Wukong Faced a “Much Higher Hurdle” Than Our Game Ever Will

It’s difficult to argue that Phantom Blade Zero is perhaps one of the most anticipated action games of this generation. But beyond its lightning-fast combat and stunning visuals, it is vital to note that this is also another title that is yet again soaked in Eastern Mythology, drawing heavily from Wuxia-inspired themes.

With games like it, there’s always a risk that such themes may not fully connect with Western audiences. But S-GAME seems well aware of this issue, and they remain confident that this won’t hold Phantom Blade Zero back. After all, Black Myth: Wukong faced a much steeper climb when it came to bridging the gap between Eastern and Western sensibilities—and it succeeded.

Sure, Phantom Blade Zero has captured the attention of many with its intense gameplay and emphasis on high-speed, combo-driven fights, which showcase some of the most exhilarating boss battles seen in recent memory.

The bugger, however, is that a slight issue plagues the title’s success at the moment, given how the game’s complex narrative, heavily influenced by the Wuxia genre of Chinese Fiction and Eastern philosophies, could present challenges for audiences unfamiliar with these themes.

So, when asked about it in a recent interview, it is rather interesting how the game’s producer, Liang Qiwei, acknowledges that cultural differences are a cause for concern, especially for its Western targets.

What’s surprising, though, is how the development team is undeterred by the problem, with Qiwei pointing to Black Myth: Wukong’s uphill battle and eventual success as the source of their strength:

“If we look at recent titles, Black Myth: Wukong had a much higher hurdle to overcome than our game does in terms of culture as it’s completely based on a classic Chinese work of literature. So [Game Science] may encounter this problem of players not understanding the cultural background.”

Seeing how Wukong introduced many players to the unfamiliar mythos of Chinese folklore and still went on to become one of the best-selling games of this year, Qiwei believes that achieving a high-quality gaming experience is the key to overcoming these barriers, elaborating that:

“But in my opinion, the quality and playing experience of a game are its core. If you can achieve high quality and an entertaining playing experience, I think that a difficult theme can actually be an advantage, not a disadvantage. If your game is entertaining, players will perceive unfamiliar themes as something fresh.”

When you think about it, Wukong’s narrative may have been a little too obtuse for a portion of the game’s player base, but what that achieved was simply attracting them to the game even more so.

It’s a trend that we can somewhat trace back to FromSoftware, a Japanese game development studio, though its approach and situation are a little different. Regardless, it makes sense that Phantom Blade Zero would aim to follow a similar path, delivering an experience that transcends its source material.

While much of the buzz around Phantom Blade Zero has been overwhelmingly positive, some who got a hands-on session with the game have raised concerns.

Most notably, there are questions about what happens between the game’s jaw-dropping boss and combat encounters, given how S-GAME has left those bits out for now.

Due to this, some worry that the game’s pacing could potentially falter in its non-combat, quieter moments, creating an imbalance between the action and exploration.

But if we’re being honest, the game is still ways off for the time being. More than anything else, it’s evident that S-GAME understands precisely what they need to accomplish with the game.

If the studio can deliver on the promise of the game’s incredible combat system and ensure that the entire game remains consistently engaging, Phantom Blade Zero could easily mark the beginning of a bold new era in action gaming.

But, with all that said, what are your thoughts on Phantom Blade Zero so far? Are you excited to jump into the game when it reportedly drops in 2026? Let us know in the comments below!