Coliseum

Phantom Blade Zero is out now for everyone as a console exclusive on PlayStation 5 and on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store as well. If you missed it, it’s my favorite action game of the year so far, and you can read why in Game Informer’s Phantom Blade Zero review. That explains why I think you should check the game out; Game Informer’s list of Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks will get you some key information I wish I had when I started the game; and this guide I wrote up about the requirements you need to get the best ending in Phantom Blade Zero will help you find all story-critical content in the game. 

However, you’re looking for advice on which of the three visual modes Phantom Blade Zero offers you should use on your PS5. This here piece is for you. 

Breaking Down Phantom Blade Zero’s Graphics Options

Phantom Blade Zero has three visual modes on PS5 Pro: Quality, Balanced, and Performance. I tested all three. My personal favorite was Balanced, which gives you an upscaled (checkerboarded) 4K resolution at 40 FPS, as long as you have a 120Hz TV with VRR. If you have a 120Hz TV, it likely has VRR because most major manufacturers include it with 120Hz. I like this mode because the upscaled 4K looks beautiful, just a hair less than native 4K, and if you aren’t someone super trained on those details, I’d wager you won’t notice the difference. The best part is that this mode offers 40 FPS gameplay, which, contrary to how math works, is halfway between 30 FPS and 60 FPS; I’m not kidding, look it up. As such, 40 FPS feels much smoother than 30 FPS, and you’re still getting crisp 4K resolution. It’s a win-win for me and my go-to mode when a game offers it. 

That said, if you don’t have a PS5 Pro, you won’t see this Balanced mode. 

The Performance mode offers an upscaled 2K resolution with a pretty locked 60 FPS. Phantom Blade Zero is an extremely fast, fluid action game, so I think many people will want the buttery smoothness of 60 FPS gameplay. If that’s you, pick the Performance mode. Sure, its resolution is lower, and it will look blurrier and less crisp than the other two modes, but if you aren’t switching back and forth often or looking at side-by-side images, you likely won’t notice. 

Quality mode is native 4K resolution (absolutely beautiful, the best visual image you can get playing Phantom Blade Zero), but at 30 FPS… and for a game like this, I don’t think 30 FPS does it justice. I don’t really recommend this mode for combat, but if you’re just waltzing around Wulin, grabbing screenshots and such, turn it on and bask in the wonders of developer S-Game’s art team. 

Note: There is an option for ray tracing on PS5 Pro. I tested all three graphics modes with it on and off and noticed zero performance changes or issues. So, use ray tracing – it’s nice! 

So, to recap: 

• Quality Mode: Native 4K resolution at 30 FPS
• Balanced Mode: Upscaled 4K resolution at 40 FPS
• Performance Mode: Upscaled 2K resolution at 60 FPS

And, in case you missed it, below is an image of the PC system requirements and specs needed to play Phantom Blade Zero on Steam and the Epic Games Store: 

In the meantime, read Game Informer’s Phantom Blade Zero review, then check out our list of Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks we wish we knew before starting the game. Then check out our breakdown of the requirements to see the best ending in the game. 

Longtime Sonic the Hedgehog voice actor Roger Craig Smith, who also voices iconic characters such as Ezio Auditore, Chris Redfield, and Batman, is the new voice of Phantom Blade Zero protagonist Soul, according to developer S-Game. Smith replaces former voice actor Jay Maksenuk, who can still be heard voicing Soul in various trailers and gameplay videos. 

You can hear Smith’s rendition of Soul in the official launch trailer for Phantom Blade Zero, however, below: 

Game Informer has reached out to S-Game for a comment or statement on why the VO was changed and will update this story if it learns more. 

I can pull back the curtains a bit on how last-minute this change seemingly was for Phantom Blade Zero. For most of my time playing Phantom Blade Zero for review (you can read it here), Soul was still voiced by Maksenuk. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the English VO at the time, so I played most of the game using its excellent Chinese VO. However, about a week into the review period for Phantom Blade Zero, developer S-Game told me the VO for Soul had been updated (the team had previously said this update would happen ahead of time). 

S-Game didn’t say why or who at the time, but after listening to it post-update, it was clear to me it was Smith; his voice is iconic and hard to miss. I was basically at the end of the game at that point, so I didn’t get to hear too much, but overall, I like Smith’s inclusion as Soul’s VO. 

Nonetheless, if you’re jumping into Phantom Blade Zero at launch, the Soul you play as will be voiced entirely by Smith. Let us know in the comments what you think of it after you’ve had some time with it!

In the meantime, read Game Informer’s Phantom Blade Zero review, and then check out these Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks.

[Editor’s Note: this article was updated for clarity] 

Introduction

Phantom Blade Zero is finally out, and it was worth the wait; you can read why in my review here. Whether you’re new to the action genre or a dedicated student of the blade (or blades, rather, there are 55 weapons in Phantom Blade Zero), this action debut from Beijing-based developer S-Game does a lot. I’ve spent more than 50 hours playing the game and have a pretty good grip on its systems and mechanics. So I’m going to share the Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks I wish I’d known before starting. 

