Phantom Blade Zero had the privilege of being the ultimate recreation at The Summer season Recreation Fest earlier this month. The soul-like supernatural sword combating gameplay was mesmerizing.
I performed it hands-on and located it to be an approachable recreation designed in order that even unskilled gamers like myself may deal with the lightning assaults of the in-game enemies. However it could actually additionally require a lot ability in components that it could actually fulfill hardcore sword fighters. It is harking back to the Chinese language martial artwork of Wuxi, the place folks transfer at superhuman speeds.
The title is the dream of Beijing-based Soulframe Liang and his crew of fifty recreation builders at S-Recreation. Liang mentioned in an interview that he considered the sport’s setting as “kung fu punk,” a mixture of conventional Chinese language aesthetics and cyberpunk. We talked in regards to the origins of the sport and what it takes to play Phantom Blade Zero. Liang thinks the sport is extra like a cross between Ninja Gaiden and Souls.
I used to be stunned that I did not die on a regular basis on this recreation, however I additionally discovered that I needed to outsmart massive teams of enemies and take them out in the best order, beginning with the archer first. Then I may take out the weaker swordsmen after which go after the boss-like character. After I received to the true bosses, it was an actual pleasure to deal harm – and nearly keep alive.
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Right here is an edited transcript of our interview.
GamesBeat: The place are you?
Soulframe Liang: We’re in Beijing.
GamesBeat: How lengthy have you ever been engaged on Phantom Blade Zero? Are you able to inform me in regards to the story?
Liang: Formally, we’ve got been engaged on it for about two years. Earlier than that, we had been primarily engaged in cellular video games. Now we have been creating cellular video games for the Chinese language marketplace for over 10 years. Our recreation is not precisely what we might name Souls or “Soulslike”. It is darkish. It has some atmospheres that may maintain folks coming again to that type, however we’re not a Souls recreation.
Our recreation is extra like old school combo motion. It is a 3D map much like a Souls recreation, nevertheless it’s extra like when you put Ninja Gaiden fight on a Souls map. This can be a new mixture. We needed to create one thing new with this mix.
GamesBeat: Would you say it is simpler than that type of play?
Liang: It is a lot simpler. It’s out there to most gamers. However it nonetheless has depth for skilled gamers. For informal gamers, they will benefit from the story, benefit from the exploration with out an excessive amount of strain within the battle. However for professional gamers, there are some very, very deep alternatives to study combos, a parry system, an ideal dodge system. There are lots of challenges for skilled gamers.
GamesBeat: I observed that it was a bit tougher when there have been a number of totally different sorts of enemies. I needed to bear in mind easy methods to combat every kind. Perhaps eliminate the archer first.
Liang: Sure, there are a number of methods to do that. The extent you simply went by way of truly has a straightforward technique to get by way of it. You possibly can kill the archer through the use of your bow to knock him down from the opposite aspect. You possibly can then use the cannon to explode the enemies across the campfire. You then’ll be combating lower than half as many enemies. You’ve got a number of methods to take care of the conditions you face. That is one other technique to alter the problem. Gamers can strive other ways of passing.
After all, some gamers will simply stroll by way of the entrance door and straight into battle with all of the enemies. That is positively one technique to play.
GamesBeat: I observed a distinction between the primary boss and the second boss. The primary boss, I may block him each time. The second boss, felt like I wanted excellent timing.
Liang: The locking system could be very easy. You simply want to carry the button. Until you are making an attempt to parry an assault completely, you simply want to carry down that very same button. Nevertheless, it’s going to devour the yellow meter underneath your HP gauge. Once you see blue eye assaults and crimson eye assaults, the blue eye assaults are those you may’t block usually. People who must be parried. And crimson eye assaults are one thing you may’t parry. It’s a must to dodge them.
GamesBeat: With the second boss, when you press R1 alone, his ranged assault will nonetheless hit you.
Liang: If you happen to attempt to parry accurately, this may not occur. The wave might go by way of your physique, however you will not lose HP. The primary variations between the bosses are the totally different assault rhythms of the blue and crimson eyes. That is the important thing to defeating the enemies. You need to study the tempo and rhythm of the boss’s assaults. You then simply should parry the blue eyes and dodge the crimson ones. The one distinction is the rhythm.
GamesBeat: There are a number of sword combating video games on the market proper now. Can it’s in comparison with one thing nearer to your stage? Sekiro was very tough for me. Ghost of Tsushima, a lot simpler.
Liang: I would not evaluate it to something specifically. We’re doing one thing new. However I’d say that the problem of our recreation is way simpler than a standard Souls recreation, the problem of logging in. Now we have sophisticated choices.
GamesBeat: You do not have to beat everybody again and again, proper?
Liang: No, you needn’t. As for the primary story, it is a few 20 or 30 hour marketing campaign. However there are additionally tons of aspect quests, collectibles, and challenges that may take one other 20-30 hours.
GamesBeat: How large is your crew?
Liang: Now we have 50 folks in Beijing and we try to develop. However we do not wish to attain 100 folks. It is nonetheless a comparatively small crew. We do not have a launch window but, however growth goes easily.
GamesBeat: Have been you pleased with the response at Summer season Recreation Fest?
Liang: Sure, positively. We had been blown away by all of the shout outs and constructive suggestions. That is very encouraging. It isn’t simple for us both. Now we have to do one thing even higher for subsequent time and for the ultimate product. Everybody’s expectations are raised to a excessive stage. Many are ready for our recreation. We do not wish to allow them to down. It is encouraging, nevertheless it’s a number of strain. We are going to attempt to do higher and higher.
GamesBeat: You had a great place on the present, you went additional on the finish.
Liang: We had the identical expertise final 12 months. Once we first launched the sport on the PlayStation Showcase, folks complained that the actions had been too clean. They mentioned it was too good to be true. They thought we had been simply exhibiting a film. That is why we introduced the demo we did this 12 months to indicate that every thing is playable. We have made some changes to digicam angles, however aside from that, it is all gameplay. That is what we needed to inform everybody this 12 months with the demo. Later we are going to present extra stage designs and extra in regards to the story.
GamesBeat: What are you able to say in regards to the story and lore to date?
Liang: I do not wish to spoil an excessive amount of. However we will discuss in regards to the world we create. It’s based mostly on an indie recreation I made about 15 years in the past once I was nonetheless a scholar. It was known as Rainblood, one thing I made myself in RPG Maker. A quite simple 2D turn-based recreation. However I felt like I created one thing particular there, a mixture of conventional Chinese language aesthetics with fashionable steampunk and cyberpunk and modified people and issues like that. We known as it Kung Fu Punk. It’s a mixture of conventional and new. I hope it feels distinctive.
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