Skip to Content

Phantom Blade Zero Review Scores: 88 on Metacritic, and One Critic Who Isn’t Sold

By: Author Fenix Bazaar Staff

Posted on

Categories News

Phantom Blade Zero key art

The review embargo is down, and Phantom Blade Zero has opened with an 88 Metascore on both PC and PS5 just days before launch. Critics are talking Game of the Year, with one very visible exception. Here’s the boss-fight breakdown.

Phase one: the scoreboard

  • Metacritic: 88 on both PC and PS5, from more than 30 critic reviews
  • OpenCritic: 91, according to Beebom
  • 9/10: IGN, Push Square and TheSixthAxis
  • 4/5: VGC
  • Perfect score: Wccftech, per The Shortcut’s roundup
  • The dissent: Eurogamer, with 6/10

GamesRadar+ calls it a possible Game of the Year contender, according to Notebookcheck, and Gagadget reports that its OpenCritic average sits above Nioh 3 (86) and Onimusha (85). Scores will keep moving as more reviews land.

Phase two: what critics love

The fluid martial-arts combat and the boss fights get the loudest praise, along with the range of weapons and abilities. Several outlets also single out the Unreal Engine 5 visuals. This is a wuxia action RPG from Chinese studio S-Game, which reportedly spent around ten years making it.

Phase three: the dodge you didn’t see coming

It isn’t flawless. Notebookcheck’s summary points to stuttering, frame-rate drops and uneven storytelling, and one review roundup found ordinary enemies drew more criticism than praise. Eurogamer’s 6/10 stands out in a sea of strong scores, so if you’re deciding whether to buy at launch, it’s worth reading its objections as well as the praise.

Loot drop: launch details

  • Platforms: PS5 and PC (Steam and the Epic Games Store)
  • Price: $59.99
  • Unlock time: 02:00 UTC on 29 October, which is the evening of 28 October in the Americas (7pm PT, 10pm ET)
  • Pre-load: opened on 27 October
  • Length: around 20 to 30 hours for the main story, according to Beebom

Our take

A new studio’s debut, an 88 average and a crowded year of great action games: Phantom Blade Zero has earned your attention. Just remember that early review scores reflect critics rather than the wider audience, and they can shift as the numbers grow.

Sources