Swords & Darkness

 3DS
Metascore
36

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 4 out of 4
  1. Nintendo Life
    Aug 11, 2015
    40
    If you're looking for something within the genre, there are so many better modern and classic options already available on the 3DS.
  2. NintendoWorldReport
    Jul 20, 2015
    40
    Swords and Darkness is a functional game, and that’s the best thing that I can say about it.
  3. Cubed3
    Aug 17, 2015
    30
    It's not clear whether Arc System Works was aiming for a 2D Batman: Arkham Asylum with swords and fell way short; if they were aiming for a straightforward beat 'em up and were distracted by the swords (since, evidently, any game with swords must contain a levelling system); or whether they pulled idea balls out of the manatee tank.
  5. RPGamer
    Jul 1, 2015
    30
    I had paid no attention to Swords and Darkness prior to downloading it and starting the adventure. By the time I was done, all the repetitive thumping of the Y button I had done was starting to take a toll of my hand, and the anticlimax at the conclusion was a relief because it meant the game was over.

User Reviews

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User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. Kart01
    May 5, 2018
    7
    This game is feels old enough but still have some modern touch in it. I would say that it's like playing Mighty Final Fight with SoulsBorneThis game is feels old enough but still have some modern touch in it. I would say that it's like playing Mighty Final Fight with SoulsBorne atmosphere.… Full Review »
  2. HyperBobby69
    Apr 14, 2022
    7
    the critics trash this but its not so bad actually one of the eshop games i still play sometimes. it has passable graphics and the 3d effectthe critics trash this but its not so bad actually one of the eshop games i still play sometimes. it has passable graphics and the 3d effect works. the fighting system is similar to the river city ransom/downtown games with some rpg element.s that dont get in the way all too much.… Full Review »
  3. zarlack
    Mar 2, 2016
    6
    This game is Double Dragon meets Dark Souls. I wouldn't personally call it an RPG; it's a beat-em-up with a skill-leveling system. Each roomThis game is Double Dragon meets Dark Souls. I wouldn't personally call it an RPG; it's a beat-em-up with a skill-leveling system. Each room of the game seems to be the same basic situation; there are three guys for you to kill, and when you kill one, one more guy wanders in, and this continues until you've gone through all of that room's guys. Your moves include a quicker and a slower-but-stronger attack, blocking with your shield, then a few special moves. (There may be more as you're deeper in the game...honestly, I have no idea how far into the game I am, in terms of completion %.) And one or more of the guys you're fighting will always try to flank you, it seems.
    The game isn't entirely linear, as I first discovered when I took a left turn I apparently hadn't taken before and soon found myself in a boss fight I didn't realize was waiting for me. (It was a dragon, who made short work of me, after I avoided his first few attacks. I then made my way back to the "three soldiers" fight I had previously died on and gave them another go, this time successfully.)
    With each level-up, you get five skill points to spend on things that made you hit harder, take less damage, have more hit points, etc. The skill-point screen suggests you spend points "evenly," which I really haven't done since I wanted to hit harder and get through the tedious combat more quickly, so I have no idea if my low "mentality" skill will become a major problem later in the game. Quite possibly.
    Again, combat is tedious. Like, imagine playing Double Dragon (hit-hit-hit-they get knocked down-they get back up-you do that all a few more times) but with the slow pace of Dark Souls encounters, where any fight can kill you if you get too sloppy (until you sufficiently out-gear that area).
    One of the first rooms of the game is where you'll find a woman that will heal you and guy that will sell you gear. I don't know how many times his inventory will upgrade; I think he's had new inventory once (that is, gear different from his initial offerings). He also sells stones that let you return back to the room he's in, pretty much whenever you want (including during a encounter where you're pretty sure you're about to die, and you don't want to pay the death tax of losing half your gold). Fortunately, you can just sprint through rooms to get back to where you were, avoiding the combat without much trouble.
    I'm still not sure if I'm giving this game a positive review or not. I liked it enough to buy it after playing the demo. The combat is getting tedious in a hurry. It's not frustrating like Dark Souls (since it's easy enough to avoid dying, if you're sufficiently careful -- and you have one of those stones on you that lets you port back to the room with the healer and the vendor), but otherwise feels like that kind of slog.    … Full Review »
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