Not Hidetaka Miyazaki, but 1 Other Developer Instrumental in Demon Souls and Dark Souls Success is Leading Phantom Blade Zero to the Lofty Accolade of the Next Elden Ring

Traces of a Soulslike game are evident in this one.

SUMMARY

• One of the developers of Phantom Blade Zero has previously worked on the Souls games.
• From the gameplay trailer, it looks like the game is inspired by Soulslike games.

Hidetaka Miyazaki is a name that is beloved by many fans of Soulslike games, including original titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne. The success of Elden Ring has brought the creator’s team (FromSoftware) to a much-loved place of fame.

An upcoming action-adventure title, Phantom Blade Zero looks to be something inspired by the worlds created by FromSoftware, yet manages to pull off a gameplay style that mixed close-combat encounters and exploration. Moreover, one of its developers has previously worked on games from the much-revered studio.

Some of Phantom Blade Zero May Be Inspired by Hidetaka Miyazaki’s Ideas

In the past, the Souls games set the benchmark for challenging games that thrive on the concept of exploration and lore-driven, enigmatic gameplay. These themes have often found themselves at the core of Soulslike games, but no stay unique even years after their release.

In the case of Phantom Blade Zero, the gameplay trailer has shown off all of the themes that these games often carry strongly. And, there may be a good reason for this. As pointed out by Redditor GeoOwell, it seems that one of the developers (named Michael) at S-GAME (the studio behind the game) happens to be the same person responsible for certain art styles in games originally created by Hidetaka Miyazaki.

This was originally revealed in an interview done by BiliBili. Even though FromSoftware is run by some of the most talented minds in gaming, its source of inspiration may be traced back to Hidetaka Miyazaki, whose ideas have formed the legacy for some of the biggest franchises in the gaming industry.

This New World Feels a Tad Bit Similar

A mysterious world layered with unexplored history, including characters with depth… now, where have we seen this before? It feels pretty evident that the upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive isn’t shying away from showcasing how inspired its world feels.

Braved by a protagonist called Soul (if that isn’t a hint enough), this world can be extremely daunting and punishing if the player isn’t careful. Soul is an assassin who carries two weapons (primary and secondary) and seeks purpose as a worthy professional for The Order.

From what we know so far, the game’s gameplay loop will heavily reflect its world, which can be seen through traversal and puzzle-solving in open-zone areas. This shouldn’t be mistaken for something like Elden Ring, which is mostly an open-world area that tests the player’s freedom of choice.

Even if the information about an ex-FromSoftware employee wasn’t publicly out, it’s quite hard to miss where the inspiration truly lies. Will the game live up to the mark of games by FromSoftware though? Only time will tell. For now, it’s safe to say that a lot of the art direction here seems to be inspired by some of the best games in the Soulslike niche.

What are your thoughts on the game so far? Do you think the world and combat will resemble Soulslike games? Let us know your opinions in the comments below.