# How long is Phantom Blade Zero? What players report so far

> No player has reported finishing Phantom Blade Zero yet. Players reach its second area after 5 to 11 hours, and exploration, side quests and Sixty-Six Days add to the length.

By Creative Cult Research. Published 29 October 2026.

No player has reported finishing Phantom Blade Zero yet. It came out on PC at 01:45 UTC on 29 October 2026, and by that evening the longest playtimes in its reviews ran to about 18 hours.[^1] Here's what players have found about its length so far.

## The first area takes 5 to 11 hours

Players reach the game's second area after 5 to 11 hours, depending on how much they explore and how many optional fights they take on. Players who explore it fully and fight its bosses take 8 to 11 hours.[^1]

## What makes it longer

- **Exploration.** Players describe large areas full of secrets, side content and items they can only reach once they have the right weapon, so going back pays off.[^1]
- **Side quests.** S-GAME says completing some side quests can open new story paths.[^2]
- **Difficulty.** Hellwalker's bosses take several tries for many players, while Wayfarer is the mode for players who mainly want the story.[^1][^2] [Our difficulty guide](https://creativecult.digital/research/phantom-blade-zero-difficulty) covers each mode.
- **Sixty-Six Days.** Players report that this mode opens only after a first run, as a reason to play again.[^1]

## What keeps it moving

Beaten enemies stay dead, even after you rest, and a boss's cleared phases stay cleared when you die. Players say that cuts the retries and grinding of a soulslike, and some of them would rather have enemies come back.[^1]

## More on Phantom Blade Zero

See [what players say about the game](https://creativecult.digital/games/phantom-blade-zero), [how many people are playing it](https://creativecult.digital/research/phantom-blade-zero-player-count) and [its PC performance](https://creativecult.digital/research/phantom-blade-zero-pc-performance).

## Sources

[^1]: Steam: Phantom Blade Zero, store page and user reviews. https://store.steampowered.com/app/4115450/
[^2]: PlayStation Blog, Phantom Blade Zero State of Play dives deep into combat and the Wulin world, by Soulframe Liang, founder and CEO of S-GAME, 17 August 2026. https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/17/phantom-blade-zero-state-of-play-dives-deep-into-combat-and-the-wulin-world/

Page: https://creativecult.digital/research/how-long-is-phantom-blade-zero