Phantom Blade Zero preview: six-hour PS5 hands-on leads Push Square to call it 'essential'
GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed
Push Square reports that reviewer Liam Croft played a six-hour, near-final build of S-GAME's Phantom Blade Zero on PS5 in Beijing and called it "the next truly essential PS5 game." Push Square says the preview highlighted outstanding combat and boss encounters that suggest the title could be one of this year’s greatest experiences. The writer reports the opening region contains multiple chapters, quests, fights, and surprises, and that the extended session allowed him to master the map in ways a usual three-hour preview would not. Croft also says he will write more about the trip to Beijing in a future piece.
- What happened: Push Square's Liam Croft played a six-hour, near-final build of S-GAME's Phantom Blade Zero on PS5 in Beijing and described it as "the next truly essential PS5 game," according to Push Square.
- Why it matters: Push Square reports that outstanding combat and boss encounters in the preview will make the S-GAME effort one of this year’s greatest experiences, per the article.
- Context: Push Square notes this is a Western debut from S-GAME and that the preview's opening region comprises multiple chapters, quests, fights, and surprises; the preview session was longer than the usual three-hour taster.
- What next: Push Square's report does not confirm a release date or wider availability, and the article indicates the writer will publish more from the Beijing trip in the future.
What changed
Push Square provided a six-hour hands-on preview of a near-final build of S-GAME's Phantom Blade Zero on PS5, reported by Liam Croft from Beijing. The preview described the game's combat and boss encounters as outstanding and suggested the title could be among this year’s best experiences.
Before and after
- Before: Push Square says most pre-launch sessions are usually around three hours.
- After: The extended six-hour session allowed the reviewer to fully explore and master the opening map and experience multiple chapters, quests, fights, and surprises in the opening region.
Availability
- Push Square's piece does not state a release date, wider availability, or platform rollout beyond the PS5 preview session. No confirmed release timing or platforms are given in the article.
Limits
- The claims about quality and importance are reported by Push Square's Liam Croft based on a near-final build and a single extended preview session in Beijing; they are presented as the reviewer's assessment in the article, not as independently verified facts.