You can find my tips and tricks below, but if you discover any that aren’t on this list, please share them in the comments at the bottom of this article!

Phantom Blade Zero Tips And Tricks

Phantom Blade Zero Tips And Tricks

1. Switch main weapons often: Sha-Chi is a magical, force-like energy that runs through Phantom Blade Zero’s underground martial realm, Wulin. It’s shown on the bottom left of your screen as a yellowish bar under your HP. It’s not quite stamina, as sprinting and using standard attack buttons don’t deplete it. However, your more powerful Sha-Chi attacks (Triangle/Y) do deplete the Sha-Chi, as does blocking enemy attacks with L1/LB. Your enemy can also break your Sha-Chi with multiple and/or powerful attacks. When your Sha-Chi is low or depleted, switch to your second main weapon, as it will come out with a stylish attack AND a full Sha-Chi bar. Your other weapon will then have a cooldown (that can be decreased as you level up), but when that cooldown is over, you can switch to the other main weapon with a full Sha-Chi bar once more – it’s this rotation that will keep you from ever being left open and helpless with an empty Sha-Chi bar. 
2. Try every weapon: Phantom Blade Zero has 30 main weapons and 25 Phantom Edge weapons, which are limited-use (requiring you to build up charges to use). You’ll earn some by completing main quests and defeating bosses throughout, but many are optional finds that require you to stray from the golden path. No matter how you find a weapon, you must try every single one you find. I can’t tell you how many weapons I found, started using, and quickly said, “Oh yup, this is going to be my new main,” only to discover another new weapon that replaced it. There are so many cool weapons and the next weapon you find could be your new favorite weapon. 
3. Don’t hoard upgrade materials: I know, I know. We all hoard materials, potions, and this and that because we might need them later. But I’m telling you: Do not hoard your materials in Phantom Blade Zero. Developer S-Game wants you to upgrade all of your weapons and discover ones you like, dislike, love, and hate. As you upgrade weapons, new combo abilities and perks are added, making them feel even more unique and powerful. You will discover so many upgrade materials – seriously, like so many. You’ll also find plenty of revert items that let you extract every resource poured into a weapon, so you can use those materials on a different weapon. For the most part, though, many of the weapons use their own unique materials that maybe one or two other weapons will use so you can safely upgrade without worrying about sacrificing an upgrade for a different weapon. 

4.  Explore everywhere: Phantom Blade Zero has an incredible map, one of my all-time favorites. It is both visually engaging and an excellent tool for your playthrough. You can follow the golden path, marked by golden objective markers, but doing so will rob you of plenty of engaging side content. Stray from the golden path to explore caves, hidden alleys, buildings, underground tunnels, and more. Following the story-critical purple side quests, the white side quests, and the white collectible markers will take you to new places to explore. However, there’s even more to find that none of the objective markers will guide you to, so always look for a path to stray down. 
5. Complete every quest with a purple icon: The golden objective markers are for the main quests. Obviously, you need to do those. You’ll also stumble upon quests with purple objective markers. While these are technically optional side quests, I highly recommend completing them all. They might as well be main quests because the only way to get the “perfect” ending (the only one that will be satisfactory, to be honest) is to complete every purple quest before heading toward the game’s finale. S-Game says skipping the purple quests means missing “roughly one-third of the game’s content and reaching its most basic ending.” 
6. The game has a “last chance” warning before the finale: Enjoy the game at your own pace and don’t stress about completing this or that in the lead-up to the finale because when you reach the final area, the game will make it very clear you’re heading toward the ending, with a clear “this is your last chance to clean up and complete side content” type of message. When you see that, make sure you’ve completed every purple quest. 
7. Focus your efforts on individual boss phases: Phantom Blade Zero is definitively not a Soulslike, despite clear nods and inspirations to the formula. Still, its bosses will remind you most of a Soulslike because they can be wild and challenging. Many of them are single-phase bosses – take down that health bar and the fight is over. However, some of them have multiple phases (usually just two). Focus on completing the first phase; use all your medicines, abilities, and everything else to take it down, because even if you die in the second phase, the first phase will remain complete. When you die and respawn at the bonfire-like Phantom Bell, return to the boss to start the second phase. 

