Blades of Fire Demo Review: Unforgettable Experience!

Blades of Fire Review [Demo]

Completely Un-forge-ettable!

Ever had that moment where you nearly walked away from something, only to realize later it was the right decision to stick around? For someone as impulsive and indecisive as myself, that's practically a weekly occurrence. Thankfully, my initial skepticism about Blades of Fire was misplaced. What began as a rough demo turned into an experience that left me eager to dive into the full game. The single-player RPG genre has been longing for something fresh, and Blades of Fire might just be the game to satisfy that craving.

Yes, I'm raving about a demo, but bear with me through this review, and you'll understand how my initial disinterest transformed into genuine excitement. Let's stoke the forge and dive into this review, shall we?

No Ashen Ones or Unkindled Here—Just A Humble Blacksmith!

We kick off this review with the game's introduction, which, I must admit, feels like a raw, unrefined piece of iron. It's the weakest part of Blades of Fire, and starting on a low note isn't ideal.

The game introduces us to Aran de Lira, a blacksmith deep in the forest, who hears a cry for help and rushes to the scene with an iron axe. He saves a young Apprentice but can't save the Abbot they were with. Aran returns the survivor to safety, and that's where the opening ends. It's abrupt and lacks the cinematic flair you might expect, even for a demo. The First Berserker: Khazan managed to weave dialogue and cutscenes into its tutorial, but Blades of Fire just throws you into the action and hopes you'll catch on.

Speaking of action, this is where the game teaches you how to fight. I anticipated something straightforward, perhaps akin to Dark Souls, but what I encountered was closer to For Honor. Blades of Fire employs a directional combat system, allowing players to strike with overhead, body, or lateral attacks from either side, each with a heavy variant. Initially, I found it clunky and unnecessary, especially since enemies don't block directionally. However, as the game progressed, my opinion shifted.

After the tutorial, the game introduces different damage types—blunt, pierce, and slash—which interact uniquely with enemy armor. Some enemies resist certain weapons, and some are immune, but the game aids you with a color-coded targeting system. Swapping between weapon types becomes crucial for survival and strategy, especially as enemy diversity increases.

The combat loop evolves into something refreshing, not through flashy animations or spammable skills, but through the satisfying interplay of its simple yet effective systems. It even aligns with real-life mechanics, which is a treat for medieval weapon enthusiasts like myself. Unarmored foes take damage from nearly any weapon, while mail-armored enemies resist slashing and piercing. Plate-armored enemies? They're immune to both but vulnerable to blunt force. And for those hulking beasts with thick hides, blunt weapons won't cut it.

You could dive into this game armed with a bit of medieval armor knowledge and emerge victorious. It's a refreshing departure from the typical fantasy RPG, and we're just scratching the surface. The real highlight? The game's weapon crafting system.

No Weapon Drops Here Either—You Gotta Make Your Own!

Indeed, Blades of Fire boasts a weapon crafting system, though it's not quite like Monster Hunter's. Instead of crafting from beastly remains, you gather basic materials to forge incredibly detailed and realistic melee weapons.

Of course, real-life forging isn't as quick or simple as gameplay allows, but Blades of Fire comes remarkably close. The process begins at your divine forge, introduced mid-tutorial as your central hub. Before any metal is hammered, you sketch out your desired weapon. Take a spear, for example. Unlike most games that simply require ingredients and produce a finished product, Blades of Fire demands every detail.

When crafting a spear, you choose the spearhead's shape, its cross-section geometry, the haft's length and type, and the materials for each part. Switch to a sword, and you're also deciding on the cross-guard design, pommel shape, and size, along with materials for every component. You can even mix materials into custom alloys, fine-tuning your weapon's performance to meet your exact needs.

This isn't just cosmetic—every choice impacts your weapon's stats and effectiveness. You're not just creating something visually appealing; you're forging the perfect tool for your combat style and the enemies you face.

Once your design is complete, the real forging begins. Initially, the forging minigame is confusing and poorly explained, relying more on trial and error than skill. However, it mirrors the real forging process, where you shape heated metal with precision and care.

You're given sliders to manipulate the metal's form, aiming to achieve the specific shape of your weapon. Hammerheads require a broad, blunt shape, while spearheads need to be slim and pointed. Every strike's angle and strength affects the sliders, and misjudging can ruin your weapon. But master the mechanics, and the satisfaction of a perfectly forged weapon is unparalleled. The game even lets you save your best creations as templates, rewarding your mastery.

With that, we move to other unique mechanics that set Blades of Fire apart from its peers.

New Blueprints, Weapons as Checkpoints, and Weapon Altars

In Blades of Fire, since you forge all your weapons, "loot" comes in the form of new blueprints, materials, and parts. The game introduces this in several innovative ways.

First, through enemy encounters. Defeating specific enemy types unlocks the ability to craft their weapons. Footsoldiers grant swords, captains unlock warhammers, and invisible assassins reveal dual knives. It's a hitlist-style progression system that encourages engagement with varied enemies, who respawn each time you rest at your anvil, reminiscent of Dark Souls' bonfires.

The anvil serves as your checkpoint and resurrection point. Upon death, you respawn here, where you can also recycle or repair worn-out weapons and access the full Forge for crafting. It's your central hub for everything.

The second method involves Weapon Altars—wooden sculptures depicting warriors with specific weapons. Interact with one while wielding the same weapon, and you unlock new components, such as alternative blade shapes or haft styles. It's a subtle yet effective way to reward experimentation and repeated forging.

Lastly, the game's take on Dark Souls' souls system is unique. There's no traditional currency; you make everything yourself, so there's no need for gold. Instead, upon death, you drop your currently equipped weapon. You must backtrack to retrieve it, and if you die again before reclaiming it, it's gone. Run out of usable weapons, and you're forced back to the forge to start anew.

This loop of forging, fighting, falling, and forging again is tight and intuitive, deviating from expectations without being alien. I'm thoroughly impressed, though some aspects of the game reveal its imperfections.

God Awful Voice-Acting with Unfinished World-Building

Unfortunately, not every initially off-putting element of Blades of Fire improves over its 3-hour demo. The voice acting, for instance, is consistently poor, and I dread to think what the full game might sound like.

It's not just the actors; the recording quality is subpar. Some lines sound canned, others muffled, and many could have benefited from additional takes. The casting for the Abbot's apprentice is particularly jarring.

The world-building fares no better. There's a lot of exposition with little payoff, leaving the story feeling inconsequential. While it's a demo, and some leniency is warranted, the lack of follow-through on any plot points is concerning. If the narrative doesn't improve in the full release, it could be a significant weakness in an otherwise promising game.

Not A Game For First Impressions

If the demo is indicative of Blades of Fire's full potential, then this is a game that requires patience and trust in its development. It's not about making strong first impressions but about refining and crafting an experience worth investing in.

The demo showcases innovative mechanics alongside a mixed bag of other elements, indicating room for growth. Though not fully polished, I see the potential for a masterpiece. It may not be the standout title of 2025, but it's certainly one you won't forget.

Game8 Reviews