Chinese action game Phantom Blade Zero didn’t click for me until I realized its deep commitment to wuxia film authenticity meant I had to relearn how swords work

by

Immediately upon starting to play Phantom Blade Zero, its creators were eager to share that they captured the movements from genuine kung fu masters for an authentic experience. They recognized that initially, players found the game’s movements to appear overly choreographed, and in response, have released two separate demos during the last year to prove it’s a genuine representation of gameplay. So far, it seems their efforts are successful.

Last week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, I plunged headfirst into the tougher demo of Phantom Blade Zero – a decision that instantly hurled me into an intense battle against a boss, swinging menacingly from three ethereal red ropes high above the arena. This guy spun through the arena like a mad puppet on strings, swooping erratically to attack me with his wicked slashes. I found myself grappling with the rhythm of his attacks and movements, resulting in numerous untimely defeats.

Eventually, the battle turned out to be brief, requiring me to deflect just a few attacks before unleashing a whirlwind of my own moves. However, it took nearly an hour with the demo to truly grasp what I found visually disorienting compared to the action games I’m accustomed to. Something kept messing with my rhythm, making it challenging to gauge how enemies were responding to my attacks or attacking on their own.

In my experience, I ended up pressing the block button frantically and more often than not, it was during moments when a parry could have depleted an enemy’s stamina, which they call Sha-Chi in the game. At first, I assumed that the marionette boss was just too swift for me to keep pace with, but the developers mentioned that players don’t usually reach this battle until they’ve played for about 10 hours. However, even when I swapped to the demo version and fought some basic enemies, I continued to block at inopportune times.

Was the duration of the attack sequences perhaps excessive for me, or was it possibly my familiarity with the gameplay style of Monster Hunter that made adapting to these new control schemes challenging?

In simpler terms, I acknowledge that around 10% of my current issues stem from the extensive Monster Hunting sessions I’ve had lately. However, it was a moment of unnecessary block button press during a duel with a lightweight enemy who wasn’t even attacking me that made me truly understand. Upon closer inspection, I recognized the situation and realized that although I’ve watched numerous Chinese kung fu and wuxia films throughout my life, I hadn’t played a game before with animations mirroring this unique style. In such a game, blocking can sometimes appear identical to attacking.

Let me give an example.

In a duel reminiscent of the Middle Ages in Europe, I often anticipate deflecting an assault to appear as follows:

Or, more casually:

When it comes to a medieval-style swordfight, I usually picture defending against an attack like so:

In Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, each opponent seems to pause briefly after an attack, allowing the impact of your counterattack to register before responding. A single strike with your blade is usually sufficient to deflect their attack, creating a slow, weighty dueling experience that’s fitting for knights in armor. This is similar to what I’ve come to expect from games featuring armored combatants, and it can be seen in many sword fights depicted in movies, like the one in The King as an example.

Additionally, Japanese action games often function in another style. For instance, consider this battle scene from FromSoftware’s Sekiro, where the focus lies on swift and precise parrying.

In this slowed-down video, it’s clear that the attacks from both players and enemies are incredibly swift. The blades clash, only to return to their original positions in a mere flash.

a single strike may decide the outcome.

either an opponent will defend by wielding their sword, or my attack will successfully strike and cause damage. Ordinarily, against common enemies, they might deflect one or two attacks, but then I swiftly follow up with a series of strikes, ideally when their body is unstable and reacting to each hit. However, this isn’t usually the case in Phantom Blade Zero; it presents a unique style of swordplay that’s distinct from the norm.

As long as your opponent’s Sha-Chi meter isn’t depleted, their strikes and defensive movements will merge into a continuous flurry of action.

Clip via WildGamerSK on YouTube.

As a fan, I initially found the swift, fleeting flashes of swords in Phantom Blade perplexing and unclear. But then, it dawned on me that these scenes were likely inspired by the intricate duels depicted in movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which helped me better understand and appreciate them.

Or Swordsman 2:

In these battles, it’s common for counterattacks to collide instead of following a rhythmic exchange of offense and defense. I tended to overreact to each opponent’s strikes, when in fact I was merely attempting to deflect my own blows, mistaking them as incoming attacks. While cinematic spectacles can be thrilling, translating that excitement into gameplay can be challenging, but the motion capture in Phantom Blade Zero mirrors the real-life action wonderfully, a credit to S-Game’s skilled team.

The game’s instructional part clearly demonstrates that the combat style differs significantly from games like Sekiro or Ninja Gaiden.

Clip via WildGamerSK on YouTube.

Beyond the mental challenge, Phantom Blade Zero is packed with numerous elements – attacks that require precise timing for parrying or dodging, each marked by distinct color codes. Additionally, it boasts an array of over 50 weapons, some featuring unique mechanisms. For instance, the Soft Snake Sword employs a more aggressive parry method compared to others, yet it reduces your movement speed, making it more effective in one-on-one boss fights rather than against groups.

Initially, I found myself struggling to manage Phantom Blade’s combat when I started dissecting the nuances between wuxia and samurai fights like a movie enthusiast. However, after taking a moment to compose myself, I was able to adjust my strategy, particularly focusing on blocking effectively. The mastery of these mechanics may require more practice, which is likely given since S-Game has promised a vast, interconnected world in the final game, similar to pre-Elden Ring Souls games but with more progression and RPG elements than Black Myth: Wukong from last year, which was more focused on boss battles.

You could potentially find it beneficial to catch a couple of films to help you get focused before diving into your game. My suggestion would be to start off with “A Touch of Zen.

Read More

2025-03-28 00:17