Is Phantom Blade Zero a Soulslike?

Is Phantom Blade Zero a Soulslike?

Not according to how its developers describe it. S-GAME has repeatedly emphasized fast kung fu action, cinematic choreography, and its own Kungfupunk identity. In a developer interview published by GameSpot, the team explained why it does not see the game as either a Soulslike or a simple hack-and-slash title.

The confusion is understandable. Dark environments, intimidating bosses, stamina-like pressure, precise parries, and committed attack animations all resemble ideas associated with modern Soulslikes. Genre labels, however, should describe the whole design rather than a few visual or combat signals.

Why do people call it a Soulslike?

Several visible features create the comparison:

• Dangerous one-on-one boss encounters
• Defensive timing built around parries and dodges
• Dark fantasy imagery and ruined environments
• Attacks with meaningful animation commitment
• A third-person action-RPG structure

Those similarities make “Soulslike” a useful question, but not necessarily the best final label.

What makes it different?

The large weapon count is especially important. Instead of developing one or two weapon classes across an entire playthrough, the game encourages players to change martial rhythms and build ideas. Our combat and weapons overview tracks the confirmed systems.

Is it closer to Sekiro or Devil May Cry?

It shares Sekiro’s appeal to players who enjoy precise defensive timing, while its speed, multi-weapon expression, and choreographed offense can evoke character-action games. Neither comparison is exact.

The developers are trying to translate the flow of Chinese martial arts cinema into inputs, animation, camera work, and enemy responses. The result may sit between established categories, which is why “kung fu action RPG” is currently the clearest description.

Will it be difficult?

It can be, but difficulty is selectable. Wayfarer is story-focused, Hellwalker adds more advanced and adaptive enemy intelligence, and Sixty-Six Days is the hardest announced setting.

That range separates “the game can be demanding” from “the game forces one fixed difficulty philosophy.” See the difficulty modes guide for confirmed details and remaining questions.

What is Kungfupunk?

Kungfupunk is S-GAME’s term for a world where traditional wuxia and kung fu meet machinery, fantasy, folk horror, and modern cinematic presentation. It affects both the visual design and the arsenal, which combines recognizable Chinese weapon families with unusual Phantom Edges.

The Chinese martial arts guide explains the weapon traditions and why visual resemblance should not be mistaken for an officially named martial school.

What cannot be judged before release?

A complete genre verdict still depends on systems the public has not tested from beginning to end: checkpoints, death penalties, level structure, character progression, enemy resets, exploration rewards, and long-term build balance. Preview demos reveal combat feel, not the entire game loop.

For now, the most accurate description is: a fast, story-rich kung fu action RPG with some Soulslike-adjacent combat signals, but not a game the developer presents as a Soulslike.

Sources

• GameSpot developer interview: why it is not a Soulslike or hack-and-slash
• PlayStation Blog gameplay deep dive
• S-GAME official game features

Continue exploring

• Demo availability and World Tour history — what players have actually tried
• Known bosses and encounters — the source of many genre comparisons
• Phantom Blade Zero vs Black Myth: Wukong — two different Chinese action RPGs