8.  Track down every Memory Flower: Memory Flowers are optional collectibles that really shouldn’t be. They’re pretty easy to spot while exploring: a single tall, glowing blue flower standing among a circle of smaller blue flowers. Interact with them, and you get to listen to an interesting story vignette. Most of these flowers are part of a set of one, two, three, or more. When you complete a set, you will gain HP. Smaller sets grant a 3% HP boost, while the largest Memory Flower sets grant a 10% HP boost. Interacting with these Memory Flowers is completely optional BUT interacting with them and completing sets is the only way you can gain additional HP in the game. So, like, make sure you find them. 
9. If you hear coins jingling, you’re near a treasure master: The game hints at this in the second biome, but a mysterious man collects treasures across Wulin. After you talk to him, he will ask you to find three specific treasures (in green-glowing treasure chests) in each region and reward you with an interesting accessory or something else. However, you can’t pick up this scavenger-hunt quest in each region until you find the man. The best way to track him down is to listen for coins jingling. If you hear that sound, look around. You should see a sword or three stuck into the environment around you, with a chain of golden coins hanging from it. If you see this, it means the man is nearby. 
10. The game has search-action/Metroidvania elements: the aforementioned Phantom Edge weapons are great for combat, but a handful also double as tools for exploration. Some can destroy floors beneath you to reveal hidden tunnels; others can unlock secret staircases, while another lets you grapple to places previously out of reach. As you explore, you will come across areas you don’t yet have the Phantom Edge to reach. Make a mental note of this place (the map will also mark it with the tool you need), and return later when you have what you need. Sometimes it opens a path to a chest; other times it leads to completely new areas ripe with secrets, treasures, enemies, secret bosses, and more. 

Region-Specific Tips And Tricks – SPOILERS

Region-Specific Tips And Tricks – SPOILERS

S-Game shared some recommendations for Phantom Blade Zero’s various biomes in the review process, and I found them quite helpful, so I figured I’d pass along that information to you. Consider the tips and tricks below spoilers for the game’s various regions. 

Weeping Creek Valley

• When you reach the massive Sha-Chi tower (it looks like it belongs in Final Fantasy VII’s Midgar), heading up will take you through its various story-oriented paths. However, be sure to head back down near the entrance at some point. A hidden boss here drops a great weapon after you defeat them. 
• After you defeat a boss named The Hunt, return to the Sha-Chi tower by fast-traveling to the Phantom Bell at the top. Here, you can use the newly acquired Hunter’s Chain Sickle to reach the previously unreachable area above and obtain a key that opens up a large portion of the Weeping Creek Valley map. 
• After opening up that large portion of the Weeping Creek Valley, keep an eye out for the Crane Phantom Bell. These specific bells unlock new cutscenes and yield critical story information about Soul’s journey. 
• In that newly opened area, you will also discover the first Long Pillar. There are five of these in the game and you must complete each pillar to get the perfect ending. These are some of the most difficult boss fights in the game, so don’t sweat it if you need to return to them later when you feel more powerful. 

Crimson Forest

• Treasure master Quick Hand Zhang, whom I alluded to in the spoiler-free tips and tricks above, will task you with finding three Relics in the Crimson Forest. Find them and give them to him to receive a special Phantom Edge weapon. Remember: The Relics he wants are only found in green-glowing treasure chests. 
• Keep an eye out for a special Banyan tree with a human-like face. Interact with it to start a three-phase challenge trial that ends with a boss fight (it’s a boss you’ve already defeated, but tougher, with some new moves). Completing this trial (and the other five Human-Faced Banyan trials) will earn you a Banyan Heart. You need this item to unlock specific nodes on Soul’s upgrade tree. 
• In the Mirrorwood of the Crimson Forest, be sure to collect all of Inasis’ Memory Flowers. Doing so will increase your HP and make the Crimson Forest chapter-ending boss less difficult. 

Village of Lu

• Search out and collect all five of Mu Xiaokui’s ribbons. This is technically a side quest, but finding all five of them will add another phase to the Village of Lu chapter-ending boss. Completing this phase rewards you with an awesome weapon. 
• Collect all six of the Firefly Memory Flowers. This unlocks a hidden boss in the Village of Lu and begins an important side quest called Secrets at the Heart of the Lake. You must complete Secrets at the Heart of the Lake in order to get the perfect ending. 
• A powerful acolyte boss is hidden in a scarecrow in the north of the Village of Lu. Defeat this boss to get the Blazing Mask, which is needed to later unlock a late-game area (that you must complete to get the perfect ending). 
• When you reach the Puppet Testing Grounds in the final stretch of the Village of Lu, be sure to explore the entire area so you don’t miss a magical portal. Interact with it to encounter the Three-Eyed Puppet. This will help you defeat the Three-Eyed Puppet later and unlock the perfect ending. 
• Most of the enemies in the Village of Lu are puppets, so they have no flesh or blood to tear through. As a result, any weapon with a bleed effect is less effective here. Use weapons with high guard-break stats and shield-breaking power. 
• At the end of the Village of Lu chapter, return to Young Master Lan and Old Man Gen to continue their side quests. 

