When I sat down to play developer MercurySteam's latest project, Blades of Fire, I expected a modern take on the studio's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series, infused with the contemporary flair of God of War. However, after an hour, I found myself immersed in a game that felt like a Soulslike, with all the stats focused on the weapons rather than traditional RPG character progression. By the end of my three-hour hands-on session, I realized that Blades of Fire was both a nod to its inspirations and a departure from them, crafting a unique and engaging experience within the action-adventure genre.
While it shares visual and thematic similarities with Sony Santa Monica's God of War, Blades of Fire is not a mere clone. The game's dark fantasy setting, powerful combat moves, and close third-person camera perspective echo Kratos' Norse adventures. Yet, there are deeper connections: during the demo, I navigated a labyrinthine map dotted with treasure chests, aided by a young companion who assisted in solving puzzles. We were on a quest to find a woman of the wilds who resided in a house atop a giant creature. These elements, combined with FromSoftware-inspired checkpoints that respawn enemies and refill health potions, can sometimes feel overly familiar.
Blades of Fire features some deeply strange enemies that feel like dark cousins of Labyrinth's puppets. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games
The game's world evokes a nostalgic 1980s fantasy vibe, where characters like Conan the Barbarian would fit right in among its muscular warriors, and enemies resembling orangutans on bamboo pogo sticks wouldn't be out of place in Jim Henson's Labyrinth. The narrative follows a classic video game trope—an evil queen has transformed steel into stone, and it's up to you, playing as Aran de Lira, a blacksmith demigod, to defeat her and restore the world's metal. While the setting has a charming retro feel, the story, characters, and dialogue seem rather generic, reminiscent of many overlooked Xbox 360-era games.
Blades of Fire shines most brightly in its mechanics. The combat system revolves around directional attacks, utilizing each face button on the controller. On a PlayStation pad, triangle targets the head, cross the torso, while square and circle attack left and right, respectively. By observing an enemy's stance, you can break through their defenses strategically. For instance, a soldier guarding their face can be defeated by aiming for the gut, resulting in satisfyingly visceral effects.
The combat system truly excels during boss fights. The first major boss, a troll, had a second health bar that could only be damaged after dismembering it. The limb you remove depends on your attack angle, allowing you to strategically sever its left arm to disarm it or even cut off its face, leaving it blind and vulnerable.
Your weapons are central to Blades of Fire, requiring constant attention. They dull with use, reducing damage incrementally, necessitating sharpening or switching stances. The game's stamina gauge, used for attacks and dodges, must be manually restored by holding the block button, adding a unique layer to the combat. While the overall battle style feels reminiscent of Souls games, the directional attack system and the need to adapt to different controls make Blades of Fire distinctly different.
As I adjusted to the game's unique mechanics, the combat became refreshingly distinct. The weapon system allows for various stances, using the sharp edge for slashing or the pointed tip for thrusting, each effective against different foes.
Blades of Fire Screenshots
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Weapons are the heart of Blades of Fire. They not only dull with use but also have a durability meter that depletes over time, requiring repair at an anvil checkpoint or melting down for crafting new weapons. This brings us to the game's most innovative feature: the forge.
MercurySteam has created an extensive weapon crafting system. Starting with a basic template, you can customize everything from the length of a spear's pole to the shape of its head, affecting stats and stamina demands. You name your creation, adding a personal touch to your arsenal.
The forging process is a detailed minigame where you control the length, force, and angle of each hammer strike to match an ideal curve. Overworking the steel weakens the weapon, so efficiency is key. Your performance is rated with stars, determining how often you can repair the weapon before it's lost forever.
While the forging minigame is a fantastic concept, it can feel overly complex. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games
While I appreciate the forge's innovative approach to weapon crafting, the minigame felt somewhat obtuse. A clearer connection between strikes and the resulting metal shape, along with better tutorials, could enhance this feature before launch.
The forge system goes beyond the demo's scope, promising a deep connection with your crafted weapons throughout a 60-70 hour journey. As you discover new materials, you can reforge your weapons to meet evolving challenges. The death system adds to this bond; upon dying, you drop your weapon, which remains in the world for you to reclaim and reforge.
MercurySteam's Blades of Fire draws heavily from Dark Souls and its successors, reflecting FromSoftware's influence on the genre. It's also a spiritual successor to Blade of Darkness, a game developed by the studio's founders, which many consider a precursor to the Souls series. The developers have picked up where they left off, incorporating advancements from other studios.
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
Playing Blades of Fire, I felt the pull of MercurySteam's influences—Blade of Darkness's brutal combat, FromSoft's innovations, and God of War's world design. Yet, the game stands on its own, reinterpreting these systems into a unique experience. While the generic dark fantasy setting and repeated encounters with the same miniboss raise some concerns about variety, the depth of the weapon-forging system and its impact on combat have me intrigued.
In an era where complex games like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter have found mainstream success, Blades of Fire has the potential to offer something truly fascinating to the gaming scene.
