Blades of Fire is MercurySteam’s new action-adventure game. The game introduces several unique elements but struggles to execute them in a way that avoids becoming tedious or overwhelming. It accomplishes a number of things well but also grapples with an identity crisis, resulting in a jarring yet still playable experience.
A Disjointed Narrative
Blades of Fire takes place in a world where colossal beings known as the Forgers once thrived. After a catastrophic war, their civilization collapsed, and the Forgers became nearly extinct. Before their extinction, they created humans and bestowed upon them the ability of the Forgers and the gift of the Steel.
Thousands of years later, Queen Nerea ascends to power and casts a spell that turns her enemies’ Steel into Stone. Players assume the role of Aran de Lira, the last known individual with the Forgers’ gift, granting him the ability to craft steel weapons. Despite his shared past with the Queen, it is now his responsibility to bring her tyrannical reign to an end. The storytelling in Blades of Fire is arguably one of its weakest aspects. Beyond the opening cutscene, which simply introduces Aran and shows him gaining the Forgers’ gift before being ambushed, players are given minimal narrative context. This scene also includes an encounter with an older man and a child, the latter of whom dies, leaving Aran to care for the surviving boy, Adso. From there, the game launches into its main quest with limited exposition.
Players are left with many unanswered questions, such as the Queen’s motivations and the nature of the Steel-to-Stone spell. Her presence is minimal for much of the game, and little is revealed about Aran outside of a brief background available in the in-game glossary. Lore and character details are primarily delivered through optional reading rather than integrated storytelling. While more information is provided as the game progresses, its presentation remains lackluster, and the disjointed approach makes it difficult to become invested in the narrative. As a result, the story lacks depth and fails to give players a compelling reason to remain engaged.
Fun But Unsure Gameplay
Gameplay presents a mixed experience. As a Forger, Aran’s journey revolves around crafting, repairing, and upgrading weapons. Forge scrolls collected from enemies allow players to create over thirty weapon types, including swords, axes, spears, and great axes. Each weapon is satisfying to use and suited for different combat scenarios. Combat employs three damage types Blunt, Pierce, and Slash and certain enemies can only be defeated with specific types. This encourages players to keep a variety of weapons on hand and be strategic in their approach. The core combat system involves targeting enemy body parts and using light or heavy attacks. It is simple to grasp, with the main difficulty arising from using the appropriate weapon at the right time.
Despite the intuitive combat and crafting systems, the game suffers from a lack of clear direction. It attempts to emulate Souls-like design while maintaining elements of a more traditional action-adventure game. This creates friction in the overall experience. The game is challenging, particularly on Normal or Hard difficulty settings. Players will die frequently, and upon death, the currently equipped weapon is lost until retrieved. Although weapons can always be recovered regardless of how many times the player dies, the process remains frustrating, especially when enemies respawn. Additionally, running out of materials to craft new weapons leaves players with no choice but to retrieve lost ones or search for more resources.
A Soulslike Wannabe
The game borrows certain mechanics from Souls-like games but does not fully commit to the genre. In contrast to FromSoftware titles, players do not lose their weapons permanently, nor can they level up the protagonist’s attributes. Only weapons can be upgraded, while health and stamina are improved by locating shards in hidden chests, similar to systems used in the God of War franchise. All weapons eventually break regardless of strength or repair capacity. This encourages variety but can become frustrating when players are forced to abandon favored weapons during challenging encounters.
The crafting system includes a satisfying mechanic in which players manually forge weapons, simulating the experience of being a blacksmith. High-quality materials and skillful crafting result in powerful weapons and additional repair stars. The system is immersive but not overly complex. However, achieving maximum repair stars is time-consuming and not easily accomplished, which can occasionally lead to frustration.
Final Thoughts
Despite its shortcomings, Blades of Fire can be enjoyable. The enemy design is varied and engaging, with foes exhibiting distinct behaviors and attack patterns. Some enemies jump on their weapons, teleport, or use ranged attacks, adding depth to combat. Boss encounters are particularly noteworthy. These battles are difficult, well-designed, and offer unique challenges. While early boss encounters can be repetitive, later battles are more dynamic and rewarding.
The game also benefits from strong visual presentation. The art direction is excellent, character models are detailed, environments are rich and vibrant, and interiors are impressively designed. When not engaged in combat, players progress through the game via a series of creative sequences that contribute positively to the overall experience.
In conclusion, Blades of Fire is an enjoyable game with strong gameplay mechanics and visual design, but its narrative shortcomings and inconsistent identity prevent it from reaching its full potential. It remains a worthwhile experience for genre fans who prioritize combat and are willing to tolerate a less cohesive story.
The Review
Blades of Fire
Blades of Fire is an enjoyable game with strong gameplay mechanics and visual design, but its narrative shortcomings and inconsistent identity prevent it from reaching its full potential. It remains a worthwhile experience for genre fans who prioritize combat and are willing to tolerate a less cohesive story.
PROS
- Amazing visuals and art direction
- Great bosses
CONS
- Lacklustre narrative
- Tedious gameplay elements
