Blades of Fire

Blades of Fire’s blacksmithing burns bright, but overly simplistic combat and a mediocre story mean it doesn’t forge a sharp enough edge to put its customizable weapons to good use.

Blades of Fire manages to feel original, lovable, and born of genuine passion, despite the near overwhelming number of problems that could have extinguished it.

Blades of Fire can be great fun, but it definitely overstays its welcome.

It's got the Metroidvania chops of their Nintendo Switch high-point Metroid Dread, the fantasy-horror imagination of their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games, and a fantastic combat system that smashes them both. A great adventure that'll make you want to try every weapon it hits you with. Outstanding.

Blades of Fire is a well-made and lengthy action adventure romp that will test your combat skills, provided you can see it through. Taking inspiration from some of gaming's greatest hits, it never quite manages to reach those lofty heights itself, let down by a generic setting and lacklustre art direction. Still, it offers some interesting concepts, with combat and crafting mechanics that remain satisfying throughout.

MercurySteam's latest project holds a lot of promise, but death by a thousand cuts holds it back from true greatness.

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.

MercurySteam makes its bold return with Blades of Fire, a Soulslike with some revolutionary mechanics but some serious pacing issues.

Blades of Fire may not be a perfectly polished gem, and at times its stubbornness when it comes to navigation and map-reading can be frustrating. However, if you give the game a chance and dive into its depths, it will reward you with a completely unique and addictive weapon-forging system and a raw, innovative combat system that never gets old. The relationship between the two main characters will tug at your heartstrings, and the joy of wielding a sword you forged yourself—one that wreaks havoc among the enemy ranks—is simply priceless. In my opinion, it’s a very well-made major title.

Blades of Fire is an action game with highly innovative combat. Its weapon-forging system makes it even more unique, and along with its striking visuals, it's a must-play for fans of the genre.