Blades of Fire

Lore & Background

Blades of Fire is set in a world where an ancient race called the Forgers created mankind and taught them to use steel for weapons. Queen Nerea casts a curse that turns her enemies' steel into stone, rendering their weapons useless. The protagonist, Aran de Lira, is gifted a sacred hammer that enables him to craft his own steel weapons, and he journeys to the Royal Palace to assassinate the queen. He is accompanied by Adso de Zelk, a young scholar who provides combat tips and helps solve puzzles.

The game was developed by MercurySteam, the studio behind Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid Dread. Director Enric Alvarez described it as an opportunity to revisit the dark fantasy genre. The art direction was inspired by comics by Frank Frazetta and Gustave Doré, using vivid colors and dramatic compositions rather than realistic visuals. The story was conceived as a dark fairytale influenced by films such as Excalibur and Ladyhawke, with a theme of reunion and a backstory for Aran inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo.

Lead weapon designer Joan Amat noted that the team studied historical weapons through YouTube videos. Initially, the game required players to consider material properties like hardness and flexibility, but these systems were streamlined for accessibility. Weapons can be named and gain reputation through use, which allows them to be traded for better resources. The combat was designed to be slow and deliberate, compared to a duel in a Kurosawa movie.

Reader's Guide

Blades of Fire received mixed reviews from critics, with a Metacritic rating of 'mixed or average' and a 50% recommendation rate on OpenCritic. Critics praised its original feel, weapon degradation system, and satisfying combat, but noted issues such as pacing, a generic setting, and unintuitive map design. Some reviewers found the combat overly simplistic and the story unengaging, while others appreciated the game's unique approach to the Souls-inspired genre. The game failed to meet the sales expectations of Digital Bros, the parent company of 505 Games, which attributed the underperformance to an oversupply of new releases and increasingly selective consumers. Despite its mixed reception, the game was noted for its ambitious forging mechanics and expressive art direction, which set it apart from other action-adventure titles of the era.

Did You Know?

• The game's weapon forging system includes a minigame where players physically control how Aran hammers the weapon into shape.
• Enemies highlighted in green indicate the current weapon deals maximum damage; red means the weapon deals no damage.
• Weapons degrade over time and can be repaired at anvil checkpoints or broken down into crafting materials.
• The game's art direction was inspired by the comics of Frank Frazetta and Gustave Doré.