After more than six hours with a preview build, developer S-GAME’s sword-swinging wuxia action title Phantom Blade Zero has emerged as one of the most anticipated games of 2026, set to launch on PlayStation 5 at the end of this month. During a hands-on session that began in skepticism, IGN writer Travis Northup said he was won over within five minutes by what he called the smoothest and most satisfying parry-based combat since Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, pairing razor-sharp action with an overwhelming sense of style and enough hidden secrets to keep players exploring for hours.
The hands-on build was played on a powerful PC ahead of the game’s fall release, giving journalists their first real look at an experience that clearly aims to stand out in a crowded genre. While Phantom Blade Zero shares plenty of DNA with its peers – a cool swordmaster protagonist battling hordes of monsters is hardly a new trope – Northup
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