Blade of Darkness (2001)

 PC
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 20
  3. Negative: 1 out of 20
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  1. PC Gameworld
    95
    An excellent addition to the third-person genre, incorporating great components of sound, music, and visuals, as well as bolstering incredibly intense melee combat.
  2. Daily Radar
    88
    After a fighter has leveled up and gamers have mastered the combos, BoD can be pretty damn cool. The lighting effects are superb, the music is moody and there is plenty of action. Turn up the volume, turn out the lights and you'll have a thick slice of fun.
    All this publication's reviews
  3. IGN
    88
    A pretty darn satisfying experience. The battles are intense, the gore is outrageous, the levels are well designed, the graphics are superb, and there is a save anywhere feature. Thank God for that. So if you are looking for a challenging and beautiful adventure, you'll want to check this one out.
  5. GameZone
    85
    But I could not help but enjoy this program, even with the blood and mutilation modes turned on, because of the ‘feel’ of the game (the nice sense that the world was one where common elements, like light and even gravity – throwing objects is very cool – have meaning).
  6. PC Gamer
    82
    Successfully mixes numerous gameplay styles in one compelling package. [May 2001, p.84]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. GameSpy
    81
    There will always be a place for simple violent diversions in gaming, and this is one of those that seems to balance a few contemporary technical features with classic gameplay to create an experience that is quite simply fun.
  8. Movies Games and Tech
    Jan 28, 2022
    80
    If nothing else… beating an orc with an arm is enough of a reason to check it out.
  9. Computer Games Magazine
    80
    Mixing down and dirty hack-and-slash action with some light puzzle solving; Blade of Darkness makes a simple concept work. With enough blood spurting and gib spraying to send Joe Lieberman and his cohorts running for cover, this is slicing and dicing at its finest.
  10. Hot Games
    80
    An extremely difficult action RPG with some nice graphics and high system requirements. It's a game of trade-offs that will appeal to a hardcore audience but does not have broad crossover appeal.
  11. GamePro
    80
    Despite the so-so sounds and demanding controls, Blade of Darkness is an entertaining action/adventure game where it pays to keep your wits honed and your sword sharpened.

Awards & Rankings

69
#69 Best PC Game of 2001
16
#16 Most Discussed PC Game of 2001
14
#14 Most Shared PC Game of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 159 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 137 out of 159
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 159
  3. Negative: 13 out of 159
  1. asdrubael
    Jun 3, 2011
    10
    I hate those review magazines..THIS WAS THE BEST F*CKIN AWESOME hack and slash 3rd person game of its time.Period.A TRUE LEGEND!!!The shadowsI hate those review magazines..THIS WAS THE BEST F*CKIN AWESOME hack and slash 3rd person game of its time.Period.A TRUE LEGEND!!!The shadows were overwhelming,the music was trully epic,the battles were really hard,the enemies were f*cking awesome and brutal,the fatalities differed if you hit different parts of the body..pure awesomeness!!!Although mainly underrated by the press,i remember PC magazine gave it a 90%!!!Thank god i saw it on the package and bought it immediately!(ps.PC magazine of that time was really nasty on scoring.. ;) )… Full Review »
  2. harney
    Aug 17, 2015
    10
    A true classic for its time and still is very much enjoyable today this game set the standard there is even a cult following for the game.A true classic for its time and still is very much enjoyable today this game set the standard there is even a cult following for the game.
    Such a shame the Spanish company rebel act studios closed soon after ..... this for me was the most immersive and atmospheric game i ever played never mind how difficult it was to play ...that what made it very challenging.....such a shame the game failed because of marketing ..THIS IS A TRUE CLASSIC

    I quote ..

    This game is the first and only game, which can perform water reflection wave effect only using Directx 7.0 hardware (Geforce 2 or Radeon 7500; perhaps even Nvidia Riva TNT is enough to perform water effects at the same quality level like in DirectX 8 or higher).

    However, the game failed to become popular, mainly due to bad marketing. Other reasons for the relatively low sales were the untimely publication (neither the code nor the storyline had been finalized) and the lack of gameplay difficulty levels - the game proved to be too difficult on "factory" defaults for many players. Nonetheless it did establish a large cult following that still exists today.    … Full Review »
  3. KnightSolair
    Feb 7, 2014
    10
    This is one of the rare games that put you in a truly battle for life and death, and give you a real reason the continue to play over. TheThis is one of the rare games that put you in a truly battle for life and death, and give you a real reason the continue to play over. The only games that have such atmosphere is Gothic series and Souls series. This is a game that we rarely seen our days because people have become so nobs and lure for easy games, where you are the only supreme hero with infinite powers that save the world. Such a shame for our future of gaming. If this is the future of gaming, then I choose the old class games like this one.… Full Review »
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