If it wasn’t enough to reveal an array of weaponry and some drop-dead gorgeous locations in its vast world, S-Game detailed the various difficulty options in Phantom Blade Zero. You have Wayfarer Mode, described as “intuitive and cinematic”, where “anyone” can feel like a “kungfu master.”
The next step is Pathbreaker and Hellwalker, the latter especially interesting because bosses will adapt to your tactics in real-time and heavily punish mistakes. However, it’s 66 Days Mode that really stands out. It offers the challenge of Hellwalker difficulty, but each death will reduce the number of days that Soul has left to live.
When the counter reaches zero, you’re permanently dead, and the playthrough ends. It’s a nice spin on the in-game narrative where the protagonist has only 66 days to live. You can also consider it far more forgiving than the traditional permadeath modes in other titles, where falling once means starting over from the beginning.
Nevertheless, you’re definitely meant to tackle Hellwalker first, if only to grasp how the different bosses react to your moves (though it’s also available after completing the game on Pathbreaker difficulty).
Phantom Blade Zero is available on October 29th for PS5 and PC, retailing for $59.99. Unfortunately, a demo wasn’t announced, but with over two months before launch, it’s still a possibility. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.
