Blades of Fire: The First Preview

When I sat down to play developer MercurySteam's latest project, Blades of Fire, I expected a return to the studio's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow roots, infused with the modern stylings of God of War. However, after an hour, it felt more like a Soulslike, albeit one where all the stats were embedded in the weapons rather than an RPG character sheet. By the end of my three-hour hands-on session, I realized that this game is a unique blend of familiar and new elements, crafting a fresh and intriguing approach to the action-adventure genre.

While Blades of Fire isn't a direct clone of Sony Santa Monica's work, it's easy to see the influence at first glance. The game's dark fantasy setting, powerful strikes, and tight third-person camera closely resemble the Norse saga of Kratos. Throughout the demo, I navigated a winding, treasure-filled map with the help of a young companion, Adso, who assisted in solving puzzles. Together, we sought out a woman of the wilds living in a house atop a giant creature. The game also borrows heavily from FromSoftware, with anvil-shaped checkpoints that restore health potions and respawn enemies. At times, it can feel a bit too familiar.

The game's world evokes a nostalgic 1980s fantasy vibe. You could easily imagine Conan the Barbarian fitting in with its muscular soldiers, and the whimsical orangutan-like enemies on bamboo pogo sticks wouldn't be out of place in Jim Henson's Labyrinth. The narrative also has a retro feel, centered around an evil queen who has turned 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. Despite these charming elements, the story, characters, and writing seem fairly generic, reminiscent of many overlooked Xbox 360 era games.

Blades of Fire's true strength lies in its mechanics, particularly its combat system. It features directional attacks mapped to every face button on the controller. On a PlayStation pad, for example, the triangle button targets the head, the cross button the torso, and the square and circle buttons swipe left and right. By observing an enemy's stance, you can exploit these attacks to break through their defenses. A soldier guarding their face with a blade can be defeated by aiming low and striking their gut, with satisfyingly visceral effects.

The combat system shines in boss fights, like the encounter with a slobbering troll. The troll has a second health bar that can only be damaged after dismembering it, with the limb you remove depending on your attack angle. You can even sever its entire face, leaving it blind and flailing until it regenerates its eyes.

Weapons in Blades of Fire require significant attention. They dull with repeated use, reducing damage over time, so you'll need to sharpen them with a stone or switch stances, as the edge and tip wear down independently. When a weapon shatters, you can repair it at an anvil checkpoint or melt it down to craft anew.

Blades of Fire Screenshots

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The heart of the game lies in its forge system, which is incredibly detailed. Instead of finding new weapons in the world, you start from scratch, choosing a basic template and modifying it. For instance, when crafting a spear, you can adjust the pole length and spearhead shape, which impacts the weapon's stats. Different materials affect the weapon's weight and stamina demands, enhancing the sense of crafting.

The forging process itself is a complex minigame where you control the hammer's length, force, and angle to shape the metal. A curved line represents the ideal shape, and you align vertical bars to match it. Overworking the steel weakens the weapon, so achieving the perfect shape in as few strikes as possible is crucial. Your efforts are scored with a star rating, affecting how often you can repair the weapon before it breaks permanently.

I appreciate the forge's concept and the skill element it adds to crafting, but found the minigame somewhat frustrating and unclear. Hopefully, further refinement or better tutorials will enhance this feature before launch.

MercurySteam's vision extends beyond the demo, aiming for a deep connection between players and their crafted weapons throughout a 60-70 hour journey. As you explore and find new metals, you can reforge your weapons to meet new challenges. The death system adds another layer, as you drop your weapon upon defeat, emphasizing the bond with your armaments.

The game's mechanics, inspired by Dark Souls, foster a meaningful bond with your weapons, unlike the easily replenished souls. Dropped weapons remain in the world, challenging you to retrieve them, adding a layer of strategy and anticipation to the full campaign.

MercurySteam's adoption of ideas from Dark Souls and its spiritual connection to Blade of Darkness—developed by the studio's founders—show their intent to build on past successes while integrating modern advancements.

Throughout my playthrough, the influences from Blade of Darkness, FromSoftware, and God of War were evident, yet Blades of Fire stands on its own merits. It doesn't merely emulate these games but reinterprets their systems into a cohesive new experience.

Despite some concerns about the generic dark fantasy setting and potential lack of variety in enemy encounters, the intricate relationship between your crafted weapons and the combat system has 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 unique and engaging to the gaming community.