Phantom Blade Zero is More Black Myth: Wukong Than Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

At this point, it feels like action RPGs are synonymous with soulslikes, given how often the two genres overlap. Although the upcoming action RPG Phantom Blade Zero looks very much like a soulmate, like e.g Sekiro: Shadows Die Twicethe look can be deceiving. As it becomes harder to separate soulslikes from the action RPG genre as a whole, Phantom Blade Zero actually leans away from that soul-like influence and into another emerging action-RPG subgenre that puts it closer to the 2024 Black Myth: Wukong.

When Black Myth: Wukong released, there were endless debates about whether or not the game could be considered a soul corpse. While Black Myth: Wukong contained some soul-like elements, such as limited health potion charges, the ability to collect XP and level up at checkpoints, and an emphasis on precise evasion and attack, it ultimately played more like the last God of war game than anything like it Fire Ring. In reality, Black Myth: Wukong is one of the pioneers of the Wuxia genre of games, at least in the West, which Phantom Blade Zero will follow when released later this year.

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Phantom Blade Zero has more endings than Elden Ring

In an interview with Game Rant, Phantom Blade Zero's creator shared how players' actions throughout the story lead to more endings than the Ring of Fire.

Phantom Blade Zero is a Wuxia RPG at its core

While Wuxia games may not be as mainstream in the West as they are in China, their country of origin, the genre is quickly gaining momentum through the popularity of recent releases. Wuxia is a type of Chinese historical fiction based on low fantasy that usually combines some type of martial arts with fantastic feats and a lone protagonist embarking on a hero's journey. Black Myth: Wukongpp The journey to the west inspirations make it the perfect example of this type of genre being represented in games.

What kind of weapon is that?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

What kind of weapon is that?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)

Other notable Wuxia games

Black Myth: Wukong
Dynasty Warriors
Lost Soul Aside
Naraka: Bladepoint
Where winds meet
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers

There has been a clear uptick in Wuxia game releases in the West recently, with major titles such as Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, Where winds meetand Wuchang: Fallen Feathers riding the line between soulful and traditional action RPG. Other Wuxia games like Lost Soul Aside and that Dynasty Warriors franchise follows a more hack-and-slash gameplay style. In the case of Naraka: BladepointThe wuxia genre may even include examples of PvP games.

Black Myth: Wukong developer Game Science is currently working on a new game, Black Myth: Zhong Kuiwhich looks to be another entry in the Wuxia genre.

How the story and gameplay of Phantom Blade Zero embraces its Wuxia roots

Phantom Blade Zero ticks all the boxes of the Wuxia genre with its story and gameplay. The story of Phantom Blade Zero follows Soul, a warrior with only six days to live, as he is hunted by former comrades after his master's death. Alone, Soul must uncover a web of conspiracy through elements of horror and Chinese folklore mixed with “Kungfupunk”, a mix of martial arts and machinery inspired by Hong Kong action films. This premise gives Phantom Blade Zero unique features in both the action RPG and Wuxia genres.

Phantom Blade Zero's gameplay departs from a significant aspect of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

While Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Phantom Blade Zero appears to have similar gameplay based on trailers shown for the latter, Phantom Blade Zeros combat is markedly different from FromSoftware's soul-like ninja fantasy. A key component of Sekiro is its break from FromSoftware tradition by placing less emphasis on weapon variety and builds, and more emphasis on precise gameplay using its parry system. On the contrary Phantom Blade Zero takes almost the opposite approach to combat emphasis.

Rearrange the cases in the correct US release order.

Light (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

IN SekiroWolf is largely limited to two main weapons, Kusabimaru and Fushigiri, along with Sekiros limited arm prosthetic tools to give the player a slight advantage in battle. Comparatively, Phantom Blade Zero offers players over 30 different weapons to choose from, along with over 20 unique “Phantom Edges” to give players a much more complex level of playstyle customization. When Soul defeats enemies in Phantom Blade Zerohe will unlock access to their weapons and combat techniques as well, giving the game much more variety in gameplay than Sekiro offers.

Black Myth Wukong's Spirit Skills are better suited for Phantom Blade Zero's weapon system

The variety of weapons one earns by defeating enemies in Phantom Blade Zero is very similar to how Black Myth: Wukong grants players access to special Spirit Skills by defeating certain enemies. There are 55 Spirit Skills that players can access Black Myth: Wukongwhich allows the Destined to transform into its associated yaoguai and perform the skill. The skills play a key role in the game's combat, and are often the difference against Black Myth: Wukongs toughest bosses while supporting the Destined One's growth and amazing abilities, which are essential to the Wuxia genre.

Phantom Blade Zero seems to have a similar attitude to Black Myth: Wukong thus weaving elements of the Wuxia genre into its gameplay loop and equipment acquisition system. Giving out an enemy's signature weapon as a reward for defeating them is something the soul-like genre has done before, with Fire Ring offer players Remembrance Weapons in exchange for a boss's Remembrance. However, games like Phantom Blade Zero and Black Myth: Wukong treat this system as a central part of the hero's journey rather than an optional element, leaving them stuck in the Wuxia genre rather than the Soul-like genre.