Phantom Blade Zero Is Too Easy for Action Game Veterans, And Its 66 Days Mode Doesn’t Solve Everything

Phantom Blade Zero is one of the most exhilarating action games I’ve played in years. Its combat has a wonderful sense of speed, with sword fights that look like something pulled straight from a martial arts film. There’s a surprising amount of depth beneath all that spectacle, too. Unfortunately, I found myself wishing the game would push me harder. Hellwalker is supposed to be its toughest standard difficulty, yet players familiar with demanding action games can dismantle much of what it throws at them without breaking much of a sweat.

Videos by ComicBook.com

The frustrating part is that Phantom Blade Zero has the ingredients for a genuinely demanding combat experience. Its mechanics are satisfying to master, and there’s plenty of room to develop a more sophisticated approach to every encounter. But the game is so generous with defensive options that it often takes the pressure off before a fight has the chance to become truly challenging. The addition of 66 Days mode is appreciated, especially for players looking to put their skills to the test again, but a limited number of deaths doesn’t address the underlying problem. Phantom Blade Zero needs a harder difficulty that demands more from its combat system rather than simply making failure more costly.

Hellwalker Difficulty Doesn’t Challenge Experienced Action Game Fans

Hellwalker certainly sounds intimidating, and there are moments when Phantom Blade Zero does bare its sharp fangs. Bosses can hit hard, and unfamiliar encounters can catch definitely you off guard and give you a few deaths in the process. But once you’ve spent enough time with the combat, especially after progressing far enough into the game to have a genuine build, that initial intimidation starts to wear off. Experienced action-game players already understand the language these encounters are speaking. Recognizing an opening or reacting to an incoming attack becomes second nature, and Hellwalker doesn’t consistently do enough to disrupt those habits.

I don’t think Phantom Blade Zero needs to punish players simply for being good at action games. Quite the opposite, actually. One of the pleasures of a great combat system is feeling your understanding of it translate into genuine mastery. However, there should be a point where the game pushes back. Hellwalker rarely provides that consistently for veterans who are already comfortable with parries and general aggressive play. Its challenge is perfectly reasonable for a broad audience, but players looking for a real test of their abilities might find themselves wishing the game had another gear to shift.

Combat Is More Forgiving Than Its Spectacular Action Suggests

The biggest culprit is how easily Phantom Blade Zero lets you escape the consequences of your own reckless aggression. You can cancel attacks into a block or parry, meaning committing to an offensive sequence rarely leaves you as vulnerable as it would in many other action games. It feels awesome, making combat feel wonderfully fluid, but it also removes a considerable amount of risk. Ultimate attacks take things a notch further. Even though they are limited in use, their built-in invincibility frames are very long and make them excellent defensive tools. Any action-game veteran knows how valuable those brief moments of invulnerability can be, especially when they can be called upon without any kind of wind-up attached. Once you understand how to work them into your approach, even dangerous encounters become much easier to control.

Then there’s the equipment. Phantom Blade Zero’s gear progression can make an already forgiving combat system feel downright accommodating once you’ve invested enough resources into your build. Enhancing equipment provides a substantial boost in power, while certain accessories offer defensive and supportive effects that can dramatically improve survivability. Some of these items are so effective that they can change how much attention you need to pay to incoming threats. I enjoy having the freedom to experiment with different setups, and discovering a particularly powerful combination is part of the fun. The problem is that these systems stack on top of an already generous defensive toolkit. Between animation cancels and invincibility frames, there’s rarely a shortage of ways to get out of trouble.

Phantom Blade Zero Needs a Harder Difficulty, Not Just a 66-Death Limit

66 Days mode is such an interesting mode, but it really doesn’t solve the difficulty issue that I’m referring to. It is a nice addition, but giving players a limited number of deaths across another playthrough creates a different kind of tension, and I can appreciate the appeal of having a reason to revisit the adventure with something meaningful on the line. However, it doesn’t fundamentally change the combat itself. Players who already found Hellwalker manageable aren’t necessarily going to find the encounters more demanding just because they have fewer opportunities to die.

What I’d really like to see is a difficulty setting designed around the strengths of Phantom Blade Zero’s combat. Make enemies more threatening, give bosses fewer opportunities to be exploited, and force players to think twice before leaning on their most powerful defensive options. There’s so much potential in the game’s mechanics that I’d love to see them pushed further. Hellwalker gives most players a satisfying challenge, while 66 Days offers an interesting test of consistency. Neither quite delivers the experience that action-game veterans might be looking for. Phantom Blade Zero has the combat to support a truly demanding difficulty, and I’d hate to see that potential go unexplored.

While playing Phantom Blade Zero, did you also find the game just a little too easy for your taste, or just right and right up your alley? Let us know your thoughts on the game’s difficulty below.

Souls Fatigue Is Real, But It Might Be the Best Thing to Happen to Action Games Like Phantom Blade Zero

More Gaming

• 
  

  Gaming
  13 hours ago

  Rockstar Games Confirms Change to GTA 6 Police From Previous Grand Theft Auto Games

• 
  

  Gaming
  14 hours ago

  PS1 Star Wars Game From the 1990s Gets a New Update in 2026

• 
  

  Gaming
  15 hours ago

  PS6 Report Leaks When Sony Will Reveal the Console

• <img src="https://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/08/I-Have-No-Mouth-and-I-Must-Scream.jpg?w=300" alt="The Perfect Halloween Game Already Exists, & It Came Out 31 Years Ago On The Holiday”>

  Gaming
  15 hours ago

  The Perfect Halloween Game Already Exists, & It Came Out 31 Years Ago On The Holiday

• 
  

  Gaming
  16 hours ago

  Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold Gets New Delayed Release Date

• <img src="https://comicbook.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2026/09/s-e-g-a.png?w=300" alt="Upcoming Sega Game Is Available for Free Before Launch”>
  

  Gaming
  16 hours ago

  Upcoming Sega Game Is Available for Free Before Launch