Here goes: The Blades of Fire review has officially been published, and reception has been… rather divided, but mostly leaning towards the better side. With a Metacritic score of 75 and an OpenCritic score of 72 for this Mercury Steam publication (yes, the same people behind Castlevania: Lords of Shadow), the verdict seems to settle in the middle: “pretty good, just not quite amazing.” Then there are those critics who loved it, those who thought it was just fine, and those who absolutely hated it.
What gives, then? Alles praising its blacksmithing mechanics; the forging of a weapon supposedly feels so good. People get divided on combat and story. Some reviewers called the fighting “simplistic” (IGN gave it a 5/10, ouch), but others enjoyed its old-school RPG flavor. Then there’s the weapon durability system, which to some is a boss-level challenge and to others a complete dealbreaker.
The voting folk who tried the free demo are quite divided as well. Some, like @TragicTravesty, pre-ordered this very moment, calling it a fresh take on a classic RPG vibe. Others, such as @_Hidechiyo_, don’t even call it fun to play. And then there is @middleymadhouse’s feel-good quote: “A 7/10 game that looks like it’s from the Xbox 360 era… but sometimes that’s exactly what you want.”
The devs (@Blades_of_Fire) somewhat communicate with replies, urging people to at least try the demo before passing too harsh a judgment. Smart, honestly, because: Since so many mechanics can spark those near-polarizing sentiments, giving prospective buyers an option for a test-drive is surely a step away from buyer’s remorse.
And there goes another interesting question: Why some random outlets you’ve never heard of (@ZyloWolfBane literally calling them “who sites”) ended up in the roundup… Well, in a nutshell, it’s how Metacritic rolls these days.
Should you plan to play Blades of Fire? Probably if you like custom weapon crafting and don’t mind a little jank. If you’re not a fan of durability systems, and you prefer rock-solid storylines, I might say hold out for a heavy discount. Or just try the demo for yourself; it’s free, so you will know if the combat actually clicks with you.
Anyway, kudos to MercurySteam for letting out one more weird yet ambitious franchise. Sometimes a miss, but at least they’re giving it out there.
