[DigitalFoundry] Phantom Blade Zero Hands-On - First Look - Unreal Engine With A Difference

Draugoth

Gold Member


We had the chance to go hands-on with a very special PC demo of Phantom Blade Zero at Gamescom 2025, running maxed out with RT features. John and Alex compare notes on what seems to be an Unreal Engine 5 title that isn't actually using all of its cutting-edge features - but impresses nonetheless.​
 
NO LUMEN!

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THEY AREN'T EVEN SURE IT'S USING UE5 BECAUSE IT'S SO UE4-LIKE!

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Graphically, it's OK. The combat seems to be the highlight. But what I've hated the most so far is that the combat doesn't seem to have any weight to it.
 
Why does this feel like another Lost Souls Aside in the making, in terms of content not tech.
 
it looks last gen because its using last gen tech on a current gen engine.
It is still using DLSS to reach that last gen 1440p aesthetic on a RTX 5090 PC no-less according to the start of the video.

If you are going to showcase those visuals at this point in the gen at least showcase it on a PS4 Pro looking that way to avoid it looking dialled in.

Needing that hardware and DLSS makes Nvidia and the game look bad IMO, which is unfortunate given the animation looked fluid and impressive in some of the gameplay.
 
NO LUMEN!



THEY AREN'T EVEN SURE IT'S USING UE5 BECAUSE IT'S SO UE4-LIKE!

Its almost 100% using UE5.
Unless theyve pretty much completely rewritten the engine to be multi threaded its not going to UE4.

They just arent using Lumen and probably not using Nanite.



Hopefully PC version has an Ultra setting that has Real Time Global Illumination, dont really want to have to inject RTGI
 
Even combats look like shit, from what i know there are automatic combos, basically you do one input and the character perform an entire combo on his own.
 
Console pleb here but this has been my most anticipated game since it was revealed. Can't wait! Little to nothing interests me, let alone excites me, in gaming anymore so I truly hope this one is good.
 
Developers themselves confirmed that they using lumen
Our team is actively seeking ways to achieve 4K at 60fps on PS5, or at least a stable 45~50fps, to provide players with the best possible gaming experience.
lol, we know now why those all Chinese games are running as crap on consoles.
 
That it could be better doesn't take away from the fact that it can be very good. Some criticize its 'generic' artistic aspect, and yet I love it in that aspect very much (aside from the animations and the choreography of the combos).

We should wait and see how is on consoles before drawing conclusions
 
The interview is old. Since 2023 plenty of controversies have come up around UE5, so they might have dropped the idea
 
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