GameSpot praised Phantom Blade Zero's combat system, highlighting its fluid wuxia-style offense and defense as the game's core strength. However, confusing storytelling, poor difficulty balancing for regular enemies, and lock-on issues during group fights detracted from the overall experience.
The game opens with the protagonist being pierced through the heart by a sword, after which he chooses an artificial heart that preserves emotions but limits his lifespan to just 66 days. He then embarks on a journey to find a cure, investigate a conspiracy, and clear his name of the crime of murdering his master.
The review noted that multiple organizations, characters, and hidden agendas are primarily conveyed through cryptic dialogues, notes, and secondhand information. Players know less than the protagonist and struggle to understand the relationships between various factions until late in the game, making it difficult to engage with the plot and characters. Watercolor animation sequences and shadow puppetry segments from childhood memories stood out as rare bright spots.
In combat, light and heavy attacks can be combined into combos, allowing players to block or parry immediately while attacking. Some moves automatically deflect incoming attacks, creating a rhythm reminiscent of synchronized offense and defense in wuxia films. Switching weapons restores Killing Intent, and the combination of primary and secondary weapons, special techniques, and various Phantom Blades offers diverse build options. Upgrade materials can also be refunded.
Boss battles, motion capture, music, and circular level design also received praise. However, regular enemies could often be defeated even on the highest difficulty simply by button-mashing, and lock-on switching during group fights felt clunky. The review concluded that while Phantom Blade Zero has high potential, it is held back by narrative and difficulty balance issues.