Phantom Blade Zero will have New Game+, but it won't hold anything back for your second run

One of the most common questions whenever a demanding action game is on the horizon is whether you'll have to beat it two or three times to see everything. For Phantom Blade Zero, the answer is now official and it's short: no. Its director, known as Soulframe, has confirmed that the game will include a New Game+ mode, but that all of its content can be discovered in your first playthrough, no matter which difficulty you choose. The information comes from a group interview with several outlets, including Vandal, which is where we sourced the core details for this piece.

Why does it matter? Because much of the genre has spent years using replayability as a bargaining chip: hidden endings, exclusive bosses or gear that only shows up in later cycles. Phantom Blade Zero takes the opposite stance and presents its New Game+ as a bonus for those who want more, not a requirement for those who want to complete it. For players whose time is precious, whether they're competing or creating content, that's a huge difference.

What you need to know

• Phantom Blade Zero will have a New Game+ mode and a new difficulty mode.
• All of the game's content can be seen in a single playthrough.
• According to its director, most players will be able to earn the Platinum trophy in one playthrough and on any difficulty.
• The catch is putting in the time: exploring, fighting and mastering the mechanics.
• NG+ and the extra difficulty are framed as add-ons for personal satisfaction and for replaying with different weapons.

Accessibility without splitting the community

Soulframe's reasoning revolves around one idea: not fragmenting the player base. As he explained to the outlets present, the studio wants the game to be as accessible as possible, which is why it avoids spreading content across difficulty levels or New Game+ cycles. In other words, someone playing on the most forgiving mode won't miss out on anything that someone choosing the toughest challenge gets to see.

The key detail is the Platinum. Being able to earn it in a single run and on any difficulty is a statement of intent: the trophy will reward dedication and knowledge of the combat system, not the patience to replay the same story. The director sums it up by saying that all it takes is investing time in exploring, fighting and learning the mechanics.

So what's the point of NG+?

Here the stance is clear: it's an optional treat. The New Game+ mode and the new difficulty exist for those who finish the game wanting to come back, try other weapons and squeeze more out of the combat from a different angle. Nothing essential is locked behind them. The original interview goes into more detail about what changes in that second run, but the part that reached us doesn't spell it out, so we'd rather not speculate.

Our take

Here at Underworld Lordz, we see it as a sensible decision and, above all, one that respects the player's time. We've spent far too many hours replaying entire areas just to unlock an ending or an item that could easily have been available in the first playthrough. An action game with serious ambitions openly saying it won't do that is good news, and we hope others follow suit.

For content creators, the impact is immediate: full guides, Platinum roadmaps and complete breakdowns of the game will be able to come out much sooner, without waiting for later cycles. For competitive players, the interest lies elsewhere. If content doesn't change between difficulties, the real battleground will be execution: speedruns, no-hit runs and weapon-specific challenges on the highest difficulty. That's where NG+ could have more life in it than its director suggests.

That said, one question remains open. An NG+ that offers nothing exclusive risks feeling empty for players chasing tangible rewards. If personal satisfaction is the only motivation, the combat design will have to be strong enough to justify a second run. If it is, this approach will pay off; if not, the mode will end up as an add-on few people touch.

What do you think?

Some argue that holding content back for NG+ extends a game's lifespan, while others see it as a way to artificially pad playtime. Phantom Blade Zero has already picked a side. Would you rather have everything available from your first playthrough, or do you miss surprises saved for those who play again? Let us know in the team chat or drop by our Discord to join the debate.