When I sat down to play developer MercurySteam's latest project, Blades of Fire, I anticipated a return to the studio's roots with their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games, perhaps updated with the modern flair of God of War. However, after an hour, my impressions shifted; it felt like a Soulslike, though with a unique twist where all the stats were embedded in the weapons rather than a traditional RPG character sheet. By the end of my three-hour hands-on session, I realized that Blades of Fire deftly blends these influences while carving its own path, resulting in a fresh and compelling take on the action-adventure genre.
While it's not a direct clone of Sony Santa Monica's work, the initial resemblance to God of War is striking. The game features a dark fantasy setting, powerful strikes, and a third-person camera that keeps you close to the action. During the demo, I navigated a labyrinthine map filled with treasure chests, aided by a young companion who assisted in solving puzzles. Together, we sought a woman of the wilds living in a house mounted on a giant creature. These elements evoke a sense of familiarity, yet there's also a clear nod to FromSoftware's work, such as anvil-shaped checkpoints that replenish health potions and respawn enemies.
Blades of Fire features some deeply strange enemies that feel like dark cousins of Labyrinth's puppets. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games
The world of Blades of Fire has a distinct 1980s fantasy vibe. Picture Conan the Barbarian fitting right in among its muscular soldiers, or Jim Henson's Labyrinth-style orangutan-like creatures bouncing on bamboo pogo sticks. The narrative also carries a retro feel, with an evil queen who has turned steel into stone, and you, playing as Aran de Lira—a blacksmith demigod—must defeat her to restore the world's metal. While the setting is charmingly old-school, I'm skeptical about the story, characters, and writing holding up over time; they feel reminiscent of many overlooked tales from the Xbox 360 era.
The game's true strength lies in its mechanics. Blades of Fire boasts a combat system centered on directional attacks, utilizing every face button on the controller. On a PlayStation pad, for instance, triangle targets the head, cross aims at the torso, while square and circle swipe left and right. Reading an enemy's stance is crucial to breaking through their defenses. For example, a soldier guarding their face can be defeated by aiming for their gut, resulting in satisfyingly visceral combat with blood trails erupting from wounds.
The system truly shines in encounters like the first major boss fight against a troll. This creature has a second health bar that can only be damaged after dismembering it, with the limb removed determined by your attack angle. You can even decapitate the troll, leaving it blind and flailing until it regrows its eyes. This approach to combat adds a strategic layer to battles.
Your weapons in Blades of Fire demand constant attention. They dull with use, reducing damage over time, requiring sharpening stones or a switch in stance to maintain effectiveness. Each weapon has a durability meter that depletes, and when it shatters, you can repair it at an anvil checkpoint or melt it down for crafting.
The forge system is the game's most innovative feature. Every weapon's journey begins here, with Aran sketching out a basic template on a chalkboard. You then tweak and modify the design, adjusting elements like the length of a spear's pole or the shape of its head, which affects the weapon's stats and stamina requirements. This process instills a sense of genuine crafting.
But the crafting doesn't stop there. You must physically hammer out the metal on an anvil through a detailed minigame, controlling the length, force, and angle of each strike. The goal is to match a curved line on the screen with vertical bars, akin to a graphic equalizer, without overworking the steel. Your performance is rated in stars, affecting how often you can repair the weapon before it's permanently lost.
The forging minigame is a great idea that feels a little too obtuse. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games
While I appreciate the concept of the forge and its skill-based approach to crafting, the minigame felt frustratingly obtuse. Hopefully, further refinement or better tutorials will be included before launch to enhance this unique feature.
MercurySteam aims for players to form deep attachments to their crafted weapons, intending for them to last throughout a journey that spans 60-70 hours. As you explore and find new materials, you can reforge your weapons to meet new challenges. The death system reinforces this bond; upon dying, you drop your current weapon and respawn without it, though it remains in the world for you to recover. This mechanic, inspired by Dark Souls, adds a personal touch to the game's progression.
Blades of Fire is a spiritual successor to Blade of Darkness, a game developed by MercurySteam's founders and seen as a precursor to the Souls series. The studio has integrated the advancements made by other developers during their hiatus from the genre, blending influences from God of War, FromSoftware's titles, and their own past work.
Aran is joined by his young companion, Adso, who can help solve puzzles and comment on the world's lore. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games
As I played, I could sense the pull of these influences, yet Blades of Fire stands apart. It doesn't merely mimic established systems but reinterprets them within a broader framework of ideas. The game offers a unique recipe that distinguishes it from its inspirations.
I have some concerns about the game's setting sustaining a 60-hour adventure and the potential lack of enemy variety, having fought the same miniboss multiple times. However, the deep connection between your forged weapons and the enemies you encounter is genuinely intriguing. In an era where complex games like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter have captured mainstream attention, Blades of Fire has the potential to add a fascinating new dimension to the gaming landscape.
Blades of Fire Screenshots
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