Bleak Sword DX

Whether you were a fan of the original game or a newcomer to this twisted world of dioramas, Bleak Sword DX provides a perfectly action-packed experience that’s sure not to disappoint. The eye-popping use of pixel art and monochrome visuals combined with the challenging combat and impressive level designs easily makes for a classic bit of hack-and-slash fun, a journey of 8-bit brutality that’d not to be missed out on. Sure, you may die several times along the way, but it’s still a journey worth taking.

Bleak Sword DX is a gorgeous, nostalgic, and clever game for something built in a simplified structural way. More8Bit did a superb job of creating a fast gameplay environment while also maintaining creativity with its enemies and maps. While it may not seem like much, it has some moxie to it. Be forewarned, though, it also contains a heavy amount of frustration.

Of course, it's not a grand adventure with an epic story and powerful character development. Shredding your way through the snazzy dioramas - always careful not to lose valuable experience points, and soon so nimble that you bravely duel bosses yourself - is much more engaging than it might look on pictures, though. No wonder, then, that it had to be Devolver, who snatched up this gem. You'd best do the same!

Bleak Sword DX is a fun game to play 10 minutes before your online meeting, right before class, or while waiting for a friend to play with. Despite its flaws, you should give Bleak Sword DX a chance.

Bleak Sword DX is dedicated to anyone who wants a Dark Souls-like experience in 2D, delivered in small chunks, with good mechanics, hard difficulty, and a grimdark setting and presentation. Fights are very quick, which means it’s easy to play a few in a session just to decompress, without the pressure to make progress or explore some complicated narrative thread. The two new modes added to the game's PC version are good, offering a challenge to anyone who manages to complete the full campaign. But I still believe that any modern video game that emphasizes combat should offer the options to draw in more than just dedicated genre fans. Bleak Sword DX impresses with its minimalist, bite-sized combat but all its other elements could be improved.