When I sat down to play developer MercurySteam's latest project, Blades of Fire, I initially expected a return to the studio's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow roots, perhaps with modern touches inspired by God of War. However, an hour into the game, it felt more like a Soulslike, with the twist that stats were focused on weapons rather than a traditional RPG character sheet. By the end of my three-hour hands-on session, I realized that Blades of Fire both embraced and diverged from these influences, creating a unique blend of borrowed elements and fresh ideas that revitalizes the action-adventure genre.

While not a direct clone of Sony Santa Monica's work, Blades of Fire shares a visual and thematic kinship with the Norse era of Kratos' journey. The game features a dark fantasy world, impactful combat, and a third-person camera that keeps players close to the action. During the demo, I navigated a labyrinthine map filled with treasure chests, aided by a young companion who assisted in puzzle-solving. Together, we sought a woman of the wilds whose home was perched on a giant creature. The game also borrows from FromSoftware's playbook, with anvil-shaped checkpoints that replenish health potions and respawn enemies, which can sometimes feel a bit too familiar.

Blades of Fire features some deeply strange enemies that feel like dark cousins of Labyrinth's puppets. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games

The game's world exudes a nostalgic 1980s fantasy vibe. It's a setting where Conan the Barbarian could seamlessly blend with its muscular soldiers, and orangutan-like enemies on bamboo pogo sticks wouldn't be out of place in Jim Henson's Labyrinth. The narrative, too, harks back to old-school tropes—an evil queen has petrified the world's steel, and it's up to you, Aran de Lira, a blacksmith demigod, to defeat her and restore the metal. While the setting has its charms, the story, characters, and writing may struggle to captivate, reminiscent of many Xbox 360-era narratives that have since faded into obscurity.

Blades of Fire's true strength lies in its mechanics. The combat system, which revolves around directional attacks, utilizes every face button on the controller. On a PlayStation pad, triangle targets the head, cross the torso, and square and circle swipe left and right. By observing an enemy's stance, you can break through their defenses—attacking low against a high guard, for instance, yields satisfyingly gory results.

The system shines during encounters like the first major boss fight against a slobbering troll. To defeat it, you must first dismember it, with your angle of attack determining which limb is severed. Detaching the troll's club-swinging arm or even its face adds a visceral layer to the combat, leaving the beast temporarily blind and flailing.

Your weapons in Blades of Fire require meticulous attention. They dull with use, each subsequent strike dealing slightly less damage. You'll need to use a sharpening stone or switch stances to maintain their effectiveness, as the edge and tip wear down independently. This mechanic adds a tangible quality to your armaments, akin to Monster Hunter's mid-fight sharpening. However, all weapons have a durability meter that depletes over time, necessitating repairs at anvil checkpoints or melting them down for new crafting.

The forge is Blades of Fire's most innovative feature. Here, you craft your weapons from scratch, starting with a basic template on a chalkboard. You can adjust the weapon's design, such as the length of a spear's pole or the shape of its head, which directly impacts its stats. Different materials affect the weapon's weight and stamina demands, creating a sense of genuine craftsmanship. You even name your creation.

But crafting doesn't end there. You must physically hammer out the metal on an anvil through a detailed minigame, aiming to match a curved line with vertical bars. Overworking the steel weakens the weapon, so efficiency is key. Your performance earns a star rating, which determines how often you can repair your weapon before it's lost forever.

The forging minigame is a great idea that feels a little too obtuse. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games

I appreciate the forge's concept, which introduces skill to what's often a menu-driven process. However, the minigame can feel frustratingly obtuse, and a clearer connection between strikes and outcomes would be welcome. Hopefully, MercurySteam will refine this feature before launch.

The forge's idea extends beyond the demo, aiming to foster a deep connection with your crafted weapons throughout a 60-70 hour journey. As you explore and discover new metals, you can reforge your weapons to meet evolving challenges. The death system reinforces this bond; upon defeat, you drop your weapon, which remains in the world for you to reclaim. This mechanic, inspired by Dark Souls, emphasizes the irreplaceable nature of your crafted blades.

MercurySteam's adoption of Soulslike mechanics isn't surprising, given FromSoftware's influence on action games and the studio's connection to Blade of Darkness, a precursor to the Souls series. Blades of Fire feels like a continuation of that legacy, incorporating advancements from other studios while maintaining its own identity.

Aran is joined by his young companion, Adso, who can help solve puzzles and comment on the world's lore. | Image credit: MercurySteam / 505 Games

As I played, I felt the pull of MercurySteam's influences—the brutal combat of Blade of Darkness, FromSoft's innovations, and God of War's world design. Yet, Blades of Fire transcends these inspirations, creating its own unique recipe. My concerns include the generic dark fantasy setting's ability to sustain a 60-hour adventure and the repetition of certain encounters, like facing the same miniboss multiple times. However, the depth of the weapon-forging system and its impact on combat has me intrigued. In an era where complex games like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter have found mainstream success, Blades of Fire has the potential to offer something truly fascinating to the gaming community.

Blades of Fire Screenshots

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