New Phantom Blade Zero trailer proves that hype for Chinese soulslikes has only just begun

The new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Phantom Blade Zero is out, giving us a closer look at the game’s fast-paced and surgical gameplay. The title, made by Chinese developer S-GAME, might prove to be yet another Chinese Soulslike hit following the success of Black Myth: Wukong last year.

The Phantom Blade Zero – Year of the Snake trailer was published by Sony on Jan. 22, containing six whole minutes of pure combat and cinematic gameplay that is very reminiscent of what we saw with Wukong in 2024. The game seemingly does away with traditional Soulslike fighting mechanics, making room for fully animated setpieces which combine cutscenes with real-time gameplay. The main character can be seen jumping on the blades of coordinated enemies and engaging in hand-to-hand battle with them, tossing them as much as they toss him across the battlefield. Though diehard souls fans might disagree with this approach, I see this as an evolution of form where Devil May Cry, Wukong, and the Souls franchise converge to provide us with an awesome and refreshing Soulslike title.

And its innovative gameplay might not be the only reason why Phantom Blade Zero will sweep the gaming sphere. According to publishing and gaming consultant Daniel Camillo, who claims he spoke to sources involved with S-GAME and Phantom Blade Zero, the studio has managed to secure additional funding for their title due to the massive success of Black Myth: Wukong, also made by a Chinese studio.

While that game didn’t directly influence the development of Phantom Blade Zero, it did open up its allure as a Chinese AAA title, leading many investors to flock to it with extra cash to boost it, which, according to Camilo, led to the quality of its showcases during gaming events last year. And why not? The game was incredibly well-received particularly in China, but also made in-roads in Western markets. It makes sense that investors want to catch the wave of another possible success story.

The new trailer failed at only one thing: It didn’t give us a release date. However, if the level of development shown in the trailer is anything to go by, we should be seeing a release date within the following month or two, which I hope will aim for a 2025 launch.