REVIEW: ‘Blades of Fire’ Is A Well-Crafted Adventure

Blades of Fire is a new action-adventure role-playing game from the developers at MercurySteam that aims to bring a fresh new approach to the genre. Its unique approach to combat and crafting sets it apart from similar RPGs, making it enjoyable and exciting.

The story of Blades of Fire follows Aran de Lira, a warrior who wields an ancient hammer given to him by the Forgers. The Forgers created mankind, and their hammer allows him to craft new weapons to aid him on his quest. After saving a young man named Adso, Aran sets off to kill Queen Nerea, who has left a curse on the world to cement her power.

Blades of Fire tells players early on that they will not be given details about the story right away. Players have to learn about their quest at the same time as Aran and Adso. This approach immerses players into the world, making it feel like you are living the story alongside the main characters.

The downside is that, while it is refreshing to explore and learn, it can make the story a bit confusing. Why do you need to kill the queen? Why is Adso special? What is going on throughout the world? The first few hours of the story can be tough when you don’t know what’s going on. It’s not the smoothest onboarding process, but it gets better as the story progresses and you learn more about the world and Aran and Adso’s roles in it.

As time passes, you learn about the world along with Aran and Adso.

Some of the story beats are intriguing, throwing serious twists into the mix. However, most of what unfolds in Blades of Fire is merely okay. Aran and Adso’s relationship is the real highlight as they learn more about each other, but it is the only storyline that genuinely stands out. A wider cast of characters would help, since there aren’t as many to help flesh out the world. The overall story doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to RPG storytelling, but it is not a bore either.

Blades of Fire stands out in its approach to combat. Instead of two types of attacks, players can attack from the left or right, or choose to target the head or torso. Every enemy has a specific weak spot, highlighted by a colored border that can be toggled to be on permanently or not. A green highlight means the specific weapon and attack will work, whereas a red border means you must try a different weapon.

The combat in Blades of Fire never gets stale, even if it isn’t challenging to master. That is because crafting plays a vital role in how to approach the battles. The ancient hammer Aran is blessed with allows him to create all sorts of weapons with resources found throughout the game. While there are specific recipes to follow, you can customize parts to find a weapon that suits your needs.

One of the earliest examples of this is crafting a warhammer early on in the game. Instead of following the set recipe, I opted for a longer handle, which increased the power of Aran’s attacks while slowing down his attack speed. Seeing that slower, more methodical way of attacking in battle was fascinating, as it brought the crafting decision to life.

Crafting plays a key part in battle prep in Blades of Fire.

That flexibility is what keeps Blades of Fire exciting from start to finish. There are all sorts of new weapon recipes to unlock and different ways to customize them. The crafting process itself is really neat too, even if the crafting minigame can take a while to master fully. This means decisions at the forge matter much more than in battle, forcing players to think carefully about the weapons they are creating.

Blades of Fire brings all of this together with a truly impressive visual approach. The background scenery is dense, and the various explorable areas are all unique and interesting. The thick foliage and area designs make adventuring fun, since there is always something new to uncover. Character design, specifically for Aran, makes him seem as imposing as he is meant to be in the story. The way the characters are animated breathes life into their stories.

The enemy design is also great, giving a wide variety of opponents to encounter along the way. You can usually tell what kind of weapon will work against an enemy just by looking at their armor and weapon types. There are always slight visual cues that help you prepare for battle, but you will have to keep your eyes peeled to find these hints.

Blades of Fire is a well-made package focusing more on crafting creativity than physical battles. It forces players to take a more thoughtful approach instead of prioritizing fast-paced action. That design makes this a truly unique RPG, even if some areas are lacking just a bit.

Blades of Fire releases on May 22 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S