"Blades of Fire: Exclusive First Look"

When I first sat down to experience developer MercurySteam's latest project, Blades of Fire, I anticipated a nostalgic return to the style of their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series, perhaps updated with the modern flair seen in God of War. However, within an hour, my expectations shifted towards a Soulslike experience, though one where the focus was squarely on the weapons rather than traditional RPG character progression. By the conclusion of my three-hour hands-on session, I understood that Blades of Fire was a unique blend of familiar elements and innovative ideas, carving out a fresh path in the action-adventure genre.

At first glance, you might mistake Blades of Fire for a clone of Sony Santa Monica's God of War, thanks to its dark fantasy setting, powerful melee strikes, and a third-person camera that keeps you close to the action. The demo's opening hours took me through a labyrinthine map filled with treasure chests, accompanied by a young companion who aided in puzzle-solving. Together, we sought a woman of the wilds living in a house atop a giant creature. The game's parallels with FromSoftware's titles are undeniable, with anvil-shaped checkpoints that not only refill your health potions but also respawn enemies, adding a familiar yet distinct touch.

The world of Blades of Fire exudes an air of 1980s fantasy, where characters like Conan the Barbarian wouldn't seem out of place among its muscular soldiers, and bizarre orangutan-like enemies bouncing on bamboo pogo sticks evoke the whimsical nature of Jim Henson’s Labyrinth. The narrative carries a retro feel as well, with an evil queen turning steel into stone and you, as Aran de Lira, a blacksmith demigod, tasked with defeating her to restore the world's metal. Despite these nostalgic touches, the story and characters may not stand out as compelling, reminiscent of many forgotten tales from the Xbox 360 era.

The game's mechanical prowess, however, is where Blades of Fire truly shines. Its combat system is grounded in directional attacks, utilizing every face button on the controller. On a PlayStation pad, for example, triangle aims for the head, cross targets the torso, while square and circle swipe left and right. By carefully reading an enemy's stance, you can break through their defenses. For instance, a soldier protecting their face can be defeated by targeting their vulnerable gut, resulting in satisfyingly visceral effects.

The system's effectiveness was evident during the demo's first major boss fight against a slobbering troll. A second health bar could only be depleted after dismembering the creature, with the limb removed determined by your attack angle. A well-placed right-hand strike could detach its left arm, disarming it, and even more dramatically, you could slice off its entire face, leaving it blind and flailing until it could regrow its eyes.

Weapons in Blades of Fire are central to the gameplay, demanding significant attention. They dull with use, necessitating sharpening stones or switching stances to maintain effectiveness. Much like Monster Hunter, you'll need to find moments to sharpen your sword during combat, and every weapon has a durability meter that depletes over time, requiring repairs at anvil checkpoints or melting down for crafting new weapons.

Blades of Fire Screenshots

The heart of Blades of Fire lies in its innovative weapon crafting system. Rather than finding new weapons in the world, you start from scratch at the forge. You begin by selecting a basic weapon template, which Aran sketches on a chalkboard, then tweak and modify it. For example, when designing a spear, you can adjust the pole's length and the spearhead's shape, affecting the weapon's stats and stamina demands. This process culminates in physically hammering out the metal on an anvil through a detailed minigame, where you control the length, force, and angle of each strike to match an ideal curve. The more stars you earn, the more repairs your weapon can withstand before it's lost forever.

While the forge concept is intriguing, adding a skill element to what is typically a menu-driven system, the minigame can be frustratingly obtuse. The connection between the areas struck and the resulting metal shape isn't always clear. Hopefully, improvements or a better tutorial will be implemented before launch to enhance this unique feature.

MercurySteam's vision for Blades of Fire extends beyond the demo, aiming for a deep connection between players and their crafted weapons over a 60-70 hour journey. As you explore and find new metals, you can reforge your weapons to enhance their properties, ensuring they remain effective against new challenges. The death system further emphasizes this bond; upon defeat, you drop your weapon, which remains in the world for you to recover, fostering a meaningful relationship with your armaments.

MercurySteam's adoption of elements from Dark Souls and its successors is unsurprising, given FromSoftware's influence on action games and the fact that Blades of Fire is a spiritual successor to Blade of Darkness, a game developed by MercurySteam's founders. The developers are building on their past work while incorporating advancements from other studios, creating a game that stands on its own merits.

Throughout my playtime, I felt the pull of MercurySteam's influences, from the brutal combat of Blade of Darkness to the innovations of FromSoftware and the world design of God of War. Yet, Blades of Fire transcends these influences, crafting a unique experience that distances itself from its gaming touchstones. While I have concerns about the game's generic dark fantasy setting and potential lack of variety, the deep relationship between your forged blades and the enemies you face is compelling. In an era where complex games like Elden Ring and Monster Hunter have become mainstream, Blades of Fire has the potential to offer something truly fascinating to the gaming community.