Blades of Fire

Blades of Fire marks a welcome return for MercurySteam to large-scale games. Its melee-focused combat is deeply satisfying and carries a distinct identity, no small feat in the crowded soulslike genre. If only its objectives and level design weren't quite so convoluted.

Blades of Fire lets you be both the hero and the blacksmith, crafting unique weapons that drive the game’s progression. While the story feels a bit disjointed, the game offers a solid combat system and an engaging world that rewards exploration.

Blades of Fire is not going to be a game for everyone. It’s beautiful, runs great, and has some design decisions that made me pull my hair out. It’s incredibly long, and I do not think that it benefits the game in any meaningful way.

Blades Of Fire gets in its own way sometimes with busywork-heavy quest design, but the unique combat and enjoyable weapon crafting save it.

If Blades of Fire manages to strike a chord, it won't be for its narrative, nor its world, but its violence.

Blades of Fire is probably going to end up as one of those games people refer to as a PS2-ass video game (complimentary), and I feel that. 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. And in turn, it benefits from not being beholden to several more decades of convention that burden so many games coming out today, in a much more risk-averse and audience-starved environment. In that respect, Blades of Fire is pretty cool and interesting. It also annoys the bejeezus out of me at every possible opportunity. But I’m glad I played it, which is way more than I can say about Samus Returns.