Phantom Blade Zero is an action RPG built to be less punishing than Soulslikes

Director "Soulframe" Liang said Phantom Blade Zero was designed for players of all skill levels, with three difficulty settings: Wayfarer, Pathbreaker and Hellwalker, plus a permadeath mode unlocked after the first playthrough. Dying carries no penalty, enemies don't respawn, and boss fights have reload points between phases.

• Three difficulties: Wayfarer (easy), Pathbreaker (normal), Hellwalker (hard)
• No death penalty, no enemy respawns, boss phase checkpoints
• Permadeath challenge mode unlocks after the first playthrough
• Director Liang: the goal is for players to have fun and unwind