Director Soulframe Liang revealed his ambition to create "a playable kung fu movie" with <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i>, a goal he pursued with the assistance of martial arts legend Donnie Yen. Liang, speaking at a preview event in China, elaborated on the challenges and creative decisions that shaped the AAA action title.
Liang has a long history with the <i>Phantom Blade</i> universe, having started with the RPGMaker game <i>Rainblood: Town of Death</i> two decades ago. <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i> represents a significant leap for him and developer S-Game, marking their first major AAA production. "Everything is so difficult because everything is new and we have to build everything from [the] ground up," Liang stated, emphasizing the need for innovation to achieve their vision.
This vision centers on emulating the style and fluidity of wuxia films, with the player character, Soul, moving and fighting like a cinematic kung fu master. To realize this ambitious objective, S-Game enlisted Donnie Yen, known for his roles in the Ip Man series and <i>John Wick 4</i>. Liang met Yen through mutual acquaintances, and their collaboration quickly evolved beyond mere promotion.
Yen expressed enthusiasm for <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i>, particularly as a Chinese-developed game in a genre where, according to Liang, the most authentic titles were often created by Japanese or French studios, citing <i>Sifu</i> as an example.
Yen's involvement goes beyond a typical celebrity endorsement; he serves as a creative consultant, significantly influencing the game's combat and aesthetic. He also portrays the character Mó Yuan, a masked figure who appears throughout the game. Despite his busy schedule filming projects like <i>Caine</i>, Yen dedicated his weekends to directing combat and performing motion capture for his character at S-Game's Shanghai studio. He brought a team of 15-20 individuals, including action director Kenji Tanigaki, an apprentice of Yen's, to aid in development.
Liang described Yen's contributions as "surprising," noting how his expertise elevated <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i> from a traditional action game with a wuxia theme to an experience that genuinely makes players feel like wuxia heroes. "If we are trying to explain and express more of the essence of Chinese kung fu, only having an appearance doesn't make it enough," Liang explained.
Crafting Authentic Combat
At S-Game's motion capture studio, combat director Yang Liu, nicknamed "Master Yang," detailed the intricate process of developing the game's fighting mechanics. Liu, who possesses a background in Chinese martial arts and various other fighting styles, along with stage and combat direction, ensured that every movement in <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i> felt purposeful and authentic.
Liu emphasized that combat is fundamentally about movement and the interplay between characters. For each of the game's numerous weapons—30 primary and 25 secondary—Liu conceptualized at least ten distinct attack styles. This allows for varied animations based on player position and distance to the enemy, such as Soul's opening attack differing whether he is directly beneath a large boss or leaping from a distance.
The team's approach is deeply influenced by Chinese martial arts philosophy, with both Liu and Liang referencing Bruce Lee's "Be water, my friend" principle. This philosophy translates into a fluid, non-linear combat system where attacks are not simply sequential but can connect in multiple ways, creating a dynamic flow. Liu explained that "there’s always a circular path; it’s not just straightforward, it’s not just direct."
Liang further elaborated that combos are designed so that the first action can lead into any subsequent action, a complexity evident in how players can seamlessly transition between light and heavy attacks, and even switch weapons mid-combo without interrupting the flow. "We figure[d] out a very tricky, complicated system to merge different single movements together to make a flow," Liang said.
The combat system is a testament to the collaborative efforts of Liang, Liu, Yen and his team, the motion capture performers, and S-Game's internal team, whom Liang described as "translators" bringing the cinematic language of kung fu into the game. The project has been met with widespread acclaim, positioning <i>Phantom Blade Zero</i> as a contender for Game of the Year discussions.
"We're not only doing something big and not only making use of the existing [Chinese] market, but also we're trying to do something [that’s] received and accepted and loved all around the world," Liang concluded, suggesting the team has achieved its global aspirations.
<i>Phantom Blade Zero</i> is now available on Windows PC and PlayStation 5.