Pangzhen

• Pangzhen is by far the largest and most sprawling region in the game. Take your time – it can be overwhelming. 
• Before fighting the boss Blaze, be sure to explore the city and find an accessory that reduces fire damage. You’ll be thankful you did. 
• Similarly, be sure to find an accessory that reduces lightning damage before facing Chang Hong. 
• And finally, before facing Flame, the Lion Dance Grandmaster, search out an aquatic miniboss and defeat them to obtain Youloong’s Deluge. This Phantom Edge lets you spray water, dampening the Lion Dance Grandmaster and making his fiery attacks less effective. 
• Beside the Lion Dance Hall in Pangzhen’s backstreets, you can find the second scarecrow acolyte boss. Defeat them to obtain Leiting’s Thunder Mask, another perfect ending-critical item. 
• Many of the routes in Pangzhen are blocked by thorns. By the end of this chapter, you will have the Flaming Mane, which lets you burn through thorns. This opens up new parts of Pangzhen, so backtrack and explore them. 
• The side quests involving Young Master Lan and Old Man Gen continue in Pangzhen, so keep an eye out for them. 
• After completing all story-critical content in Pangzhen, you can technically head towards the finale but I highly recommend not doing that. There are more optional (technically) areas to explore that you really shouldn’t miss. 

The Mandate’s Encampment

• This area is technically optional. Don’t skip it. 
• After defeating Gu Wanyue in Pangzhen, head into the well to find a key to the Mandate’s Encampment. Then, head back to the Village of Lu to reach the Mandate’s Encampment (bottom-left area of this region). 
• An optional boss is in the top-right corner of the Mandate’s Encampment map. Defeat this boss to get the Soft Snake Sword, one of the game’s most fun weapons. 
• Explore every nook, cranny, alley, and building in the Mandate’s Encampment. Lots of story secrets are hidden within. 
• After defeating the Mandate’s Encampment chapter-ending boss, head through the magical portal and interact with the Three-Eyed Puppet a second time (the first time is near the end of the Village of Lu). 

Meigu Lake

• Meigu Lake introduces a Sha-Chi-powered boat that lets you explore the islands in Meigu Lake. It feels a lot like exploring Midgard in God of War (2018). You’ll find lots of secret areas and treasures while boating around, including a Human-Faced Banyan tree, a Long Pillar, the third scarecrow hiding another acolyte boss, a Quick Hand Zhang hideout, and another Sha-Chi tower to explore. 
• There are three locations on Meigu Lake critical to getting Phantom Blade Zero’s perfect ending: 
  1. Collapsed Theater: Collect all six surrounding Memory Flowers, visit the island, defeat the boss here, and obtain the Illusory Pipa Strings. 
  2. Archway: Near the north of Meigu Lake, a massive archway stands. After obtaining the Illusory Pipa Phantom Edge weapon, head here for a secret area. 
  3. To the west is a large expanse of floating ice: Head there to find a special mirror. After you collect all four acolyte masks, return here (there’s a Phantom Bell nearby for fast travel) to unlock a late-game optional area that’s critical for the perfect ending. 

Mountain Of Imprisonment

• The Mountain of Imprisonment is another technically optional area, but it really shouldn’t be. 
• You need the three missing components of the Illusory Pipa to reach the Mountain of Imprisonment: 
  1. You can get one piece by defeating a hidden boss in the Village of Lu.
  2. You can obtain the second piece by defeating the chapter-ending boss in the Mandate’s Encampment.
  3. You obtain the third piece by defeating the hidden boss at the Collapsed Theater in Meigu Lake. 
  4. Once you have all three pieces, return to Myst at the Pangzhen tavern; she can restore the Illusory Pipa. 
• After defeating the chapter-ending boss of the Mountain of Imprisonment, continue exploring downward to meet an important character. 
  • Here, the third and final Third-Eye Puppet portal sits. Head in and interact with the puppet once more. 
• After defeating the chapter-ending boss here, return to the Crimson Manor beneath the Sha-Chi tower in the Weeping Creek Valley. Use the Puppet’s Tongue item you should now have to open the gate and explore the Crimson Manor. 
• At the base of Crimson Manor, a hidden boss awaits. Defeat it to obtain the final acolyte mask and the important item called the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang].

The last few regions of Phantom Blade Zero are for you to discover. You have everything you need. Remember these tips and tricks – good luck!

Those are all the tips and tricks we have for you! If you have any you think we should add, let us know in the comments below! If you haven’t already, please read my Phantom Blade Zero review to learn why you won’t want to miss this action game.

Phantom Blade Zero is a sprawling Wuxia adventure, the best action game of the year, and one of my favorite action games ever. It offers a lot to do, from main story quests to dozens of side quests, collectibles, hidden bosses, secret areas, and more. I highly recommend checking out Game Informer’s list of Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks before jumping in. It mentions some tasks required to achieve the perfect ending, but here I’ll break down exactly what you need to see it.

