Phantom Blade Zero is out now in digital form on PC and PlayStation 5, and the first wave of international reviews has arrived. According to a roundup published by HobbyConsolas on October 26, 2026, the S-GAME title has won over much of the press with its action and combat system, landing an average score of 88 on Metacritic across 31 reviews. That figure is identical on both platforms, HobbyConsolas reports. A physical release is planned for 2027.
The scores are not uniform in tone, however. HobbyConsolas notes that PlayStation 5 reviews lean more heavily toward praise, while the sharper criticism appears among PC reviews. On OpenCritic, the game holds a 91 average from 29 reviews, with most scores falling between 8 and 9 out of 10.
Why it matters
An 88 on Metacritic places Phantom Blade Zero among the stronger action releases of the year, and the spread of scores shows where opinions divide. The game's reception matters beyond its own launch: it is a Chinese-developed wuxia title competing for attention in a crowded action genre, and its critical standing will shape how it is discussed in year-end awards conversations. At least one outlet has already raised that possibility directly.
What the top scores say
The highest marks in the HobbyConsolas roundup come from The Gamer, which awarded a perfect 100. That review argued the game contains some of the best boss fights ever made and called it a genuine Game of the Year contender that deserves a place in action game history.
Indigo GEEK gave it a 95, describing a spectacular action experience supported by a solid variety of weapons and rewarding exploration. Insider Gaming, at 90, framed the game as a masterfully built action title that pairs classic wuxia storytelling with a striking "kungfupunk" setting, and singled out its art direction and soundtrack as among the most impressive in the genre.
HobbyConsolas itself gave the game an 89. Its own assessment described a near-perfect blend of hack-and-slash combat with souls-like influences, producing a visual experience that is as violent as it is satisfying. The outlet concluded that the game is not flawless but stands as one of the year's major action titles.
Where the criticism lands
The lowest score cited in the roundup is a 60 from Eurogamer, which reviewed the PC version. That review said the game succeeds in delivering wonderfully fluid, cinematic kung fu combat, but that balance problems and quality issues undercut its strengths. HobbyConsolas' summary points to this as part of a broader pattern in which PC reviews carry more reservations than their PS5 counterparts.
The roundup also references a technical review from PC Master Race Latinoamérica that examined benchmarks, 4K screenshots, and a comparison of path tracing against ray tracing, along with different ray reconstruction presets. That coverage speaks to the graphical demands of the PC version, which is consistent with the more critical reception on that platform.
A launch with some extra noise around it
Beyond the reviews themselves, the HobbyConsolas roundup notes two pieces of launch-adjacent news. Peripheral maker GameSir has released a G7 Pro 8K PC Phantom Blade Zero Edition controller priced at 129.99 euros, according to Profesional Review. Separately, iXBT.games reported that the publisher of F.I.S.T. announced a day off for its staff to mark Phantom Blade Zero's release.
Neither item bears on the game's quality, but both indicate the level of attention the launch has drawn. A themed controller and a studio granting time off for a rival release are the kind of signals that tend to accompany a title with visible momentum.
What to watch
The open question, as HobbyConsolas puts it, is whether the game will fare as well with players as it has with critics. Digital buyers on PC and PS5 can answer that now; the physical edition follows in 2027.
