Quick Answer: Summary of Steps
- Finish the Prologue. Diverging Paths and Reckless Pursuit teach the basics.
- Clear Weeping Creek Valley and Crimson Forest. Five missions build your core kit.
- Push through Village of Lu into Pangzhen. Pangzhen is a four-mission hub.
- Mandate Encampment then Meigu Lake. Meigu Lake is the second four-mission stretch.
- Finish Mountain of Imprisonment and Mount Soulrend. A Soul's Worth is the last main mission.
Prerequisites & Materials Needed
Required tools & items
- Phantom Blade Zero on PS5 or PC — launched 29 October 2026
- Latest patch installed — day-one updates can change balance
Estimated time
- Preparation: None
- Execution: 20–25 hours for the main story, as reported by Game Rant
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Learn the basics in the Prologue
The two prologue missions introduce combat and movement before the map opens.
- Play Diverging Paths and Reckless Pursuit.
- Try each weapon type you are given.
How you know it worked: Chapter 1 (Weeping Creek Valley) unlocks.
Step 2: Use Pangzhen to regroup
It is the fourth region and the longest stretch, so it is a natural point to upgrade before the late game.
- Complete Town of Death, The Heart's Trail, The Four Serpent Houses and The Way Forward.
- Upgrade weapons before Mandate Encampment.
How you know it worked: Pillars of Kunlun appears as the next main mission.
Step 3: Finish on Mount Soulrend
The final region holds the last three missions.
- Play The Herald's Illusion, Bloodline Awakening and A Soul's Worth.
How you know it worked: Credits roll and post-game modes unlock.
Phantom Blade Zero, S-GAME's kungfupunk action game, launched worldwide on 29 October 2026 at 02:00 UTC (7:30 a.m. IST) on PS5 and PC. This walkthrough gives the chapter structure in order: a prologue and eight regions holding 21 main missions. It is a route map, not a spoiler: we name regions and missions, not story events.
How this guide was made: compiled with AI assistance from the chapter list and playtime estimates published by Game Rant and the boss list from Beebom, then edited by Tulasiram Pemmadi. Mission and boss names are press-reported English names and may differ slightly in your language. We have not played the game ourselves.
All chapters and main missions
Chapter | Region | Main missions |
|---|---|---|
Prologue | Prologue | Diverging Paths · Reckless Pursuit |
1 | Weeping Creek Valley | Against the Flow · Steel and Steam · Crimson Manor |
2 | Crimson Forest | Illusion of Inanis · Snake's Reflection |
3 | Village of Lu | Heartless Remnants |
4 | Pangzhen | Town of Death · The Heart's Trail · The Four Serpent Houses · The Way Forward |
5 | Mandate Encampment | Pillars of Kunlun |
6 | Meigu Lake | Sha-Chi Powered Boat · Secrets at the Heart of the Lake · Allure of Vanity · Illusory Pipa |
7 | Mountain of Imprisonment | Whence the Weeping |
8 | Mount Soulrend | The Herald's Illusion · Bloodline Awakening · A Soul's Worth |
That is 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 3 = 21 main missions. Pangzhen and Meigu Lake are the longest stretches with four missions each. Side missions are not listed.
Is there a 66-day time limit?
Not on your first run. Soul's story is framed around 66 days to live, but Game Rant reports the real challenge is a post-game 66 Days difficulty mode that unlocks after your first playthrough: you get 66 lives for the whole run, and dying 66 times wipes the save (Game Rant). On a normal first playthrough, play at your own pace.
How long each kind of playthrough takes
Playstyle | Reported time |
|---|---|
Main story only | 20–25 hours |
Main story + side content (Tales, optional bosses) | 35–40 hours |
Completionist (100%) | 50–55 hours or more |
Estimates from Game Rant's review playthrough (Game Rant). Its writer recommends against rushing: optional paths give weapons, medicines and materials that make later bosses easier. Note that the same article's FAQ says "around 30" story missions while its own table lists 21; we follow the table.
