2026 has a new highest-rated game of the year, as reviews for Phantom Blade Zero have been released. The Wuxia-inspired action game from S-Game has been solidified as one of the best-reviewed games of the year, potentially boosting its chances for a nomination at the 2026 Game Awards. Currently, Phantom Blade Zero holds an 88 on Metacritic, surpassing other notable action titles from 2026 such as Control Resonant, 007 First Light, and Saros. It matches Star Wars Galactic Racer at 88, though it trails Forza Horizon 6, which sits at 90.
Critics have largely praised Phantom Blade Zero's combat, though some have noted narrative weaknesses. IGN's Travis Northup awarded the game a 9/10, describing its combat as "one of the best action games I’ve played in a long time, with standout combat that never came even close to feeling old across 50 hours." While Northup found the tale of betrayal and revenge to be safe and noted minor frustrations from invisible barriers and technical hiccups, he concluded that the "overwhelming majority of my time with this stunning, incredibly well tuned adventure was downright awesome."
GameSpot's Richard Wakeling, in an 8/10 review, echoed sentiments about the strong combat despite narrative issues, stating, "Phantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense." Wakeling highlighted the game's kungfupunk aesthetic and moments of compelling storytelling, but found the main plot difficult to follow and emotionally distant. He lauded the action as feeling like a "Chinese martial-arts movie, pulling off moves that shouldn’t be feasible."
At VGC, Dave Aubrey gave Phantom Blade Zero four stars, calling its kungfupunk setting and martial arts action "undoubtedly stronger than genre stablemates like Black Myth: Wukong." Aubrey, similar to other reviewers, found the narrative and characters "bland," but the action was compelling enough to impress.
Eurogamer's Emma Kent, in a three-star review, found the combat pacing uneven, with a disparity between fast-paced encounters and slower boss battles. "This game is exceptional in so many areas - the animations, the beautiful environments - and when the combat works, the sense of flow is incredible," Kent wrote. She described street fights as "cinematic and so satisfying," allowing for creative fighting styles. However, boss battles reportedly diminished this feeling. Kent did find parts of the narrative's visual storytelling commendable, though embargo restrictions prevented further detail.
Polygon's own Paulo Kawanishi described Phantom Blade Zero as the "perfect martial arts game," acknowledging its blend of spectacle and player interactivity. While also finding the narrative confounding, Kawanishi noted that the game's effort to portray cinematic martial arts sometimes sacrificed player agency for visual flair. "Even so, as dazzling as Phantom Blade Zero’s aesthetics are, it ultimately lacks putting trust in the player to act out these abilities."