As a note, getting the perfect ending in Phantom Blade Zero isn’t that unreasonable. It requires doing a lot of the game’s side content, but it’s not shrouded in mystery or puzzles; you just need to complete certain things before heading into the finale. I’m going to keep these requirements relatively spoiler-free, and honestly, without the wider story context, they’ll be a lot of mumbo jumbo proper nouns that don’t really mean anything. If you’re set on getting the perfect ending, I’d bookmark this page, and as you play Phantom Blade Zero, more and more of these requirements will start to make sense. However, if you think even a name or proper noun is a spoiler, be careful reading these requirements. 

Here’s How To Get The Perfect Ending In Phantom Blade Zero

The following requirements don’t necessarily have a set order. You could technically ignore all of this and then go after everything right before the game’s “last chance to get things done” warning near the finale. So don’t sweat about picking up this or that at a certain time in your journey – do it when you want to. Just make sure you have the following requirements completed before heading past the “last chance” warning. 

• Obtain Crystal Puppet Eye [Yin] and Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang]
  • Complete the optional Mountain of Imprisonment region, and you will receive the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yin]
  • After defeating the hidden boss in the Crimson Manor (a late-game residence in the Weeping Creek Valley), you will receive the Crystal Puppet Eye [Yang]. 
• Defeat all four Acolyte bosses: Throughout Phantom Blade Zero, you will encounter four strange scarecrows. One is in the Village of Lu, one in Pangzhen, one in Meigu Lake, and one in the Crimson Manor in Weeping Creek Valley. That Crimson Manor mask is the last one you can get. When you interact with these scarecrows, you will be warped to a special arena to fight an Acolyte boss. Defeat all four Acolyte bosses to obtain the following four masks: Yanru’s Blazing Mask (fire), Leiting’s Thunder Mask (lightning), Guhe’s Venom Mask (poison), and Hansui’s Frost Mask (ice). 
  • These bosses are extremely challenging, but each uses a specific element when they attack. Equip resistance accessories to counter this elemental damage and gain an edge in battle. 
• Enter the Meigu Lake mirror: After obtaining the four Acoylte masks, head to Meigu Lake. Once there, use the Sha-Chi boat to sail to the west side of the region, where lots of ice floats near a snow-covered mountain. Dock the boat and move forward; you will discover a mysterious mirror. With all four masks, you can enter the mirror and head to a special realm. This realm is technically optional, but you need to defeat the chapter-ending boss here to get the perfect ending. 
  • After you defeat the chapter-ending boss, insert the two Crystal Puppet Eyes into the statue. 

• Complete all five Long Pillars: The first four are in Weeping Creek Valley, Crimson Forest, Meigu Lake, and the special mirror realm I mentioned above. You can find the fifth Long Pillar in the non-optional finale area of Phantom Blade Zero. 
• Collect the White Serpent Eye, Black Serpent Fang, and Red Serpent Tongue, and then follow the game’s main quests into the finale. I won’t name this place because it is somewhat spoilery, but it’s part of the main quest and impossible to miss. 
• Collect all of Quick Hand Zhang’s Relics: You will run into Quick Hand Zhang five times (in five different regions) throughout Phantom Blade Zero’s main quest. Each time, he tasks you with finding three Relics in green-glowing treasure chests. Make sure you find all of the Relics before heading into the finale. You’ll know you’ve done them all because it will mark his quest as complete. 
• Beat the game: If you’ve done everything above, head to the Phantom Blade Zero finale. Beat the game to unlock the perfect ending, dubbed “The Final Battle.” Congrats!

For more, read Game Informer’s Phantom Blade Zero tips and tricks, and then read Game Informer’s Phantom Blade Zero review. 

Witchbrook is a game I’ve been looking forward to for a while, and today’s Nintendo Indie World showcase finally confirmed the game’s release date: January 28. Any game from Chucklefish, best known for publishing Stardew Valley and developing the Wargroove series, is worthy of my attention, and Witchbrook looks more exciting the more we see of it. See it for yourself in the release date trailer below.

The game mixes cute pixel art with a robust suite of magical gameplay systems. As you go to a witch college to learn spells, you’ll also build a life in the town, making friends, working jobs, decorating your home, and more. It was an appealing pitch when it was announced nearly 10 years ago in 2017, and it remains so to this day. After a long stretch of relative silence, last year the game was scheduled to launch sometime in 2026. Obviously, the team has faced some delays since then, but we’re just glad it’s actually coming out.

 

Witchbrook’s release date was announced during today’s Nintendo-specific stream, but it’s coming to all major platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC. 

The year is nearing its conclusion, and the last big AAA titles are rolling out one-by-one. But today, it was all about the independent titles on Nintendo’s latest Indie World Showcase, highlighting new games from smaller indie teams coming to the Switch and Switch 2.

It was a TKTKTK

Here’s everything we saw at the October 2026 Nintendo Indie World Showcase.

Witchbrook

Today’s Indie World Showcase started with a big headliner, as the long-awaited witch-life simulator Witchbrook got a release date. Chucklefish and Robtality’s cozy magical world goes live on January 28, 2027.

