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Phantom Blade Zero is a masterful martial arts action game, but even those who played Black Myth Wukong will likely be surprised by how much it diverges from typical soulslikes or even Sekiro's structure. You don't lose Remnant Echoes (souls) when you die, and enemies don't respawn when you rest, to name just a couple of big departures.
It's not a particularly tough game unless you play on max difficulty, and if, like me, you complete all the side content, you'll likely find yourself steamrolling in the late game. Still, for fans of souls and Sekiro-style action games, it'll take a little adjustment to work out how to approach Phantom Blade Zero differently.
Attack power, Sha-Chi (stamina) and HP are increased by collectibles you find or get by defeating enemy encounters. Specifically: Blackstone, Sha-Chi Amber, and Memory Flowers.
Investigating objects or notes rewards Remnant Dust (souls) in Phantom Blade Zero, but can also reveal new sidequests.
Your regular attacks (X on controller) don't consume stamina, but they will deal damage and chip down a boss's Sha-Chi, so be aggressive.
Besides granting HP and story fragments, collecting all Memory Flowers before a region boss often gives them an extra phase or sometimes a unique reward, such as a weapon. You'll be introduced to these in the Crimson Forest.
When an attack flashes red, hit the right bumper on controller. When it flashes blue, hit the left. Or if you're struggling to react or remember, just hit both.
You'll first experience these stamina-draining attacks fighting Peng Meng, where the boss emits a smoky black aura. Dodge these instead of blocking to retain your Sha-Chi.
Your Sha-Chi combos (Y on controller) cost stamina, but deal more damage—use these after you parry a red or blue attack, or when you've broken your opponent's Sha-Chi, meaning they can't block for a while.
You can refund all materials and Remnant Dust from an upgraded weapon or Phantom Edge. It's free up to Level 10. After that it costs a reforge talisman, which are easy to find.
Every five upgrade levels a weapon or Phantom Edge gain a new ability, either passive or active—make sure to learn what these are to use them in combat.
Unlike Sekiro, where Shinobi tools cost a limited talisman resource, you get a fixed amount of sparks (Phantom Edge uses) every time you rest, plus you can recoup them using certain skills and accessories.
Resting at bells in Phantom Blade Zero doesn't reset enemies as in soulslikes, but it will replenish your medicine healing items and spark uses for Phantom Edges.
When you see an RT (on controller) appear on an enemy, it means you can use your equipped Phantom Edge without it costing a spark, so make sure to take advantage of this.
I'd suggest a one-handed and two-handed weapon. Different weapons have different strengths, but each type uses a separate upgrade material. Some weapons, like Jagged Steel, deal statuses which are only effective against some enemies.
Accessories are very strong, especially as you unlock more slots and the ability to buff their effect when you arrive in the Village of Lu. Besides weapons, this is where your build comes from.
Unlike soulslikes, you don't lose Remnant Echoes when you die in Phantom Blade Zero and even if you die to a boss during its second phase, you'll start the fight from that same phase.
It's introduced in the early game, but it's easy to forget you can go stealth anytime. Assassinations, in particular, are very strong, as you can often follow up to assassinate a second enemy nearby.
This won't be available until later in the Pangzheng region, but levelling your medicine buffs the amount of healing, stamina, or damage negation it applies, as well as providing extra uses.
Some abilities require The Banyan's Heart to upgrade, which involves completing a combat trials to earn the item. There are five of these trees in the game, but you can also buy a few hearts as well.
If you have a quest with tracking markers located in your current region that you can reach or access, it's a good idea to finish it before you leave. Some quests can fail, though there are plenty where you're expected to return later also.
If you're struggling with an optional boss, such as the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet or Gold-Masked One, remember you can come back later. Phantom Blade Zero doesn't have many points of no return, so you have plenty of time to get stronger.
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Sean's first PC games were Full Throttle and Total Annihilation and his taste has stayed much the same since. When not scouring games for secrets or bashing his head against puzzles, you'll find him revisiting old Total War campaigns, agonizing over his Destiny 2 fit, or still trying to finish the Horus Heresy. Sean has also written for EDGE, Eurogamer, PCGamesN, Wireframe, EGMNOW, and Inverse.
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