Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo breakdown

The Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo offered an extended look at its fast-paced combat and world design, giving players a 22-minute walkthrough on the Hellwalker difficulty. It combines stylish action with strategic combat choices in a wuxia action role-playing game rather than pure hack-and-slash chaos.

This breakdown covers the details presented in the Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo, including enemy encounters, weapon loadouts, secret bosses, and major story hints.

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What we saw during the Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo breakdown

Opening combat and a stealth approach

Gameplay still and lore on the Soft Snake Sword (Image via S-Game)

The Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo begins with the protagonist, Soul, engaging two enemies near an enemy tent — one mounted on horseback and another on foot. Combat here highlights weapon-swapping mid-fight, allowing fluid transitions between melee combos and ranged options. Blocking plays an equally important role, showing that timing and parries matter as much as aggressive offense.

As Soul moves toward a staircase, the stealth mechanics activate. Crouching decreases detection, allowing you to close the distance for instant silent takedowns — a triangle input triggers a neck-snap animation on unaware enemies.

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Loadout, weapons, and equipment system

Seamless Death will give you the resemblance of Dynasty Warriors Origins Wheels 'Circular blades" (Image via S-Game)

he demo introduces the equipment menu next, revealing eight customizable loadouts. Each slot accommodates potions, primary weapons, Phantom Edges, accessories, and more. Weapon variety is extensive, with each having unique mechanics and special moves. Here are the weapons and equipment that we noticed:

• White Serpent & Crimson Viper
• Jagged Steel
• Sanguine Variants (Twin, Reach, Cleaver)
• Juggernaut
• Seamless Death
• Soft Snake Sword
• Night Owl
• Man-Cutter
• Flaming Mane
• Ink Cut
• Bashpole

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Environmental progression and storytelling

The Nameless Survivor in Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo (Image via S-Game)

The Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo mixes combat with environmental storytelling. Scaling ledges and wall-running sequences highlight Soul’s mobility, while ringing a wooden bell stand reveals the Righteous Camp Map, a key progression marker.

NPC interactions deepen the world-building:

• A nameless survivor describes the Seven Stars, elite swordsmen who have been transformed by the “Perfect Transcension” ritual, which strips humanity from its victims.
• Mentions of Alkaid, their leader, and cryptic warnings about hollow faces hint at the horrors awaiting in the training grounds.
• Notes from Huangxing order Allied Justice members to undergo augmentation, revealing the cult-like spread of their influence.

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Key collectible: Sha-Chi Amber

The demo highlights the importance of Sha-Chi Amber — fragile chunks that permanently expand your Sha-Chi gauge by 30%. These resources encourage exploration and reward you for venturing off the main path.

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Major boss encounters

You'll see three boss fights define the demo’s pacing, both escalating in spectacle and mechanical depth:

1) Boss fight: Wan Jun “Coppermaul”

The duel between Soul and the boss in Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo (Image via S-Game)

The first major boss encounter is Wan Jun “Coppermaul”, introduced immediately after crossing a bridge and collecting Amber Chips (items that permanently expand your Sha-Chi gauge by 30% when four are combined). The fight emphasises punishing timing and heavy melee exchanges. Coppermaul also references Master Huangxing and the Seven Stars during his death scene, teasing future story conflicts.

Defeating Coppermaul rewards the Bashpole, a sledgehammer-like weapon as mentioned above, capable of destroying weakened floors to access hidden paths and causing AoE.

2) Red Wraith

Red Wraith in Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo (Image via S-Game)

Once Soul scales up to the top of the tower, he finds another boss. Red Wraith appears as a standalone mid-demo boss, introducing faster and more unpredictable movements than Coppermaul. She reappears later, joining forces with the Chief Disciple for the demo’s climactic battle.

3) Final encounter: Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars

Duel against the Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars (Image via S-Game)

The climax of the Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo is the duel against the Chief Disciple of the Seven Stars at the Justice Camp. The fight begins as a one-on-one clash, showcasing Soul’s heavy weapon moves like ground-slamming shockwaves with the Bashpole. The Chief Disciple’s hollow visage glows blue as he executes brutal grappling moves, even slamming — we can say it's a Super F5 from Brock Lesnar, WWE.

The phase two of the battle (Image via S-Game)

As Phase 2 was nearing its conclusion, Seven Stars survivors retreated to the towers using glowing threads to puppeteer the boss, turning the battle into the Chief Disciple’s Fallen Hope. This phase utilizeD both the puppet enemies, as well as the fact that the boss can shoot thread attacks while being airborne.

Upon reaching around 40% health of the boss, the Red Wraith came back in, flipping the fight into a chaotic two-on-one event. Soul wAs alternating between evasive manoeuvres and hard-hitting attacks, which left the demo on a cliffhanger as the cinematic finisher approached.

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Closing notes

The Phantom Blade Zero gameplay demo shows an interesting mix of fast-moving martial arts and deliberate Soulslike combat. The game's focus on weapon mastery, stealth options, and vertical level design is what will separate it from the pack. Importantly, the demo suggests a darker narrative of sacrifice, hollowed warriors, and cult fanaticism behind its cinematic duels.

While the developers are still a ways away from revealing the release date for 2025, Phantom Blade Zero seems to be a great wuxia action RPG to anticipate.

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Check out: 5 key takeaways from the Phantom Blade Zero Gameplay Demo