New Game Plus
Coverage of developer interviews says a New Game Plus mode unlocks after a playthrough. That is a post-credits structure, not a fifth difficulty row.
Source: Gematsu State of Play recap .
Modes
Phantom Blade Zero difficulty
Four named settings. Damage tables and enemy HP are not public. The names and the permadeath rule are.
-
01
Wayfarer
The lower-pressure option for players who want the story and world first.
Named in the August 17, 2026 State of Play recap as the mode for enjoying the story.
-
02
Pathbreaker
The middle setting. Public recaps name it; they do not publish a full modifier list yet.
Named alongside the other three options in official State of Play coverage.
-
03
Hellwalker
Higher challenge with more advanced, adaptive enemy intelligence.
State of Play recap: Hellwalker uses more advanced and adaptive enemy AI.
-
04
Sixty-Six Days
Hellwalker rules plus a 66-death permadeath counter. The name matches Soul’s in-fiction remaining days.
State of Play recap and later coverage: equivalent to Hellwalker, with permadeath once the death counter reaches 0 from 66.