concept of deceit. To illustrate this point, he referred to a boss battle that was initially demonstrated by S-Game last year.

In easier modes, this game character resembles Soulslike games with predetermined combos and learning his patterns through repeated battles. However, when the difficulty spikes, the character’s AI evolves significantly. We drew inspiration from fighting games to enhance his behavior. He operates using a standard state machine found in fighting games, enabling him to assess the situation and determine if it benefits or disadvantages him. This adaptability allows him to execute various attacks based on the scenario.

Here’s an example: “In this game, there’s a state referred to as ‘lucky draw.’ If his last attack hits, he can continue a combo. But if it doesn’t hit, he’ll do something else instead. He makes decisions based on the outcome of his previous move. Additionally, he has counterattacks. In fighting games, a perfect block opens up a large opportunity for retaliation, so when he executes a perfect parry, he follows up with a powerful strike.

If you consistently block each move in the boss’s combo, he might realize he’s at a disadvantage and hold back from launching the final strike, allowing you an opportunity for a powerful counterattack. S-Game aims to make many of its humanoid bosses feel similar to PvP encounters on Hellwalker. However, not every boss will be as intelligent – there are also large, aggressive bosses that will simply grow more hostile and acquire new attacks, but won’t engage in strategic mind games like a Street Fighter master luring you into a fireball trap. Regardless, I anticipate that I’ll need plenty of practice to defeat them with finesse.

In the upcoming days, you can expect substantial updates about Phantom Blade Zero. This will include a detailed analysis of its captivating demo and an engaging interview with the game’s director, Soulframe Liang.

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2025-07-28 14:17