Nowadays, countless games are released every day. While many of these games are popular, have you ever wondered, "Why is this particular game so popular?" In this series of articles, we analyze why certain games capture players' attention and become so popular. This time, Japanese media outlet GameSpark focuses on "Phantom Blade Zero," developed and published by S-GAME".
A Kungfu Punk-style martial arts action game with incredibly cool action effects
This is a dark "Kungfu Punk" action-adventure game blending martial arts with punk fantasy elements. The protagonist, "Hun," is framed for murdering his master and must unravel an intricate conspiracy within just 66 days.
The most striking aspect of this game is the richness and coolness of its actions. Moves change depending on the combat mode (one-on-one or many-on-one), and each weapon has its own unique finishing move.
What makes it unique is that every single weapon, not just weapon types, has different design concepts and finishing moves. For instance, the "Fool's Shard," obtained after defeating the boss "Sword Fool Qian Sheng," is inspired by Drunken Fist. When using this weapon, drinking during combat shifts your state from "Tipsy" to "Dead Drunk," allowing you to manipulate the sword to float and attack distant enemies. The unique movements and performance differences of each weapon create a rich and varied combat experience.
The game vividly portrays the past grievances between the protagonist and his former friend and nemesis, "Zuo Shang," as well as the appearance of powerful villains. The cutscenes depicting the protagonist's history with Zuo Shang are exquisitely crafted, with visuals that are gloomy yet beautiful, exuding unique Chinese cultural heritage and design aesthetics throughout.
Additionally, the game music opens with intense rock, surprising players who might have expected "traditional Chinese music." The unique sound effects add more fun to the combat. For non-Chinese users, the display of lyrics is also a thoughtful design feature.
Why is this a hot topic?
One major reason is the significant impact of the trailer released during the "PlayStation Showcase" live stream in 2023.
This game blends traditional Chinese artistic styles with a gloomy atmosphere and incorporates fluid swordplay combat. Many action game enthusiasts were undoubtedly deeply attracted. Since seeing the trailer, I have also been eagerly awaiting the game's official release.
As mentioned earlier, each weapon in the game has different performance characteristics and movement styles. Players can equip a total of four weapons: two primary weapons and two limited-use secondary weapons. Additionally, base weapon performance improves with upgrades, unlocking new traits upon reaching specific levels.
This encourages players to discuss weapons with each other, share their favorites, and showcase their gaming skills. For example, they might say, "Max out this weapon and pair it with this one for incredible power," "It's great to weave secondary weapons in like this," or "The weapon dropped by this side quest boss is really interesting." This might be why the community is so active and why we see so many players on social media and other platforms.
Additionally, the developer's emphasis that this game is "not a Soulslike" may also be one of the reasons it has attracted significant player interest.
In recent years, Chinese Soulslike 3D action games have garnered attention, and some might mistake this game for "just another Soulslike" based on its visual style. However, the developers have clearly stated that this title is fundamentally different. While it incorporates some Soulslike elements, its standout feature is fast-paced, stylish combat reminiscent of kung fu movies, which subverts conventional perceptions of the genre and creates anticipation for an "experience unlike previous games," likely contributing to its eye-catching appeal.
While retaining challenging combat, the game's design also reduces the stress of repeating the same actions. These features may have broadened the game's audience, attracting not only fans of Soulslike games but also players who had never tried high-difficulty action games before, making them think, "I want to try this game."
The richness of the game content and the emphasis on exploration—such as discovering larger areas by deviating from the main story to undertake side quests—are part of its appeal, creating a sense of surprise and unexpectedness that players want to share with others.
Furthermore, Donnie Yen (an actor active in Hollywood, as well as a renowned director and action choreographer) serves as a creative consultant, further emphasizing the game's meticulous attention to "action."
This level of detail reflects respect and passion for Wuxia and Kung Fu works. It not only attracts those already familiar with Chinese culture and Wuxia but also draws in those who are not, leading them to think, "I don't fully understand it, but it's cool."
The unique cultural and historical genres of each country bring freshness to users from different backgrounds. Some may feel confused by the difficulty of reading Chinese characters or the large number of terms. However, by studying "Wuxia" through this game, they are sure to make discoveries and encounter new works.
Will its popularity last?
The game sold over 4 million copies within 72 hours of its release. According to the unofficial database site SteamDB, the game's peak concurrent player count on Steam exceeded 830,000. Even as of November 8, the peak concurrent player count in the past 24 hours remained above 550,000, indicating that the game continues to maintain immense popularity even 10 days after its launch.
With a cluster of new games releasing this autumn and the upcoming launch of "GTA6," players are incredibly busy. However, if the charm of this Wuxia action game spreads by word of mouth in Japan, it is likely to attract even more players.
Although no new content has been announced yet, simplifying the mechanism for re-challenging bosses or adding new weapons could introduce different combat styles. Additionally, sharing videos of impressive boss defeats can help attract more players to join the game.
