Phantom Blade Zero

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the best action games I’ve played in a long time, with standout combat that never came even close to feeling old across 50 hours of playing. It all takes place in a sharp, unique world that I adored spending time in despite the fact that just about everyone and everything in it wanted me dead. Its tale of betrayal and revenge mostly plays it extremely safe, and some unfortunate invisible barriers and technical hiccups can cause minor frustrations – but the overwhelming majority of my time with this stunning, incredibly well tuned adventure was downright awesome.

Being able to cleave through dozens of enemies who barely put up a fight isn’t a fatal flaw, but tedium, and the fact you know how thrilling combat can be makes it a more glaring issue. It’s this misstep that holds Phantom Blade Zero back, but it’s still a fantastic game that any action aficionado should lap up.

After waiting all these years for Phantom Blade Zero and playing it from front to back, it’s clear that S-GAME put real love into creating this masterpiece. The combat, the storytelling, the world, and the way Chinese culture is woven into this dark fantasy all come together into something special. Phantom Blade Zero is a generational game that anyone who enjoys action and adventure games needs to play.

When I first saw it, I didn’t think Phantom Blade Zero was possible. After playing it, all I can think is that it's hands-down one of the best action games ever made.