Review by Jon Donnis
There's a lot to admire about Blades of Fire, the latest third-person action-adventure from MercurySteam, published by 505 Games for Xbox. The moment you step into Aran de Lira's world, with its lore-rich backdrop and striking visual design, it's clear that this game isn't trying to copy anyone. It introduces its own rules and rhythms, drawing you into a land shaped by ancient giants and cursed monarchs. But while the ambition is obvious, the execution doesn't always hit the mark.
Set in a world once ruled by a race called the Forgers, the game builds its premise on a strong narrative hook. The Forgers gave humanity the power to work steel, but Queen Nerea has flipped that gift on its head, turning steel to stone with a spell. You play as Aran, a warrior with ties to the royal family and a painful past, now armed with a sacred hammer that lets him defy Nerea's curse by crafting his own weapons. Alongside him is Adso, a scholarly companion who takes on puzzle-solving duties and helps break down enemy tactics in a travel book that doubles as an evolving strategy guide.
The story works well in its simplicity. It doesn't overload you with exposition, but the fragments of lore you uncover along the way are just enough to keep you invested. It's all fairly digestible, which is refreshing in a genre that often leans into convoluted fantasy. Aran himself is not a particularly expressive lead, but the emotional weight of his mission comes through clearly enough, especially with Adso adding moments of levity and insight along the way.
Visually, the game is stunning. There's a distinctive look to each region of its interconnected world, with layers of hidden paths and secrets waiting to be uncovered. The issue is how you get to them. Movement feels limited. Aran can't jump, and that restriction makes exploration clunky and frustrating. There are far too many instances where you're wandering around in circles, unsure of where to go next. A simple instruction like "find the castle" can easily become a long-winded hunt through areas that offer no real clues or satisfaction. The game doesn't do much to guide you, which might appeal to some, but I found it more irritating than immersive.
Combat is clearly intended to be a major draw. There's a good amount of depth here, with options to attack from either side, focus on specific body parts, and experiment with different attack types. Blocking regenerates stamina, and parrying gives you a solid opening to land a heavier hit. But the actual feel of combat can be uneven. The mechanics sound great on paper, but they often lack the precision and responsiveness you'd expect. It's not broken, but there's a stiffness that never quite goes away, especially when switching weapons mid-battle, which happens a lot due to the enemy colour-coding system.
The forging system, which sits at the heart of the gameplay, is a mixed bag. On one hand, it's inventive. You collect Forge Scrolls, and at anvils scattered across the world, you get to customise weapons by altering length, blade shape, and materials. There's even a hammering minigame to physically shape your tools. On paper, it should be the standout feature. In practice, it quickly becomes a chore. The level of tweaking feels more like busywork than meaningful progression, and the interface doesn't help matters. It's fiddly and not particularly intuitive, and considering how essential the system is, that becomes a real problem. When forging ends up being the weakest part of a game that revolves around it, there's an issue.
There's still plenty of value here. The world is richly imagined, the story keeps you engaged without overwhelming you, and there's a good variety of enemies to tackle. Adso is a likeable and useful companion, and some of the puzzle-solving elements do a great job of breaking up the pace. It's just that too many parts feel disconnected. The backtracking feels artificial. The level design is often confusing. The forging, which should elevate the game, drags it down instead. There are moments when it all clicks, but they're too scattered to leave a lasting impression.
Blades of Fire deserves credit for originality, and it's clear a lot of care went into its creation. But it's one of those games that ends up being more interesting than it is enjoyable. With tighter combat, better movement, and a serious overhaul of the forging system, it could have been something really special. As it stands, it's a decent game with flashes of brilliance that never quite pull together.
A solid 7 out of 10 feels fair. It's got heart, but it needed sharper edges.
Out Now on Xbox and PS5
