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Phantom Blade Zero is not presented as a sequel to one particular game or as a conventional Soulslike. S-GAME describes it as a hybrid that combines Souls-influenced level design and atmosphere with the speed and spectacle of character-action games. The five explicitly named game inspirations are Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, Metal Gear Rising, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Nioh.
That blend helps explain why the 2026 release has attracted attention: it aims to make demanding, precision-focused combat feel as fluid and cinematic as a kung-fu film, while adding an action-RPG layer of weapons, upgrades and character development.
The five confirmed game inspirations
| Game | What it contributes to the comparison | How to interpret the connection |
|---|---|---|
| Devil May Cry | Expressive weapon variety, rapid combos and spectacle | A reference for stylish control and a large arsenal, not proof of an identical scoring system or move list |
| Ninja Gaiden | Speed, aggression and direct character-action lineage | A model for fast, demanding encounters and forward momentum |
| Metal Gear Rising | Combo-driven action and cinematic finishing attacks | A reference point for aggressive presentation; specific mechanics are not confirmed as copies |
| Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | Precision timing and the Souls-derived side of the design | Useful for comparing defense-to-offense flow, bosses and exploration structure |
| Nioh | The bridge between demanding action combat and build experimentation | Relevant to Phantom Blade Zero’s equipment, upgrades and skill-tree structure |
Devil May Cry: spectacle and a broad arsenal
S-GAME founder and CEO Soulframe Liang calls Devil May Cry an “exhilarating” hack-and-slash series with a huge arsenal and lightning-fast pace. That influence points toward a combat system in which the player is expected to do more than repeat one safe attack: switching weapons, chaining attacks and controlling a highly capable fighter are central to the appeal.
Epic Games Store’s interview also identifies the series’ flashy, satisfying combo systems as a clear influence. The available statements do not establish that Phantom Blade Zero uses Devil May Cry’s ranking grades, exact input sequences or character move sets. The safer conclusion is that S-GAME is pursuing the same feeling of expressive, high-skill control.
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Ninja Gaiden: speed and aggression
Ninja Gaiden is named alongside Devil May Cry and Metal Gear Rising as one of the hack-and-slash classics S-GAME is drawing from. It is the clearest reference for players who want to understand the project’s intended tempo: attacks should feel immediate, enemies should demand active movement and the player should be encouraged to press an advantage rather than wait passively.
Epic describes Ninja Gaiden as a clear influence on the game’s flashy combat. That makes the series a useful preparation choice for prospective players, especially if they want to experience a physical game or collection before Phantom Blade Zero launches.
Metal Gear Rising: cinematic, forward-moving action
Liang explicitly includes Metal Gear Rising in the same character-action group. Its relevance is less about a one-to-one mechanical match and more about the combination of aggressive offense, dramatic presentation and spectacular finishers. Phantom Blade Zero’s combat has been discussed in similarly cinematic terms, but those parallels are an editorial comparison rather than a statement that it reproduces Metal Gear Rising’s signature systems.
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Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice: precision on the Souls-derived side
A separate developer Q&A names Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as an inspiration. This is important because S-GAME’s design is not only about fast combos. The studio has explained that it borrows some level-design and art ideas associated with Souls games while pursuing a different gameplay identity.
The most useful comparison axes are timing, defense-to-offense flow, boss emphasis and the amount of exploration structure surrounding each fight. Those similarities should not be read as confirmation that Phantom Blade Zero uses identical posture rules, resurrection mechanics or progression systems.
Nioh: an action-RPG bridge
The same developer Q&A names Nioh as another inspiration. It is the strongest comparison for readers interested in how demanding real-time combat can coexist with build experimentation. An RPG Site interview describes Phantom Blade Zero’s planned loadout as two main weapons, two secondary weapons, two potions and two accessories, alongside weapon upgrades, evolution systems and a skill tree.
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That structure gives the game an action-RPG dimension beyond execution alone. The sources do not confirm identical loot tables, stance mechanics or itemization, so Nioh should be treated as a useful design comparison rather than a template.
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Liang describes the approach as “merging archetypes together, two main genres together.” In that explanation, Souls games supply some level-design and art ideas, while Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden and Metal Gear Rising represent the hack-and-slash tradition. Sekiro and Nioh extend the precision-action and action-RPG sides of the mixture.
The studio is also placing that hybrid inside a distinctly Chinese martial-arts setting. Epic’s interview uses the name “kungfupunk” for the combination of Chinese kung fu with steampunk, cyberpunk and anime or manga elements. The result is intended to feel closer to a stylized wuxia action film than to a medieval fantasy adventure.
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- Amazing visual effects suck you into the battles - realistic combat combined with beautiful, detailed graphics
Phantom Blade Zero’s longer lineage
The five games are not the project’s only influences. The official PlayStation Blog traces the series back to Rainblood: Town of Death, an RPG Maker project Liang began in 2010. He describes Phantom Blade Zero as the earlier game’s “spiritual rebirth,” rebuilt and expanded in Unreal Engine 5.
That history matters when interpreting the comparisons. S-GAME is not simply assembling features from five modern action games; it is reviving an existing creative property while changing its scale, technology and genre ambitions. Chinese wuxia novels, Hong Kong martial-arts cinema, manga and the original Rainblood are part of that broader lineage, even though they are outside this article’s five-game count.
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| Comparison axis | Character-action references | Precision and RPG references | What is established for Phantom Blade Zero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combat tempo and defense | Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, Metal Gear Rising: rapid offense and cinematic flow | Sekiro, Nioh: timing, defense and demanding encounters | Combat designer Bob Wu says the goal is “fast and smooth flow of combat rather than emphasizing the moves.” |
| Weapon variety and progression | Large arsenals and expressive switching | Build experimentation and upgrades | Two main weapons, two secondary weapons, two potions, two accessories, weapon upgrades, evolution systems and a skill tree |
| Level structure and exploration | Action-game stages and set-piece momentum | Souls-derived exploration and boss-focused progression | S-GAME says it is borrowing some Souls level-design ideas, while pursuing a different identity |
| Wuxia and cinematic identity | Stylized spectacle and finishers | Disciplined timing within an action-RPG framework | Chinese kung fu is combined with steampunk, cyberpunk and anime/manga elements under the “kungfupunk” label |
Is Phantom Blade Zero a Soulslike?
It is more accurate to call Phantom Blade Zero a hybrid than to label it a straightforward Soulslike. S-GAME has acknowledged Souls-derived ideas in level design and art, but its stated combat target is also the fast, fluid character-action tradition. The confirmed inspirations therefore describe a game that borrows selectively from several genres instead of following one established template.
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When is Phantom Blade Zero releasing?
Epic Games Store reported a fall 2026 release window for its store. The cited announcement did not provide an exact day or month, so the window should not be treated as a confirmed launch date. Epic also reported that S-GAME had more than 150 in-house team members across Chinese cities and Los Angeles in 2025; Liang said contractors and outsourced workers amounted to roughly ten times that number, an attributed estimate rather than an independently audited headcount.
What to play before Phantom Blade Zero
- Choose Ninja Gaiden or Devil May Cry to experience the fast, expressive character-action foundation.
- Try Metal Gear Rising for another example of aggressive attacks presented with cinematic spectacle.
- Play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice if you want to focus on timing, defense and boss-oriented progression.
- Pick Nioh if equipment choices, upgrades and action-RPG builds are the main attraction.
Playing all five is not required. Together, however, they show why Phantom Blade Zero is being discussed as a blend of speed, precision, build variety and Chinese martial-arts style rather than as a clone of any one title.
Quick Recap
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