Main story bosses in the early chapters
Mission | Region | Boss | Reported reward |
|---|---|---|---|
Diverging Paths | Prologue | Zuo Shang | None |
Reckless Pursuit | Prologue / Weeping Creek Valley | The Hunt | None |
Against the Flow | Weeping Creek Valley | Jagged Steel | Jagged Steel weapon |
Against the Flow | Weeping Creek Valley | Peng Meng | Dread Axe Phantom Edge |
Steel and Steam | Weeping Creek Valley | The Hunt, Hunter of the Order; The Hunt, Sixfold Scythe | Hunter's Chain Sickle Phantom Edge |
Snake's Reflection | Crimson Forest | Hua Qianxiao; Stone Hand Iron Fever; Bai Chilian | Outlaw Warblade; Iron Gauntlets; White Serpent & Crimson Viper, Resonance Talisman |
Heartless Remnants | Village of Lu | Zhuo Bi; Master Bi Yuan; Master Bi Hai; Yuzan; Iron Fiend and Jade Dancer; Mu Xiaokui | Bastion; Tianxuan Bronze Sword; Kuye Temple Prayer Beads; Heartend Pipa; Fiend Saws; Wild Oriole Sword |
Town of Death | Pangzhen | Blaze; Cavalrybane | Fire Meteor; Armybreaker |
The Heart's Trail | Pangzhen | Wu Xuan; Gu Wanyue | Wolfjaw; Fanatic's Fragment: Fixation |
From Beebom's boss list, updated 30 October 2026 (Beebom). Beebom has not yet matched the later Pangzhen, Meigu Lake and Mountain of Imprisonment bosses to missions, so we list only the confirmed rows and will add the rest when a source confirms them. Village of Lu is a single mission but six bosses, so expect it to take longer than its one line suggests.
Optional bosses worth knowing early
The Gold-Masked One appears three times: Weeping Creek Valley (Countstrike Bracers), Crimson Forest (Miraculous Scabbard) and Meigu Lake (Flaming Grip).
Hua, Deadly Betrothed and the Aberrant Three-Faced Puppet are optional fights in Weeping Creek Valley.
Acolyte bosses (Yanru, Leiting, Guhe) drop elemental masks: blazing, lightning and poison.
Optional bosses are as listed by Beebom; rewards may change with patches.
Collectibles that matter on the way
Sha-Chi Amber Shards raise maximum Sha-Chi.
Blackstone Shards permanently raise attack and defence.
Fast Travel Bells unlock travel points; activate each one you pass.
Weapons and Phantom Edges, accessories and medicines, Memory Flowers and Challenge Locations make up the rest of 100%.
List from Game Rant. Blackstone and Amber Shards are the two worth detouring for on a story run.
After the final mission
Game Rant reports you can fast-travel back to the bell before the final battle (the point of no return) or start New Game+, and that the game has several endings, with a secret Perfect ending tied to chains of side Tales and optional challenges. The exact number of endings is not confirmed.
Before you start: settings worth changing
On PC, read our install and troubleshooting guides first if you see crashes or shader stutter.
Turn on subtitles; the mission objectives are text-light.
Platforms and price
PS5 and PC (Steam). Standard is $59.99 in the US, £49.99 in the UK, €59.99 in the EU and ₹4,299 on Steam India (checked 30 October 2026; see our game guide for the full table).
Progress tracker
After finishing | Main missions done | Story progress |
|---|---|---|
Prologue | 2 of 21 | 10% |
Weeping Creek Valley | 5 of 21 | 24% |
Crimson Forest | 7 of 21 | 33% |
Village of Lu | 8 of 21 | 38% |
Pangzhen | 12 of 21 | 57% |
Mandate Encampment | 13 of 21 | 62% |
Meigu Lake | 17 of 21 | 81% |
Mountain of Imprisonment | 18 of 21 | 86% |
Mount Soulrend | 21 of 21 | 100% |
Progress here counts main missions only; side missions and optional bosses add time without moving these numbers.
Launch times around the world
Region | Unlock time |
|---|---|
UTC | 02:00, Thursday 29 October 2026 |
US Pacific | 7:00 p.m., Wednesday 28 October |
US Eastern | 10:00 p.m., Wednesday 28 October |
UK | 02:00 GMT, 29 October |
India | 7:30 a.m. IST, 29 October |
Prices (checked 30 October 2026)
Region | Standard (Steam) |
|---|---|
United States | $59.99 |
United Kingdom | £49.99 |
Eurozone | €59.99 |
India | ₹4,299 (Steam and PlayStation Store India) |
How to use this page while you play
Find the mission name on your screen in the table, then read across to see how many missions are left in that region.
If a mission name on your screen does not match, check your language setting; the names here are the English names reported at launch.
Our install and troubleshooting guides cover PC launch problems; this page only covers the route.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Rushing because of the 66-day framing There is no real timer on a first run.
- Skipping PC driver updates Our troubleshooting guide covers launch crashes.
Frequently asked questions
How many chapters are in Phantom Blade Zero?
A prologue plus eight regions, with 21 main missions in total (press-reported).
What is the first region?
Weeping Creek Valley, after the prologue.
What is the last mission?
A Soul's Worth, in Mount Soulrend.
Is there a time limit in Phantom Blade Zero?
Not on a first playthrough. The post-game 66 Days mode gives you 66 lives for the whole run, as reported by Game Rant.
How long is Phantom Blade Zero?
About 20–25 hours for the main story, 35–40 with side content and 50–55 for 100%, per Game Rant.
Does Phantom Blade Zero have New Game+?
Yes. After the final mission you can start New Game+ or return to the bell before the final battle.
Sources & verification
Sources last verified on . This article covers published information, not hands-on testing.
