معلومات أساسية
Phantom Blade Zero, launching 28th October on PC and PS5, offers a cinematic action experience set in the Wulin. The reviewer highlights the game's extraordinary beauty and fluid combat, which channels the choreography of classic kung fu films. Players control Soul, an outcast warrior navigating a world of betrayal and revenge.
The combat system, described as a high-octane Soulslite, emphasizes parrying and dodging. It replaces traditional stamina with 'sha-chi,' a resource that encourages strategic weapon switching. The reviewer praises the generous parry windows and the ability to cancel moves, which allow for a satisfying, rhythmic flow during encounters with regular enemies.
However, the reviewer notes significant issues with boss encounters, which often feel 'spongy' and repetitive. Despite a 67GB pre-release update, the reviewer found that damage output against bosses remained underwhelming. Additionally, the narrative delivery is criticized for relying on dense, disconnected lore scrolls, and the game suffers from technical bugs, including frame rate dips and geometry collisions.
Ultimately, the reviewer concludes that while the game features exceptional animations and creative weapon abilities, these strengths are undermined by inconsistent pacing and minor design flaws. The experience is described as a 'death by a thousand cuts,' where technical niggles and narrative shortcomings detract from an otherwise impressive action title.
