Blades of Fire Review

I couldn’t quite figure out what type of game Blades of Fire was when I first saw its debut trailer. Developer MercuryStream has some varied titles in its back catalogue, including Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid Dread, with the former being what I initially thought Blades of Fire would resemble most. But, is this action-adventure like anything MercurySteam has created before? Well, it’s certainly an interesting one! So, let’s have a look at this intriguing title, shall we?

The story of Blades of Fire isn’t a wholly original one, but it’s still engaging enough to keep me interested in how it progressed. The world was once ruled by giants known as The Forgers, until war ravaged the lands and their civilisation fell. Before their downfall, they created the first humans, bestowing upon them the secret of forging steel.

Naturally, whilst humanity prospered, certain individuals craved more power. Thus, Queen Nerea used the power of The Forgers to turn her enemies’ steel to stone, rendering them powerless against her forces.

Enter Aran de Lira, a blacksmith turned warrior with a troubled past. After a chance encounter, he is tasked with journeying to the Royal Palace to slay the Queen and restore peace to the world. Aran won’t be alone on his quest, as the scholar Adso joins him, providing a strategic eye and invaluable knowledge of the world. I was at first reminded of 2018’s God of War, with the gruff, brooding hero and his physically weaker, more emotional younger companion taking centre stage. The similarities end there, though, as Aran and Adso’s camaraderie is less paternal than the father and son duo. They’re a great pair of main characters, and the bond that grows between them as the narrative progresses is genuinely touching at times.

With twists and turns aplenty, and some strong sections in the game's final few hours, Blades of Fire’s story gripped me much more than I was expecting!

One look at Blades of Fire had me reminiscing about games from the seventh generation of consoles. Not in terms of quality, as the game looks much more modern, but in its design. Characters have a certain chunkiness to them, with Aran himself looking like he’d fit right in in Gears of War. Environments are much more vibrant than the grey-soaked videogames of the Xbox 360 era, with lush forests and dimly lit dungeons amongst a variety of various locations you’ll visit. This is a dark fantasy title through and through, and the world reflects this perfectly. One minute you’ll be lopping off limbs inside a winding cave; the next, you’ll be face-to-face with a giant troll on the shores of a picturesque lake.

It sounds suitably crunchy, too. Several times I gave a satisfied “oooh” when my hammer connected with an enemy’s skull, resulting in a satisfying pop. The audio as a whole completes the package, and I was rather impressed. The soundtrack isn’t particularly memorable, but is still very much in theme with the magical fantasy tones of the rest of the aesthetics.

Combat is relatively simple on paper, but can be punishingly difficult if you’re not careful. The four face buttons act as different attacks. In the case of the PlayStation 5 controller, Triangle attacks the head, X (or cross, if you’re wrong) aims for the middle, with Square and Circle for left and right attacks, respectively. Holding these buttons also performs a slower, heavy attack that — if it connects — will brutalise weaker enemies. It’s intuitive and works well once you get used to it, and feels more fun to play than the standard light and heavy attacks of many modern action RPGs. Being aware of your environment will also come into play, as swinging left and right whilst in a tight corridor will see your attack bounce harmlessly off a wall.

There’s some similarity to soulsborne titles with the way stamina works. Attacks and dodging will dwindle Aran’s stamina, which recharges slowly when not taking action. But, in a unique twist that I don’t think I’ve seen before, holding the block button will quickly replenish the metre. This not only protects you as you’re recovering, but is a great way to quickly get back into the action whilst not becoming vulnerable to swift enemy retribution.

Whilst exploration is relatively linear, you will come across unmarked paths along the way. These optional areas will often loop back to the main path, but usually contain some hidden treasure or materials, with the occasional tough-as-nails combat encounter to test players. Anvils are scattered across each area (which act as Blade of Fire’s version of bonfires), where you’ll respawn if defeated. They also give Aran a chance to rest and improve his weapons, as well as acting as fast travel points.

Early on in the game, Aran will come across The Forge, a world between worlds and a safe haven for crafting new weapons. Weaponry will wear down with use and eventually break if not properly taken care of. This is where Blades of Fire’s most unique mechanic comes into play: instead of collecting new weapons throughout the journey, you’ll unlock blueprints known as Forge Scrolls and use these and collected materials to craft new, customised weapons. Each material will raise the stats of a weapon, such as increasing its durability or lowering the stamina cost.

When ready to create a weapon, you’ll change everything from the length of a sword blade to the shape of a spearhead. These aren’t just cosmetic differences, either, and learning which shape and size of armament will be best suited for a task is just one step in the process. That’s just for starters, though, as this is when the forging mini-game takes place. It looks something akin to a graphic equaliser, and you’ll need to control the angle and force of each hammer swing as you mould your creation. This, in turn, raises and lowers black bars, and you’ll need to get them as close to the white line (which represents your weapon) in order to craft the best version. It felt more like a puzzle that required more forward planning than the timing mini-game I’d expected it to be. A genuinely innovative mechanic that really hammers home (heh) the importance of each individual weapon.

Blades of Fire was a game I preemptively assumed would be just another soulslike. What I found instead was not only deeply rewarding combat, but also a crafting system that is unlike anything I’ve seen before. These, coupled with the engaging story, create an experience that is much better than I’d imagined. If you’re a fan of challenging games or want to experience a title with original mechanics, then this is definitely one to pick up!