Winds of Viridia

Fans of 3D platformers should probably keep an eye on Winds of Viridia, which looks like a colorful game with a lot of interesting movement and exploration. Shark Jump’s fantastical platformer is arriving next year, but if the wait’s too long, a free demo is coming today on the eShop.

City Of None

From one of the co-creators of Celeste, City of None has a gorgeous pixelated art style and colors that immediately remind me of Game Boy Color classics. It’s a 2D platformer where you leap around, fight enemies, and explore the strange city around you. The jumping and fighting look solid, and I really like the mysterious atmosphere and art direction. City of None’s set for sometime in 2027.

Sword of the Sea

The sword-surfing adventure from the makers of Abzu and Journey is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 29, 2026 – tomorrow! It’s a gorgeous adventure that earned a Must-Play badge from us, so it’s worth your time if you like the kinds of gorgeous, beautiful adventures Giant Squid (developer of Abzu) is known for.

Tenjutsu

Take an overhead camera angle, brawler gameplay, and some John Wick sensibilities, and you’ve got Tenjutsu, a stylish roguelike where you use your martial arts prowess to tear apart crime syndicates. I really enjoy the look and vibe of this one, and it’s from one of the designers of Dead Cells, too. Tenjutsu might be one to keep an eye on when it arrives on Switch 2 in 2027.

Threads of Time

RPG fans have been eating well, and it looks like the feast could continue next year with Threads of Time. The time-traveling RPG is coming to both Switch and Switch 2 next summer, and it’s looking absolutely gorgeous.

Dumpster Gang

Ah, raccoons. Nature’s most adorable little scamps. If you and your friends have ever wanted to live out the dream of being a rambunctious band of raccoons wreaking havoc on the town, Dumpster Gang sets out to give you just that fantasy in March 2027.

Super Battle Golf

I’ve already enjoyed quite a bit of Super Battle Golf on PC, so I’ll tell you now: if you enjoy golf games and want some Mario Party annoy-your-friends antics wound around them, Super Battle Golf should be on your radar for its March 25, 2027 launch on Switch 2.

R.E.P.O.

Another port of a PC multiplayer mainstay, the co-op physics-driven horror-looter R.E.P.O. is coming to Switch 2 in 2027. This is one for the crowd that likes to be scared one moment and laughing hysterically the next.

Haunted Paws

Rounding out the co-op section, Haunted Paws has you and a pal playing as a pair of pups searching for their person in a haunted mansion. The side-scrolling 3D look makes it seem like a less-scary Little Nightmares, and the concept is pretty fun. Look for this one on Switch and Switch 2 in May 2027, or try out the free demo later today.

Kitsune: The Journey of Adashino

Enjoy shrines, towns, and strange night-time journeys into the unknown? Follow a fox girl and her frog friend on an adventure through a strange island in Kitsune: The Journey of Adashino on Switch 2 and Switch in spring 2027. I’ve said it a few times in this recap, but wow, the art here is great.

Slime Rancher 2

The second entry in the slime-collecting, home-building sim adventure is coming to Switch 2. Pick up adorable slimes with your vacuum, build a home for them, and explore the Rainbow Island around you in January 2027. Plus, there’s an exclusive in-game item for the Switch 2 version.

Spirit Crossing

From the makers of Cozy Grove, this multiplayer game encourages players to build a home above the clouds with friends and explore the world around them. Spirit Crossing looks like a big world to make your own alongside your pals, starting November 16, 2026 on both Switch and Switch 2.

My Arms Are Longer Now

Want something a little sillier? My Arms Are Longer Now is a game about, well, really long arms. With numerous Australian comedians lending their vocal talents to the project, this seems like it could be a quirky, charming, and delightfully funny experience when it arrives on both Switch and Switch 2 on March 11, 2027.

Petal Runner

The delightfully Game Boy-styled critter delivery game Petal Runner is aiming for a full launch. I’ve played a bit of this one at events over the years, and it’s charmed me every time. If you like nostalgic adventures with a surprisingly heartfelt core, you should mark down the March 8, 2027 launch, or check out the free demo arriving later today.

Raccoin: Chaos Max Edition

The chaotic coin-pushing game Raccoin is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. It’s just like those token-shoving games you remember from arcades but with a number of wild and wacky means of pushing even more coins over the edge run-over-run. Raccoin: Chaos Max Edition hits Switch 2 on November 10, 2026, and a free demo is out later today.

