Blades of Fire, developed by Mercury Steam and published by 505 Games, is a game that wants you to feel every hit. Launching on 22 May 2025 for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X|S, it lands somewhere between action-adventure and souls-like, but doesn’t fully commit to either. Instead, it finds it’s own rhythm, heavy, deliberate combat with just enough flexibility to keep things from feeling stiff. At it’s hear, this is a game about reading your enemies, picking the right stance, and swinging with purpose.
From the first clash to the last desperate dodge, it’s clear that combat is king. But there’s more bubbling beneath the surface: a hands-on forging system, some heartfelt character moments, and a world brought to life with striking visuals and a haunting familiar score.
Swing, Stance, Survive
Blades of Fire lands somewhere between action-adventure and souls-like, striking a balance between weighty combat and accessible controls. It plays a bit like God of War had a moody night out with Dark Souls. Each hit has a satisfying crunch and a real sense of impact, but attacks are easy enough to pull off.
The face buttons on your controller (X,Y,A,B) each handle a different direction of attack: left swing, right swing, downward slash, or upward thrust. It feels good in your hands, but don’t let the ease of control fool you. If you’re not paying attention to what’s going on around you, enemies will happily blindside you. Awareness is key, and the game doesn’t forgive sloppiness.
There’s also a clever stance system tied to the weapon you’re using. Swords, for example, can slash or stab depending on how you approach a fight, while hammers deliver more crushing blows. When you lock onto an enemy, they’ll glow with outlines of green, orange, or red. A handy visual cue showing how effective your current stance and weapon type are against them. Most enemies mix it up with combinations of colours, so you’ll need to switch tactics on the fly to survive. While difficult, at times frustrating, the combination of systems feels unique.
As you’d expect from a game in this genre, there’s a stamina bar keeping you honest. Every swing, dodge, block, or mistimed parry eats away at it, and once it’s gone, you’re left gasping and vulnerable. It adds that extra layer of tension, making every move matter.
Hammer, Anvil, Heartbreak
Within the first ten minutes, Aran is introduced to the forge, A key part of the game where you’ll craft and customise weapons. It’s more than just a simple crafting menu. Different materials affect stats like eight and durability, while swapping out the wood used for the haft can change the weapon’s length. Your first crafted weapon is a hammer, and from there, the system opens up, letting you experiment as long as you’ve got the right materials.
The actual forging is presented as a light mini-game. You control the angle and strength of each hammer swing, with a limited number of strikes to shape the weapon. The closer you get to the ideal design, the higher the weapon’s star rating, and that boosts its stats. It’s a nice touch that rewards precision and adds a bit of hands-on flair to the whole process and attachment to your weapon.
Recipes, or Forge Scrolls, can be found throughout the world. Some are hidden in corners during exploration, others dropped by enemies, and a few are earned for meeting specific combat milestones.
What really stings though, is what happens when you die. When Aran falls in battle, he turns to stone and crumbles, leaving behind the weapon he was holding at that moment. It’s a gut punch, especially if its a new favourite you’ve just put together. Going back to retrieve it can be nerve-wracking, and yeah, sometimes heartbreaking.
Crafted in Detail
The visuals in Blades of Fire are lush and grounded in fantasy, brimming with life and texture. Environments feel rich and vivid, from grassy clearings dotted with wildflowers to dense forests and ancient ruins. It all feels alive and hand-crafted. Characters are equally detailed and weighty. Aran, the protagonist, looks aged and battle-worn, his stitched leather armor finished with metallic flourishes that fit the game’s gritty, down-to-earth aesthetic. Sparks fly during combat, adding a real sense of impact that makes each clash feel intense and cinematic.
The game looks gorgeous on highest visual settings and at 3440 x 1440p resolution. UI elements are scaled appropriately, they’re clean and minimal, hugging the edges of the screen appropriately.
I went into the game completely blind, but almost straight away, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. Something about it just felt familiar, and then it clicked. It was the music. That emotional pull, the grand sweeping tones, the way it carried the game’s mood. Turns out, the soundtrack is composed by Oscar Araujo, the same talent behind Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. That connection brings a lot of emotional weight to the world, making each moment feel bigger and more meaningful.
Final Thoughts: Forged in Flame
Blades of Fire doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it does shape something that feels fresh and sharp in all the right ways. The combat stands out between the directional attacks, the stance system, mixed with the visual cue mechanic. Fights feel tactical, engaging and, most importantly, unique. It’s a refreshing change from the usual hack-and-flash or Souls-style formula, with every encounter asking you to think and react rather than just swing wildly.
The story, while mostly a vehicle to push you from one area to the next, hasn’t left a huge mark. But there’s still a lot to enjoy in the quieter moments. Aran’s interactions with other characters are a highlight, especially the way you talk to them mid-exploration and get their thoughts on what’s happening. It adds a layer of personality and makes the world feel more alive.
There’s real heart behind all the crunch and steel. The crafting system adds depth and personal stakes, the visuals are gorgeous, and the soundtrack? Pure magic. It wears its influences proudly but finds its own rhythm quickly. If you’re after an action game with real weight and a combat system that tries to be different, Blades of Fire is absolutely worth your time.