Blades of Fire

“The weapon-forging minigame is a slog, NPCs are overly annoying, and losing weapons upon death isn't nearly as impactful as I had hoped. It's clear that MercurySteam has a good concept on its hands, but the execution could have been better in some parts. Perhaps these ideas will be better executed in a sequel.”

“MercurySteam makes its bold return with Blades of Fire, a Soulslike with some revolutionary mechanics but some serious pacing issues.”

“Blades of Fire can be great fun, but it definitely overstays its welcome.”

“Blades of Fire’s blacksmithing burns bright, but overly simplistic combat and a mediocre story mean it doesn’t forge a sharp enough edge to put its customizable weapons to good use.”

“It's got the Metroidvania chops of their Nintendo Switch high-point Metroid Dread, the fantasy-horror imagination of their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games, and a fantastic combat system that smashes them both. A great adventure that'll make you want to try every weapon it hits you with. Outstanding.”

“Blades of Fire is one of the most ambitious Spanish games of recent times and an action-packed offering worthy of applause for bringing a sense of renewal to a crowded gaming genre. With a combat system directly tied to role-playing elements and exploration, this title will captivate the most discerning action RPG fans.”

“It’s a kind of game that feels out of place in time, but benefits from its accidental time travel by doing things a PlayStation 2-era console simply can’t.”

“Blades of Fire is a very good game, blending tough action RPG combat with a fun and unique weapon forging. The story is a little by the numbers and exploration does have a lot of back and forth, but the different regions and enemies look great and the narrative is elevated by Aran and Adso's relationship.”

“Blades of Fire alternates very good mechanics (the forge and the combat system) with less successful ones (characterization, narrative and game world). It is well playable and fun, but it has the feeling of a wasted opportunity.”

“Like its title, Blades of Fire suffers from aspects that are kind of generic. The visual design and musical score emulate Hollywood fantasy to a fault, and the gameplay is excellent. Fans of action RPGs can safely ignore the Souslike label and enjoy this very accessible game.”

“Blades of Fire is a welcome return to MercurySteam and I think it’s one that is going to be a sleeper hit. The way the story unfolds and pushes the player to explore the environment that is littered with hidden fights and upgrades that will help Aran become stronger.”

“Blades of Fire is a great return to the genre for MercurySteam. With great exploration and a unique combat system, Blades of Fire should have been a sure hit. Unfortunately, the situations you encounter feel completely unfair, and the mechanics sometimes work completely against you. Even still, Blades of Fire is a fun game that harkens back to the old school action-adventure titles, where exploring its world reaps the best rewards and game experience.”

“Blades of Fire is a well-made and lengthy action adventure romp that will test your combat skills, provided you can see it through. Taking inspiration from some of gaming's greatest hits, it never quite manages to reach those lofty heights itself, let down by a generic setting and lacklustre art direction. Still, it offers some interesting concepts, with combat and crafting mechanics that remain satisfying throughout.”

“Ultimately, there’s too much work involved for not nearly enough reward from the world or the narrative, despite the occasional interesting twist and turn.”

“With its weapon-building systems and deliberate, targeted combat, Blades of Fire has a lot of fresh-feeling ideas. Its control scheme is strange and will force you to press each button with care. Its granular forging system makes you consider every weapon in your arsenal. But however differently it approaches them, the game only offers the same thrills as other action games of its ilk. Blades of Fire feels unique, but just can't get weird enough.”

“The combat system and crafting mechanics thus come together in a unicum that makes the gameplay of Blades of Fire innovative and truly original. At the beginning, such an impressive amount of choices to make might seem overwhelming. But it still remains a much-needed breath of fresh air in a stagnant sector .”

“Blades of Fire manages to feel original, lovable, and born of genuine passion, despite the near overwhelming number of problems that could have extinguished it.”