Phantom Blade Zero
Give it 2 hours
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 3 reviews are negative (32%); after 5h it's 1 in 9 (11%).
- Fully opens up by hour 3.
- The biggest drop-off is between “The Heart's Journey” (Escape the Pursuers on the Main Road) and “An Unwavering Heart” (Pass Through the Outpost): from 100% to 74% of starters.
- 92% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 41,376 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 10.5h for positive, 8.4h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (92.2% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- The Heart's Journey Escape the Pursuers on the Main Road 100%
- An Unwavering Heart Pass Through the Outpost Most players quit here 74% −26
- The Axe's Grudge Defeat Axemaster Peng Meng 78% +4
- The Hunt Defeat the Hunt, Hunter of the Order 59% −19
- Blotting Out the Sky Exit the Cave Behind the Waterfall 52% −7
- Scarlet Wraithblade Defeat Hua, the Bride 51% −1
- A Thousand Cups Drained Defeat Hua Qianxiao, the Sword Fanatic 37% −14
- The Shattered Mirror Defeat Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents 20% −18
- Nowhere to Stand Unravel the Illusion in Mirrorwood 18% −2
- Will We Meet Again? Defeat Mu Xiaokui, the Young Mistress of the Order 8% −9
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (66)
story milestone ending side
- The Heart's Journey Escape the Pursuers on the Main Road 100%
- Way of the Phantom Perform a Chain Assassination 83%
- The Axe's Grudge Defeat Axemaster Peng Meng 78%
- The Rusted Blade Inflict Blood Loss with Jagged Steel 77%
- An Unwavering Heart Pass Through the Outpost 74%
- The Hunt Defeat the Hunt, Hunter of the Order 59%
- Blotting Out the Sky Exit the Cave Behind the Waterfall 52%
- Scarlet Wraithblade Defeat Hua, the Bride 51%
- A Thousand Cups Drained Defeat Hua Qianxiao, the Sword Fanatic 37%
- Way of the Blade Perform a Chain Execution 27%
- The Blade's Thirst Use Outlaw's Warblade to unleash [Bloodthirst Frenzy] 24%
- The Shattered Mirror Defeat Bai Chilian, Lady of the Twin Serpents 20%
- Nowhere to Stand Unravel the Illusion in Mirrorwood 18%
- A Drunken Dream Use Fanatic's Broken Blade to enter the [Drunk] State 15%
- Will We Meet Again? Defeat Mu Xiaokui, the Young Mistress of the Order 8.0%
- Blossom of False Salvation Leave Village of Lu for Pangzhen 7.4%
- Fists of Fury Use Iron Gauntlets to perform [Masterstroke Fist] 7.2%
- A Friend from Thin Air Use any Summon-type Phantom Edge to summon an ally 6.0%
- Listen to Every Flower Collect 10 Memory Flowers 5.6%
- Into the Deadly Trap Visit the Order's Tavern 4.3%
- Delayed Blast Use Fiend Saws to trigger [Fiend-Aura Erosion] 3.8%
- A Wanderer's Honor Complete [Young Master Lan] 3.4%
- Collector’s Notes Collect 30 Accessories 2.9%
- Overwhelming Force Upgrade a weapon to Level 30 1.6%
- The Lion's Spirit Lives On Defeat Flame, the Lion Dance Grandmaster 1.5%
- Skill Over Strength Upgrade a Phantom Edge to Level 30 1.2%
- Sword Against the Seven-Stars Defeat the Chief Disciple of the Seven-Stars 0.7%
- The Healer’s Legacy Complete [Flesh Lily], [Apprentice Healer], and [A Healer’s Mercy] 0.5%
- Who Can Judge? Investigate the Training Grounds 0.4%
- Three Wardens Fall Defeat the three Shadow Wardens: Cavalrybane, Soulclaimer, and Heartpiercer. 0.4%
- A World Gone Hollow Solve the Serpent Head Lock in the Green Serpent House 0.3%
- The Last of Baishan Complete [Secrets of the Baishan Sect] 0.3%
- Together Till the End Complete [The Journey Home] 0.3%
- Complete Mastery Collect 10 Sha-Chi Ambers 0.3%
- Leave No Stone Unturned Collect 10 Blackstones 0.3%
- Lightning Fast Use Thunder Spear to paralyze an enemy 0.3%
- A Tempered Ten Perform Tempering on 10 weapons 0.2%
- Bloodless Victory Use Soft Snake Sword's [Serpentine Reversal] to deflect an enemy attack 0.2%
- Turning the Tide Defeat You Loong, Blackwater Crew Leader twice 0.2%
- Where Have Old Friends Gone? Reach the Realm of Mirage 0.1%
- Muddy Waters Run Deep Cleave Through the Heart of the Lake 0.1%
- Blood Heralds the Dawn Pass Through Mirage Estate 0.1%
- Through Frost and Snow Step Into the Snow, Head for the Cliff 0.1%
- With Heart and Blood All Comes to Light 0.1%
- Crossroads of Blood Defeat Huangxing, the Kunlun Renegade 0.1%
- Nothing Goes to Waste Defeat the Puppet Scavenger 0.1%
- All Return to Dust Defeat Lei Dang, the Tiger Cannon 0.1%
- The White Shadow Defeat the Blizzard Blademaster 0.1%
- Saw It Through Defeat the Saw and the Crusher 0.1%
- All Dreams Must End All Schemes Come to Nothing 0.1%
- Master of the Misty Waters Defeat Blackwater Leader You Loong, Zither Maiden Yan Qiansui, and the One-Eyed Archer in the Meigu Lake area 0.1%
- The Four Freed Defeat the Four Great Puppets: Yuzan, Yubi, Yuding, and Yucong 0.1%
- The Two Blade Masters Defeat Zhu Yuan and Commander Bi Feng 0.1%
- Forbidden Arts Beneath the Lake Complete [Secrets at the Heart of the Lake] 0.1%
- Phantom and Blade Complete [Bloodline Awakening] 0.1%
- Spectral Blade Complete [A Severed Mindseal] 0.1%
- Lost and Found Complete All [Quick Hand’s Requests] 0.1%
- Even Trees Know Sorrow Complete [Heart of the Banyan] 0.1%
- Phantom Arsenal Perform Tempering on 10 Phantom Edges 0.1%
- The Flame Within Use Infernal Rouge to unleash [Phantom Blade] 0.1%
- Snow and Frost Use Whiteshadow to freeze an enemy 0.1%
- Cleave in Two Use Crescent Blade's [Qinglong Cleave] to instantly kill an enemy 0.1%
- Perfectly Linked Use Seamless Death to land consecutive Flying Rings on a locked-on enemy 0.1%
- Baishan Tempest Use Baishan Stormsword to unleash [Lightning Storm] 0.1%
- Heavenfall Strike Use Bashpole to land an aerial slam on an enemy 0.1%
- Defy Destiny Unlock all other achievements 0.1%