Phantom Blade Games Play Order – Chronological and Release Date Guide

The play order of Phantom Blade games begin from Rainblood: Town of Death in 2008 all the way to Phantom Blade Zero launching on October 29, 2026. There are a total of eight games across PC, mobile, and PlayStation. Most players jumping into Zero have no idea the series stretches back that far, and the early Rainblood games are basically their own little world. Here is the complete Phantom Blade games play order, both chronologically and in the order they were released, what makes each one worth playing, and where the new entry fits in.

Phantom Blade Games in Chronological Play Order

Phantom Blade doesn’t take place in the real world or any real historical period. The whole series is set in a completely fictional universe inspired by Chinese martial arts fiction, known as Wuxia. The games exist in their own timeline, within their own made-up world. So when we say "chronological order" here, we just mean the order of events within that fictional universe, from the earliest chapter of the story to the latest.

If you want to follow the story from the very beginning, here's the full list arranged by when each game takes place.

1. Rainblood Chronicles: Mirage (2013)

Even though Mirage came out third in terms of release, it’s actually the beginning of the story. It’s a side-scrolling action prequel that takes you back to the earliest days of the Wulin (the shadowy underground world of martial arts clans and assassins) before Soul’s journey even begins.

In this game, you can already see S-GAME’s obsession with fast, satisfying swordplay. If you want to understand where the whole world comes from, this is the true starting point.

2. Rainblood: Town of Death (2008 and 2010)

This is where Soul himself enters the picture. Originally called Rainblood: Dead Town, it’s an RPG Maker game where Soul and his companion move through a grim, mysterious town filled with betrayal and the dark Killing Qi arts. It's a very old game, so the graphics are quite retro, but the mood and mystery are already there. This is ground zero for Soul as a character.

3. Rainblood 2: City of Flame (2011)

City of Flame picks up right where Town of Death ends. The story scales up fast with more factions getting involved, more secrets about The Order spilling out, and the conspiracy getting a lot harder to ignore. Same RPG Maker style as the first, so manage your expectations visually. But story-wise, it’s a natural and satisfying next step.

4. Phantom Blade 1 / Rain Blood: Shadow Blade (2014)

Released under the name Rain Blood: Shadow Blade, this is where the series made its first big platform jump from PC to mobile. The story shifts focus to later generations of the Wulin rather than Soul’s direct arc, so it feels like a fresh chapter rather than a retelling. It brought the world to a much wider audience and laid the groundwork for what the mobile era of Phantom Blade would become.

5. Phantom Blade 2 (2016)

Released in 2016, this is a mobile sequel that keeps the saga going. The politics between different martial arts organizations get messier here, and the betrayal and power struggle elements the series does so well get pushed even further. If you played the first mobile game and enjoyed it, this one flows directly from it with no issues.

6. Phantom Blade 3 (2021)

Phantom Blade 3 is a real leap forward from everything before it. It’s a full action RPG with real-time combat, and the central conflict revolves around martial arts body modification spreading across the realm and the chaos it causes. This is the game that set the stage for everything that followed, including Executioners. It's like a bridge between the old Wulin world and the darker, more chaotic era Zero is set in.

7. Phantom Blade: Executioners (2023)

Executioners is essentially Phantom Blade 3 rebuilt as a global, multi-platform release, and it’s free-to-play. You follow members of The Order as they investigate Sha-Chi, a forbidden body-engineering technique that’s corrupting the martial arts world from the inside out. Because it's free and works on PC, PS4, PS5, iOS, and Android, it's the easiest way for most players to experience this part of the story.

8. Phantom Blade Zero (2026)

Zero is a spiritual rebirth and reimagining of the original saga rather than a straight sequel, built from scratch in Unreal Engine 5. You play as Soul again, this time as an elite assassin framed for a murder he didn’t commit, with only 66 days to live before the poison in his body finishes him off.

The combat pulls heavy inspiration from classic Hong Kong action films, and it is fast, fluid, and ruthlessly satisfying. With an 88 score on Metacritic, this is the game that finally gives Phantom Blade the mainstream spotlight it’s always deserved. If you haven't pre-ordered or preloaded the game, you should!

Also Read:

Phantom Blade Games Order by Release Date

Here's the order the games came out in, from the early PC days to the big Unreal Engine 5 release:

Which Phantom Blade Games Should You Play First?

I would recommend trying the newest one first, Phantom Blade Zero, to see if you like the game and its story. If you then get intrigued by the lore, it’s best to get your hands on the classic Rainblood series to fully experience the evolution of Phantom Blade.

If you want to see other games, you can check out our Onimusha games order list, Tom Clancy games order list, Gears of War games order list, or Assassin's Creed games order list.

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