Phantom Blade Zero has been holding its ground at the top of the Steam global best-sellers list for six days straight, ever since pre-orders kicked off on August 13. To keep the hype train rolling, a deep-dive gameplay video dropped during the State of Play on August 18, shedding light on the game's lore and core mechanics.

Phantom Blade Zero is an action RPG built on a 'Kungfupunk' premise, blending martial arts with steampunk aesthetics. The protagonist, Soul, is betrayed, framed for murder, and left with a fatal wound to the heart. After being saved by a mysterious healer, Soul is given a 66-day deadline to live, forcing Soul to uncover the conspiracies plaguing the martial arts world while racing against time.

The new footage released on August 18 introduces 'Pang-Zhen', the stage for this adventure. While not a traditional open-world title, the game features a non-linear design where regions are organically connected. Players can hunt for side quests and treasures, utilizing a 'Beacon' system to fast-travel between key hubs they have discovered.

The video also details the combat and weaponry, offering a staggering 30 primary and 25 secondary weapons. Players can mix and match to their heart's content: Drunken Fist for enhanced evasion, dual blades for ranged strikes, or iron fists and hammers to shatter enemy defenses. Plus, if you fancy a change of pace, the game allows you to reset weapon levels via talismans, refunding materials so you can pivot your build without the usual grind.

Difficulty settings come in four flavors. There is 'Wayfarer' for those who prefer an intuitive flow, 'Pathbreaker' for a balanced challenge, and 'Hellwalker', where bosses react in real-time to your spacing and habits. For the masochists, the '66-Day Mode' applies a literal countdown; every death whittles down your remaining time, leading to permanent death once the clock runs out.

On a side note, the pre-order trailer from August 13 caused quite a stir by featuring action star Donnie Yen. Yen not only appears as the protagonist's father but also serves as the Creative Consultant, overseeing the game's overall combat choreography.

Elsewhere, the soulslike sequel Mortal Shell 2 has taken the number one spot as it enters early access. With a solid Metacritic score of 84, it is currently tracking 'Very Positive' on Steam, comfortably outpacing the 'Mixed' reception of its predecessor.

In the Concurrent Players charts, the game 'The Finals' has held firm at the 100,000 mark for a week following its final major update. Palworld saw a slight dip to 256,387, slipping to fifth place.