🏆 Phantom Blade Zero has achieved a Metacritic score of 88 after 33 reviews
👏 It’s received 97% reviews, 3% mixed, and 0% negative
📅 The game released on October 29, 2026, for PS5 and PC
🔜 A physical version is coming next year
Phantom Blade Zero mixes exhilarating action with classic Wuxia storytelling, and it received high praise from critics ahead of its release.
The action-adventure game is currently sitting on an impressive Metacritic score of 88 after 33 critic reviews, making it one of the highest-rated games this year.
Here’s what critics made of Phantom Blade Zero, which is available on PS5 and PC on October 29, 2026.
Wccftech awarded Phantom Blade Zero a perfect score, saying:
“Giving me the exact same feeling I had with Elden Ring and Street Fighter 6, I ultimately think Phantom Blade Zero deserves the same perfect score. While Nioh 3 and Onimusha: Way of the Sword are both excellent action games that deserved their high scores this year, I believe Phantom Blade Zero stands slightly above them, delivering an experience that may not be radically original, but is profoundly memorable from every standpoint.”
GamesRadar+ gave Phantom Blade Zero 9/10, and called it one of the best action games of the year:
“A rich and carefully designed world hides plenty of secret bosses and powerful weapons, with combat that effortlessly strikes down most of its peers. With fights that feel great and flow smoothly, Phantom Blade Zero proves itself as one of the best action-adventures of the year.”
IGN also enjoyed Phantom Blade Zero, awarding game 9/10 in its review:
“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.”
GameSpot was also a fan, and gave Phantom Blade Zero 8/10:
“Under the right circumstances, Phantom Blade Zero’s combat is spectacular. Its Wuxia-inspired action nails the free-flowing, back-and-forth nature of its kinetic influences with aplomb. 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.”
VGC noted that Phantom Blade Zero may not reinvent the genre, but it’s a damn good action game that players shouldn’t ignore in its 8/10 review:
“The boat hasn’t been rocked, and the genre hasn’t been overturned, but Phantom Blade Zero is a damn good action game that shouldn’t be ignored. This is undoubtedly stronger than genre stablemates like Black Myth: Wukong, and S-Game has also managed to craft one of the best-looking Unreal Engine games.”
Eurogamer was one of the more critical outlets, scoring the game 6/10:
“Phantom Blade Zero achieves its goal of creating wonderfully fluid and cinematic kung fu-style combat - but balance and quality issues ultimately dim its shine.”
Phantom Blade Zero seems to deliver another enthralling action game for those who are fans of Elden Ring, Black Myth Wukong, Nioh and Onimusha. The game is available on PS5 and PC, with a physical version releasing next year.
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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.