Phantom Blade Zero hailed as serious GOTY contender by critics despite technical issues

Phantom Blade Zero reviews have officially gone live, and it’s quickly become one of the best-rated titles of October 2026, for good reason too.

Developed and published by S-Game, Phantom Blade Zero is a Chinese action-adventure game that borrows elements from soulslikes such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

In the game, you play as Soul, who’s on the path of vengeance after being betrayed by his former allies. S-Game has regularly described the game’s story as a ‘kungfupunk’ take on John Wick.

Gameplay is on another level too. Our own review of the game praised its combat as a “cornucopia of flavour”, with a varied selection of upgradeable weapons and cinematic choreography.

What critics are saying about Phantom Blade Zero

At the time of writing, Phantom Blade Zero has a score of 88 on Metacritic, which places it above the likes of Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

TheGamer gave it a glowing 5/5 review, saying Phantom Blade Zero has “some all-time great boss battles, a phenomenal soundtrack that fuses Chinese sounds with contemporary genres, and a story that tugged on the strings of even my cold, tainted heart.” The review hailed it as an easy Game of the Year contender.

PushSquare’s 9/10 review was equally favourable, saying: “S-GAME has been building to Phantom Blade Zero for almost a decade, and its craft has spawned one of the PS5’s very best action games.”

One more positive review from GamesRadar+ praised the game’s “ rich and carefully designed world” before adding “Phantom Blade Zero proves itself as one of the best action-adventures of the year.”

Yet some reviews haven’t been as kind. Eurogamer didn’t hate the game by any means, but cited technical issues as the major roadblock keeping it from a perfect score.

Eurogamer said: “Phantom Blade Zero achieves its goal of creating wonderfully fluid and cinematic kung fu-style combat - but balance and quality issues ultimately dim its shine.”

Technical issues have been noted by quite a few outlets, and we noticed quite a few ourselves during our own playthrough. Nothing game-breaking has been reported at the time of writing, but in a game about lightning-fast combat and stylish executions, quality hiccups are a serious ordeal.

That said, we'd imagine most of the problems will be ironed out before launch with pre-launch patches.

Is Phantom Blade Zero right for you?

At the end of the day, critics’ reviews are exactly that: the critic’s opinion. Gamers should always be encouraged to try the game themselves and form their own opinion, but with the price of AAAs nowadays that’s easier said than done.

So, if you’re still sceptical about whether Phantom Blade Zero is for you, here’s a condensed version of our review.

Phantom Blade Zero is not a soulslike. It can be as challenging as one, but with adjustable difficulties, it’s approachable for any type of player.

What I will say after playing the game for myself is that it’s absolutely huge. Rushing through and fighting all of the main story bosses is possible, but not recommended.

Exploration is a core part of the experience, and if you’re into franchises like The Legend of Zelda or the metroidvania genre, you’ll love revisiting prior locations you didn’t have access to before.

Ultimately though, I’d recommend Phantom Blade Zero to those who love fast-paced action-adventure games like Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Even at its most brutal. Phantom Blade Zero will make you feel like a badass with the fluidity of its combat.

It’s been a competitive year for games and while I’m not 100% sure it’s the Game of the Year winner, I’d wholeheartedly call it a contender.

Phantom Blade Zero launches on October 28 2026, for PlayStation 5 and PC.