Phantom Blade Zero features boss phase checkpoints and no enemy respawns

Phantom Blade Zero released on October 29 for PS5 and PC. The game does not use a stamina system, but instead uses Sha-Chi to set the rate of special and heavy attacks. Depleting Sha-Chi can leave a player defenseless.

Phantom Blade Zero · official art via IGDB

Defeated enemies do not respawn. When a player dies during a boss fight, the boss restarts at its second phase rather than reverting to the first. Director Qiwei "Soulframe" Liang says this system is meant to keep content valuable and prevent players from experiencing the same content repeatedly. Liang stated he wants the game to focus on advancing the story and the world.

On the default Pathbreaker difficulty, players can retrieve invested weapon upgrade materials at no additional cost up to a certain point. Bells are placed throughout the world to allow players to rest, recover, and fast travel.

Background In August, pre-orders for the game exceeded expectations when they went live. Our earlier story