REVIEW – MercurySteam’s latest isn’t exactly unforgettable, but thanks to its weapon-forging mechanics, it may carve out a place in action-adventure fans’ memories. As Aran de Lira, players will face off against more than 50 enemy types using a unique directional combat system, all while trying to craft the ultimate weapon and halt Queen Nera’s stone-turning curse. He’s not alone, either — Adeo, the obligatory genius sidekick, joins the fray.

The curse isn’t just about the heat — it’s that everything made of steel is turning to stone. That’s a real problem when your job involves hitting things with sharp objects.

The hammer that saves the day

Luckily, Aran’s trusty hammer isn’t affected by the curse and lets him continue crafting steel weapons. As for the story? It exists. Events happen without rhyme or reason, and the dialogue is so stilted it only worsens the experience. Everything feels disconnected. The gameplay, at least, tries something new. The fights, while simple in design, remain engaging. Weapon customization and crafting are the game’s core strengths, even if the environments feel flat and uninspired. Visually, the game has a Darksiders: Genesis vibe, blending comic-style aesthetics with light action-RPG elements. MercurySteam has shown it can deliver on art design — just look at Metroid Dread. The graphics aren’t excellent, but they fit the game’s world.

Unfortunately, the sound design doesn’t hold up: voice acting is inconsistent, and the soundtrack is so generic it’s forgettable mid-play — not a good sign. Still, exploration is a key component and often necessary to gather blueprints. Weapons come in slashing, piercing, or blunt varieties, and choosing the right one for each situation is essential to exploit enemy weaknesses. Combat is easy to grasp, borrowing from For Honor’s directional system, letting you target head, body, or side. Colored indicators show the type of damage being dealt. Dodging, parrying, and blocking are all part of the combat package. The real standout? Forging. And while that might sound shallow, it’s actually well-executed. Crafting a sword involves picking the material and length of the blade, guard, grip, and handle. It’s clunky at first, but once you master it, you’ll be making weapons worth bragging about. In this respect, BoF truly shines.

Mastering the forge is no easy task

Even with a great weapon, you’ll have to manage your stamina — heavier builds drain it faster, and materials and dimensions affect weapon balance. This alters swing speed and energy use. Progression doesn’t come from XP, but from acquiring new materials and blueprints. Enemies don’t drop usable weapons — you have to build them, again and again, as they wear out over time. Low-quality gear will break quickly. Bosses? No cinematic intros, no fanfare — just sudden fights. Had Metroid Dread tried that, Nintendo might’ve yeeted MercurySteam to Mali.

As for Aran and Adeo’s partnership — who knows how that got so deep. The writing wants to be serious but ends up awkwardly comic, and the tone doesn’t match the delivery. Level design fares no better. Some stages throw enemy waves at you like a Dynasty Warriors clone, but the combat system clearly isn’t built for that. Boss encounters include endless minion waves while you try to land hits, and the longer you take, the more enemies spawn. When you die, you drop your current weapon. Returning to that spot further damages your other gear — leading to grind-heavy replay loops.

Flawed, but still fun

Blades of Fire takes time to get going, but once it does, the loop of swapping weapons and managing stamina in combat becomes satisfying. Not every part of the game is sharp, but its core is solid. It earns a 6.5/10 — and with better voice direction, it could have been a solid 7. Buy it only after watching some gameplay videos. Its 12-hour runtime is respectable for the genre.

-V-

Publisher: 505 Games
Developer: MercurySteam
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Date: May 22, 2025