Phantom Blade Zero’s voice cast includes Roger Craig Smith as Soul and martial arts legend Donnie Yen as Mó Yuan. Interestingly, Soul’s English voice was changed just before launch, which is why he sounds different in some earlier gameplay trailers. Developed by S-GAME, Phantom Blade Zero brings its dark wuxia world to life with English and Chinese voice acting.
So far, I’ve been able to verify the English voice actors for three major characters: Soul, Mó Yuan, and Mu Xiaokui.
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Phantom Blade Zero Voice Actors: English Version
Here are the English voice actors and their characters in Phantom Blade Zero that I found:
| Character | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| Soul | Roger Craig Smith |
| Mó Yuan | Donnie Yen |
| Mu Xiaokui | Maggie Robertson |
Jay Maksenuk originally voiced Soul, but Roger Craig Smith replaced his performance for the launch version. Maksenuk is not the main character’s voice in the updated release build.
Other characters appear throughout the game, but their English voice actors have not all been reliably identified. So, I decided to exclude them from the article. However, as soon as fresh data appears, I will update the article.
Soul Voiced by Roger Craig Smith
Roger Craig Smith voices Soul, the main protagonist of Phantom Blade Zero. He’s the former assassin of The Order who gets framed for murdering his master and ends up with just 66 days to live after surviving a fatal wound. If you’ve spent much time playing action games, you’ve almost certainly heard Smith before.
He’s the longtime voice of Sonic the Hedgehog and played Ezio Auditore in the Assassin’s Creed series. His other gaming credits include Chris Redfield in Resident Evil and Batman in Batman: Arkham Origins.
The moment I heard Soul speak, I recognized that voice. It brought back some great memories of Ezio and Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.
Soul is a rather different character from some of Smith’s most recognizable performances. He’s a reserved swordsman navigating a world where former allies have become enemies.
His story revolves around uncovering the conspiracy against him while trying to survive long enough to find a cure. Smith’s involvement wasn’t revealed until the final days before release. Players who followed the game’s development might remember Soul having a different voice in older trailers, and there’s a reason for that.
Mó Yuan Voiced by Donnie Yen
Donnie Yen provides the English voice of Mó Yuan, Soul’s father and the leader of the Bastion of Mó. He is the hidden boss of the game.
Yen is best known for playing Ip Man in the Ip Man films. He’s also appeared as Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4. His involvement in Phantom Blade Zero goes considerably further than recording a few lines.
He provided his facial performance and motion capture for Mó Yuan, bringing his martial arts experience directly into the character’s movements. Yen also served as a creative consultant for S-GAME, helping shape the game’s kung fu choreography and action design.
Game director Soulframe Liang confirmed that Yen performed his character’s voice-over himself. The result is that Mó Yuan’s English dialogue, appearance, and physical performance all involve the same actor. Yen’s involvement also extended to the Chinese-language production. He brought in Chen Hao, a longtime dubbing collaborator associated with the Ip Man films, to help refine Mó Yuan’s Chinese voice performance.
Mu Xiaokui Voiced by Maggie Robertson
Maggie Robertson voices Mu Xiaokui in Phantom Blade Zero. Mu Xiaokui is connected to The Order and plays a role in Soul’s past. Robertson is best known for voicing Lady Dimitrescu in Resident Evil Village, one of her most recognizable video game performances.
Why Soul’s Voice Actor Changed Before Release
One of the more unusual developments surrounding the Phantom Blade Zero cast happened just before the game launched. Jay Maksenuk originally provided Soul’s English dialogue and was still heard in much of the version supplied to reviewers.
However, S-GAME updated the protagonist’s voice performance during the review period, replacing Maksenuk with Roger Craig Smith.
The exact reason for the replacement hasn’t been publicly established. There is no verified explanation pointing to a dispute, performance issue, or other particular cause. So, if you’re comparing an older Phantom Blade Zero trailer with the final game and wondering why Soul sounds different, you’re not imagining things. The English voice actor really did change.
Other Phantom Blade Zero Characters and Their Voice Actors
The game features several other important characters whose English voice credits haven’t been reliably established from the available official announcements and cast databases.
Zuo Shang, Soul’s childhood blood brother, plays a central role in the events that leave the protagonist mortally wounded. The Flesh Sculptor is the mysterious healer responsible for Soul’s temporary second chance at life.
The Hunt is also among Soul’s former comrades, appearing as an early enemy during a spectacular fight on a moving wagon.
Although these characters feature in official trailers and gameplay footage, their English vocal performers shouldn’t be confused with the actors used for their visual likenesses or motion capture.
Does Phantom Blade Zero Have English and Chinese Voice Acting?
Yes. Phantom Blade Zero includes full English and Simplified Chinese audio, with both languages supported by lip-synced dialogue.
S-GAME worked with dedicated voice performers and directors for the two language versions rather than relying exclusively on subtitles. The Steam language listing confirms full audio for English and Simplified Chinese. Other supported languages, including Japanese and Korean, are listed with subtitles and interface localization rather than separate voice performances.
That gives players the choice of experiencing the story with English dialogue or the original Chinese-language presentation.
Phantom Blade Zero Voice Actors FAQ
Who voices Soul in Phantom Blade Zero?
Roger Craig Smith is Soul’s English voice actor in the launch version. He replaced Jay Maksenuk, whose earlier performance can still be heard in some promotional footage.
Does Donnie Yen voice a character in Phantom Blade Zero?
Yes. Donnie Yen voices Mó Yuan in English and also provides the character’s facial and motion capture. Mó Yuan is Soul’s father and leader of the Bastion of Mó.
Who was Soul’s original voice actor?
Jay Maksenuk provided Soul’s earlier English voice performance. His recordings appeared in pre-release material and review builds before the switch to Roger Craig Smith.
Who voices Zuo Shang?
Zuo Shang’s English voice actor has not been reliably verified from the casting information available so far. His character is central to the story, but a confirmed actor credit is still needed.
Phantom Blade Zero