Closing Montage of Additional Dates:

• Tanuki: Pon’s Summer – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – November 10, 2026
• Finding Polka – Spring 2027
• Floor Plan: Slap Out Of It! – Spring 2027
• Lost and Found Co. – Early 2027
• Bao Bao’s Cozy Cleaning Services – Available later today
• Everything is Crab – January 26, 2027
• Hyperyuki: Snowboard Syndicate – Early 2027

Reviewed on:
PlayStation 5

Platform:
PlayStation 5, PC

Publisher:
S-Game

Developer:
S-Game

Release:
October 29, 2026

Rooted in Wuxian storytelling and scale, built on an impressively detailed combat system, and wrapped in a bloody Chinese martial underground that’s a genuine joy to play in, Phantom Blade Zero is a feat. It joins an echelon of action pedigree that includes Sekiro, Devil May Cry, Bayonetta, and just about any other action game you hold in high regard. It hails from developer S-Game, which has dabbled in mobile and smaller-scale games, and I’m shocked by what it’s pulled off with its triple-A action inauguration. But make no mistake: though Phantom Blade Zero is this team’s first crack at a game like this, it is an incredibly confident, strong debut. 

Protagonist Soul is a stoic martial arts master betrayed by the Order he’s sworn his life to; he dies and returns to life with only 66 days to live. That’s enough time to settle his debts, repay his betrayers, and end a villainous conspiracy to seize full power of the Wulin realm. This narrative is Phantom Blade Zero’s weakest link, but its premise adds enough mystery and tension to keep this Wuxian journey exciting through to its final, realm-shattering moments. Narrative bombshells drop not just through the game’s general fantasy-realism art direction, but also through anime scenes, opera puppet shows, animated brushstroke sequences, and more, highlighting Chinese culture and its integral place in Phantom Blade Zero.

The game features a staggering number of unique enemy types, and though the final hours get a bit repetitive, it’s admirable how long S-Game maintains such a high level of combat-oriented ecstasy. Soul’s access to weapons drives that exhilaration. Every weapon is wholly unique. Because the combat is combo-based, picking up a new weapon feels like unlocking a new character in a fighting game. Each has its own moveset and abilities, with later-game weapons featuring combo lists that look more at home in a Street Fighter menu. Add in the special, tide-turning weapons known as Phantom Edges, with limited charge-based uses, and there’s no shortage of permutations to delightfully experiment with.

 

Drawing on Chinese cinema, Phantom Blade Zero’s setpiece bosses boast a sense of awe and scale only the genre’s best typically offer. With virtually no repeat bosses, save for a few in separate trials, it’s impressive how many powerful figures I flayed, and how many delivered a unique fight. I also appreciate the checkpoints between boss phases, as they remove the frustrating repetition of replaying phase one again and again just to take another stab at the second phase I’m struggling with. 

You’d be forgiven for assuming Phantom Blade Zero is a Soulslike, given its challenging bosses, interconnected world, and Phantom Bell checkpoints, this game’s equivalent of bonfires. It definitively isn’t, though. The challenge is much more surmountable; the game isn’t interested in making you die over and over, there are difficulty options, and you can equip accessories to make parries and dodges easier. World progression is materially different, too, as enemies don’t respawn after you kill them. It’s an interesting, perhaps blasphemous, choice for the genre, but it’s surprisingly effective, adding a sense of worldbuilding and tangible progression I didn’t know I wanted from my action games. Soul is on a mission to remove evil, and mechanically, I’m doing just that. Enemies don’t respawn incoherently just because I heal and save. 

Environmental features weave in and out of each other, and the architectural design and layout of these regions lead to many subsequent “aha” moments. S-Game infuses search-action elements into this exploration through the aforementioned Phantom Edges, some of which double as tools to unlock surprising new areas in both new and previously visited biomes. As a result, backtracking and exploration remain fresh. A lot of it is optional, as are some of Phantom Blade Zero’s most rewarding elements, including its demanding “perfect” ending. Sadly, this renders other endings unsatisfying, with clear chunks intentionally missing.

Despite forays into the Uncanny Valley, Phantom Blade Zero is visually striking, and the action is brilliantly animated. It’s all set to genre-breaking music, too, with original metalcore songs, operatic choirs, 808s, and traditional Chinese instrumentation, creating a score as illustrious as the action it enhances. 

 

Phantom Blade Zero is an astounding action achievement, almost unbelievably so for a game that is essentially a studio’s genre debut. It is one of the best action games I’ve ever played, one that recognizes the genre’s strengths and weaknesses and addresses both with fantastical Wuxian style. Though the action genre is always jam-packed with new releases, few are as special as Phantom Blade Zero. 

Score:
9.5

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Nintendo has announced that a new Indie World presentation will air tomorrow, October 28. The event will run for roughly 15 minutes.

Kicking off at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET on Nintendo’s YouTube channel, the presentation will spotlight upcoming indie games and related updates coming to Switch 2 and Switch. The announcement does not specify any updates. In terms of games showcased in the previous Indie World from March that have yet to release, we could get updates on Drinkbox Studios’ Blighted and the murder mystery farming sim Grave Seasons, both of which were recently delayed to 2027.  Other notable indies coming to Switch platforms that could appear include The Eternal Life of Goldman, Witchbrook, Hoa 2, Human Fall Flat 2, and SacriFire.

