Metacritic, OpenCritic and media scores
| Outlet / service | Score | Platform / scope | Source & verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metacritic | 88 / 100 | PC | Steam store listing ↗ Steam displays a Metascore of 88. Its page does not provide a live review count. Source snapshot 2026-10-27 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| OpenCritic | 91 / 100 | Aggregate across reviews | Secondary roundup ↗ 91 reported in the October 26 roundup. The live OpenCritic average was not independently verified. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| IGN | 9 / 10 | Not specified in Steam excerpt | Steam review excerpt ↗ The publisher’s Steam page lists IGN’s 9/10 and links to the original review. Source snapshot 2026-10-27 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| GameSpot | 80 / 100 | Not specified in cited roundup | Secondary roundup ↗ PSX Brasil reports 80 on a 100-point scale; this row retains that reported scale. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| Push Square | 9 / 10 | PS5 Pro / Europe | Original review ↗ Liam Croft awards 9/10, praising combat while criticizing the storytelling. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| Steam | — | PC | Store player-review status ↗ No player reviews displayed when checked. This is not a score of zero. Source snapshot 2026-10-27 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| Metacritic (PS5) | 88 / 100 | PS5 | Secondary roundup ↗ PS5 score reported October 26; separate from the PC value displayed on Steam. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| Eurogamer | 60 / 100 | Not specified in cited roundup | Secondary roundup ↗ The roundup reports 60/100. We have not independently verified the full original review. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| Insider Gaming | 9 / 10 | PS5 Pro | Original review ↗ Ruan Almeida highlights combat, boss encounters and art direction, with some technical reservations. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
| TheSixthAxis | 9 / 10 | PS5 | Original review ↗ Nick Petrasiti praises weapon experimentation, exploration and the game’s approach to player progress. Source snapshot 2026-10-26 · Checked 2026-10-27 |
What critics agree on
Combat is the clearest shared strength in the original reviews checked here. Push Square emphasizes the feel of fighting and the range of weapons and bosses. Insider Gaming also singles out the combat and boss encounters, while TheSixthAxis highlights how the game encourages weapon experimentation.
That makes the game especially worth investigating if you enjoy learning weapons and responding to enemy attacks. It does not establish a universal difficulty level or prove that every player will enjoy its pacing.
Where the reviews disagree
Storytelling is less settled than combat. Push Square strongly criticizes the presentation of the story. TheSixthAxis describes a more emotionally effective experience, while Insider Gaming notes that much of the context is delivered through optional documents. Read those differences alongside your own preference for action versus narrative.
Technical impressions also depend on the machine and mode. Push Square tested on PS5 Pro and reported some boss-fight frame drops and audio issues. Insider Gaming, also on PS5 Pro, describes a largely smooth playthrough with issues in rainy Pangzhen scenes and one boss encounter. Neither report is a controlled PC benchmark.
IGN, GameSpot and Eurogamer: reading the numbers
The Steam store lists IGN at 9/10 and links to its original review. PSX Brasil’s October 26 roundup reports GameSpot at 80/100 and Eurogamer at 60/100. Those last two values are presented on the roundup’s 100-point scale, not as independently verified original score formats.
An outlet score is one reviewer’s verdict; an aggregate combines multiple reviews using its own method. Different platforms, review builds and editorial priorities can produce different results. We do not average these rows together or treat a lower score as proof of a technical defect.
How to use this roundup before you buy
The next practical step is to check your regional release time and the preload requirements for your store.
- Start with reviews of the platform you plan to use. A PS5 Pro impression does not establish performance on base PS5 or your PC.
- Read the reasons behind a score. If combat is your priority, focus on weapon variety and encounter design; if story is the draw, pay particular attention to the disagreements.
- Treat pre-release performance notes as observations from the reviewer’s build. Check later patch information and current user reports once available.
- Watch official gameplay on our homepage to judge the pace and presentation for yourself.
Review-score questions
What is the Phantom Blade Zero Metacritic score?
When checked on October 27, the Steam store displayed 88 for PC. PSX Brasil’s October 26 roundup reported 88 for PS5. The two values have separate source and platform labels above, and can change as more reviews appear.
What is the OpenCritic score?
The cited October 26 roundup reports 91. We could not independently verify a live OpenCritic average, so this remains a dated, attributed snapshot.
Why is there no Steam user score?
The Steam store showed no user reviews at the time of our October 27 check. An unavailable user score is not zero and should not be mixed with critic ratings.
Is this a first-hand review?
No. We summarize and compare published reviews, link the sources, and do not assign our own score or claim to have completed the game.
Sources and editorial method
Where an original article was checked, it is labeled “Original review”. Where only a store excerpt or secondary roundup was checked, that limitation is stated. The score table preserves each cited source’s scale and does not claim a live review count.