Blades of Fire: The First Preview

My hands-on time with MercurySteam's Blades of Fire began with expectations of a Castlevania: Lords of Shadow revival, modernized with a God of War sheen. An hour in, it felt like a Soulslike, albeit one where weapon stats, not character sheets, dictated power. Three hours later, I realized both impressions were partially true, yet ultimately misleading. Blades of Fire, while undeniably drawing inspiration from established titles, cleverly blends familiar elements with innovative ideas, creating a unique action-adventure experience.

While not a direct God of War clone, the similarities are striking. The dark fantasy setting, weighty combat, and close-quarters camera perspective evoke Kratos' Norse saga. The demo, set early in the game, involved exploring a labyrinthine map, solving puzzles with a young companion, and seeking a mysterious wild woman residing in a house perched atop a colossal beast. These familiar elements, coupled with FromSoftware-inspired mechanics—including anvil-shaped checkpoints that replenish health potions and respawn enemies—occasionally verge on overly derivative.

This familiarity is tempered by a distinct 1980s fantasy aesthetic. Imagine Conan the Barbarian alongside powerfully built soldiers, and orangutan-like foes bouncing on bamboo pogo sticks—a scene straight out of Jim Henson's Labyrinth. The story, too, has a retro feel: an evil queen has petrified steel, and Aran de Lira, a blacksmith demigod, must slay her to restore the world's metal. However, the narrative, characters, and writing felt somewhat generic, reminiscent of many forgotten Xbox 360-era titles.

Despite these narrative shortcomings, Blades of Fire's mechanics shine. The combat system, utilizing directional attacks mapped to every face button (PlayStation controller example: triangle for head, cross for torso, square and circle for left and right swipes), rewards careful enemy observation. A soldier shielding their face can be defeated by a low strike, for instance. The impact is visceral, with satisfyingly gory results.

This system excels in moments like the encounter with the first major boss, a hulking troll. This boss had a secondary health bar, accessible only after dismemberment. The limb removed depends on the angle of attack, allowing strategic disarming or even facial removal, leaving the troll temporarily incapacitated.

The weapon system is another key differentiator. Stamina doesn't regenerate automatically; players must manually replenish it by holding the block button. This, combined with Soulslike elements like precise dodge/block/parry timings, creates a risk-reward system, although the penalties are less severe than in FromSoftware titles. Initially, this felt jarring, as the directional attack system demands a different control scheme. However, once adapted, the unique mechanics took center stage. Different stances (slashing or thrusting) allow for strategic combat based on enemy assessment and HUD prompts.

Blades of Fire Screenshots

9 ImagesWeapons are central to Blades of Fire, demanding constant attention. Edged weapons dull with use, requiring sharpening stones or stance changes (edge and tip wear independently). Weapons have durability meters, eventually shattering and requiring repair at anvil checkpoints or reforging. This leads to the game's most significant innovation: the forge.

The forge is more than a crafting menu; it's a hands-on experience. Players choose a weapon template, customize its design (e.g., spear length, head shape), and then physically hammer it out on an anvil via a minigame. This minigame involves matching a curved line by manipulating vertical bars with hammer strikes. Overworking the metal weakens the weapon, so precision is key. The resulting star rating determines repair frequency before permanent breakage.

While the forge's concept is excellent, the minigame felt obtuse in the demo, lacking a clear connection between strike location and metal shaping. Improvements or a better tutorial are needed. The forge fosters a deep player-weapon connection, crucial for the 60-70 hour campaign. New metals allow for reforging and enhancing weapons, ensuring they remain effective throughout the adventure. Death results in weapon loss, adding further weight to this relationship.

What is the best modern melee action game? ------------------------------------------

Monster Hunter WildsStar Wars Jedi: SurvivorGod of War RagnarokBlack Myth: WukongDevil May Cry 5Sekiro: Shadows Die TwiceSenua's Saga: Hellblade 2Other (let us know in the comments!)

AnswerSee ResultsThis weapon loss mechanic, while inspired by *Dark Souls*, emphasizes a unique bond. Lost weapons persist in the world, presenting a retrieval challenge. This system's long-term impact and the potential for backtracking to recover older weapons remain to be seen.

MercurySteam's adoption of Dark Souls elements is unsurprising, given FromSoftware's influence and Blades of Fire's spiritual connection to Blade of Darkness, a MercurySteam predecessor considered a Soulslike precursor. The studio builds upon its past, integrating advancements from other studios.

The influences—Blade of Darkness' combat, FromSoftware's innovations, and God of War's world design—are evident but don't define Blades of Fire. It transcends its inspirations, forging its own identity. Concerns remain about the generic fantasy setting's suitability for a 60-70 hour campaign and the limited enemy variety observed in the demo. However, the deep weapon-combat integration is intriguing. In a landscape dominated by complex titles like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter, Blades of Fire has the potential to carve a unique niche.