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, partially false. Blades of Fire undeniably draws from familiar territory, yet its unique blend of borrowed mechanics and fresh ideas creates a surprisingly distinct action-adventure experience.

While not a God of War clone, the initial resemblance is undeniable. The dark fantasy setting, weighty combat, and close-quarters camera perspective echo Kratos' Norse saga. The parallels extend further: my early-game demo involved exploring a labyrinthine map, solving puzzles with a young companion, and seeking a reclusive wild woman dwelling atop a colossal beast. This familiarity, however, is tempered by a distinct 1980s fantasy aesthetic. Imagine Conan the Barbarian alongside incredibly muscular soldiers, and orangutan-like foes bouncing on bamboo pogo sticks—a touch of Jim Henson's Labyrinth darkness. The story, too, feels retro: an evil queen has petrified steel, and Aran de Lira, a blacksmith demigod, must slay her and restore the world's metal. While charmingly old-school, the narrative, characters, and writing currently lack compelling depth, feeling somewhat generic, reminiscent of many forgotten Xbox 360-era titles.

Fortunately, Blades of Fire's mechanical prowess compensates. Combat hinges on directional attacks utilizing every face button. On a PlayStation controller, triangle targets the head, cross the torso, square and circle swipe left and right. Reading enemy posture is key to exploiting weaknesses; a soldier shielding their face can be vulnerable to a low blow. The impact is visceral, with copious blood spurting from wounds.

This system shines in encounters like the demo's first boss, a hulking troll. Its secondary health bar only depletes after dismemberment, the limb severed depending on your attack angle. Severing its arm disarms it; removing its face renders it blind and flailing.

This combat is enhanced by several unique features. Stamina doesn't regenerate automatically; it requires manual replenishment by holding the block button. Despite these additions, the combat retains a Soulslike feel—attack pattern recognition and precise dodge/block/parry windows are crucial, though the punishment isn't as severe. While initially triggering FromSoftware muscle memory, the directional attack system necessitates a different control scheme, repositioning blocking to the left trigger.

Once accustomed to this, the unique mechanics took center stage. The weapon system allows wielding blades in different stances—slashing or thrusting—requiring enemy assessment to determine optimal methods.

Blades of Fire Screenshots

9 ImagesWeapons are central to Blades of Fire, demanding significant attention. Edged weapons dull with use, reducing damage over time, requiring sharpening. The edge and tip wear independently, reflecting fighting style. Like in Monster Hunter, sharpening mid-combat is necessary. However, weapons have a finite durability, eventually shattering, requiring repair at anvil checkpoints or melting down for crafting. This leads to the game's most innovative feature: the forge.

Weapon design begins by selecting a template, then tweaking length, shape, and materials, impacting stats and stamina consumption. The design is then physically hammered out on an anvil via a minigame involving matching a curved line with hammer strikes, aiming for minimal strikes to avoid weakening the weapon. The result is a star rating affecting repairability.

The forge's concept is excellent, introducing skill to a typically menu-driven system. However, the minigame's obtuse nature and unclear connection between strikes and metal shaping need improvement before launch.

The forge fosters a deep player-weapon bond, crucial for the claimed 60-70 hour campaign. New materials allow re-forging, adapting weapons to new challenges. Death results in weapon loss, requiring retrieval; a mechanic inspired by Dark Souls, but with a more meaningful consequence than simply regaining lost souls.

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!)

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MercurySteam's influences—Blade of Darkness, FromSoftware, and God of War—are evident, yet they serve as building blocks for a unique identity. Blades of Fire transcends its inspirations. While concerns remain about the generic fantasy setting's ability to sustain a 60-hour adventure and repetitive encounters, the deep player-weapon connection is intriguing. In the age of complex titles like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter, Blades of Fire has the potential to offer something truly captivating.