Phantom Blade 0 has just been announced, and it's set to bring some seriously intense samurai-themed soulslike action to PS5.
Sony's latest PlayStation Showcase promised a tantalising glimpse at "several new creations from PlayStation Studios" as well as the "spellbinding games" being conjured up by third-party studios and indie creators, and it didn't fail to deliver. Among the fresh gameplay footage and numerous announcements on all things PlayStation was the unveiling of Phantom Blade 0, a new action-RPG that looks like the perfect mix of Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro.
The action takes place in a semi-open world with multiple large maps, and as with any good soulslike, this is a bleak and punishing place where you never want to let your guard down. The announcement trailer, which you can check out below, showcases the game's wickedly dark visuals and some brutal battles against tough-as-nails enemies.
- The success of Black Myth: Wukong reportedly led to a surge in investment in games like the stylish action RPG Phantom Blade Zero
- Phantom Blade Zero is a "kung fu punk" action RPG that wants to follow in the footsteps of Black Myth Wukong: "there's a lot of pressure on us, but I think in a good way"
According to the PlayStation Blog, "You play as Soul, an elite assassin serving an elusive but powerful organization known simply as 'The Order'. Soul is framed for the murder of The Order's patriarch, gravely injured in the ensuing manhunt, and, though his life is saved by a mystic healer, the makeshift cure will only last for 66 days. Now, he must fight against powerful foes and inhuman monstrosities, all while seeking out the mastermind behind it all before his time runs out."
Phantom Blade 0 is being developed for PS5 by Beijing-based studio S-Game. It hasn't been given a release window yet, but let's hope we don't have to wait too long to put our sword skills to the test.
Ahead of today's showcase, Sony announced plans to release at least two "major" games a year, which it says will cover all the main genres. The company also revealed it wants half of its releases to be new IP by 2025, so we can expect to see plenty more original franchises popping up in the near future.
See what else is in store for Sony's new-gen console in our upcoming PS5 games guide.
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