However, in a presentation once defined by cries for Hollow Knight: Silksong, which launched last year, fans are now waiting for the game’s previously announced free expansion, Sea of Sorrow, which is slated to arrive this year. So, for old times’ sake, fans can politely demand that game’s appearance in the live chat. 

What do you hope to see at Nintendo Indie World tomorrow? Let us know in the comments. 

The free-to-play MOBA Pokémon Unite will shut down in March, over five years after its 2021 launch. Although a gradual suspension of services begins today, fans will enjoy one last hurrah thanks to a big in-game event running for the remainder of the game’s lifecycle.

Launched in July 2021 for Switch before migrating to iOS and Android later that year, Pokémon Unite was billed as a friendlier take on the MOBA genre popularized by Dota 2 and League of Legends, thanks to its short matches (10 minutes) and simplified mechanics. Despite its initial popularity, the game is winding down and will go offline for good on March 23, 2027. 

An End of Service notice on the game’s website reads, 

“We offer our sincerest gratitude to the many Trainers who have played since service started for the Nintendo Switch version on July 21, 2021. We would like to express our thanks to everyone by holding a special event until service ends. The Pokémon Unite Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo competitive tournament (an event for Pokémon Unite only) will also be held as previously announced. We hope you continue to enjoy Pokémon Unite until the final day of service. After service ends, the ‘Pokémon Unite Game Content Guidelines for Online Platforms’ will no longer be published or maintained, and we will no longer provide support regarding use of Pokémon Unite videos and images.”

As of today, in-game sales of Aeos gems and Unite Club memberships/renewals have been suspended. Existing Unite Club members will continue to use their benefits until the end of the membership period. 

On November 12, an update will kick off the aforementioned final special event, where players can obtain items such as all Unite licenses and Holoware that have appeared in the game up to that point. A library feature will also be added, letting players view certain records and in-game content even after the game shuts down on March 23. Those who don’t download the library feature before the shutdown date will not be able to get it afterward. 

Qualifiers for the Aeos Crown 2027 Tokyo Competitive tournament will take place as planned on December 5. After the game shuts down on March 23, players won’t be able to log in to Pokémon Unite or play any battles. Only the library feature will remain accessible. 

We enjoyed Pokémon Unite when it launched, with executive video editor Alex Van Aken scoring it an 8 out of 10 in his review, writing, “The game eats away the hours of my day as I reassuringly say to myself, ‘Just one more match.’ Battles play out with the spectacle that the Pokémon series is known for, and with so many abilities to choose from, no match feels the same as the last. The game’s simple mechanics and recognizable characters make for an approachable MOBA experience, and with a potential catalog of nearly 900 Pokémon to pick from, my hopes are high for the future of Pokémon Unite.”

Last week, EA shut down Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer BioWare, which resulted in the cancellation of the fifth Mass Effect game that was announced in 2020. As the fallout from this closure settles, famed video game composer Austin Wintory has shared that he’d been working on a potential soundtrack for the now-canceled game and has publicly released early versions of this score.

In a Bluesky thread, Wintory, who has composed soundtracks for games such as Journey, Sword of the Sea, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and The Banner Saga trilogy, writes, “Mass Effect was my ultimate white whale, my all-time dream project. For the last couple years I’d been in discussion w/ BioWare & EA to take on the project & as part of that I wrote close to 20 minutes of music to explore where the franchise can go next, may as well share it!”

Wintory uploaded a 20-minute video consisting of eight tracks to his YouTube channel. The video begins with a message further elaborating on the partnership between BioWare, EA, and him. “For the past several years, I’d been in dialogue with people both at BioWare and EA to potentially jump into Mass Effect 5. As part of these conversations, I decided to surprise the team by writing/recording a gigantic love letter to the franchise, with my idea of where it can go next.”

Wintory adds that he composed the music in 2025 and that he “knew nothing” about what Mass Effect 5’s story entailed when he did. As such, he describes the music as “narratively speculative.” He adds that this conceptual soundtrack was a direct homage to Jack Wall and Sam Hulick’s soundtrack on the first Mass Effect “while leaning even harder on true analog synths, and a more complex integration of the orchestra (almost akin to the hybrid nature of The Matrix),” he writes. Each music track features a message by Wintory explaining his inspiration for its production. 

“Receiving the news alongside everyone else that EA had decided to not only cancel the project but shutdown BioWare entirely was a deeply felt loss,” Wintory writes in the video’s description. “It’s been hard to see dear friends lose their jobs, and this beloved franchise seemingly vanish forever. Thank you nonetheless to everyone at BioWare and EA’s music department for gifting me the chance to dream in your sandbox. It was a privilege to do even that much.”

Wintory’s music is the latest piece of potential Mass Effect 5 content to emerge since BioWare’s closure. A day after the shutdown announcement, an unreleased but reportedly legitimate cinematic trailer for the canceled Mass Effect leaked online.