A Legacy Forged in Steel and Blood
Let’s get this out of the way: Blades of Fire wants you to suffer a little. But beneath its jagged armor is a surprisingly soulful, story-driven action RPG that swings for something bolder than just “Dark Souls but indie.”
Blades of Fire
Developer: Mercury Steam
Publisher: 505 Games
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Steam
Genre: Action/RPG
Style: Soulslike
Release Date: May 22, 2025
Blades of Fire kicks things off with an epic, mythic setup straight out of an ancient legend. Long ago, a race of giants known as the Forgers ruled the world with mastery and wisdom. When war tore their civilization apart, they passed their greatest secret—The Steel—to humanity, hoping we’d carry their legacy forward.
Fast-forward a few thousand years, and that legacy’s been twisted. Queen Nerea, once hailed as a symbol of hope after her father’s death, now reigns with a terrible curse: she can turn any weapon of steel into stone. It’s a poetic betrayal of the Forgers’ gift—one that renders armies useless and forces resistance fighters to think creatively, or die.
Enter Aran de Lira, a warrior bound by duty, trauma, and legacy. Once a close friend to Princess Nerea and her brother Prince Erin, Aran is now the reluctant assassin sent to end her rule. His personal pain runs deep, shaped by a tragic event in his youth, but rather than retreat inward, he’s chosen to face his responsibilities head-on—with a forge hammer in hand and resolve in his heart.
He’s not walking this road alone. Glinda, an ancient Master Forger, mentors Aran throughout the game. She’s as old as the world itself and wields one of the Seven Forgers’ Hammers—massive relics passed down from the giants themselves. Glinda connects Aran to a lineage bigger than war, offering guidance and context as he hammers out his fate, quite literally.
You’re also accompanied by Adso de Zelk, a young scholar who documents Aran’s journey and assists in puzzles and combat analysis. He provides levity and lore, acting as a narrative voice that brings extra dimension to Aran’s otherwise lonely quest.
There’s a surprising amount of cinematic storytelling for a Soulslike. Frequent cutscenes, emotional beats, and well-paced dialogue help ground the mythic stakes in character-driven moments. It’s a world of legends—but the drama feels personal, not abstract.
Steel, Strategy, and Sweat: A Brutal Combat Dance
Blades of Fire may be built on a familiar third-person action RPG foundation, but the way it handles combat and customization makes it feel uniquely tactile. You play as Aran, armed with a sacred forge hammer that allows you to craft your own arsenal from scratch. And when I say “craft,” I don’t mean slapping stats on a menu—you’re literally shaping weapons on an anvil with timed hammer strikes.
Combat is visceral and punishing, but with surprising depth. You can choose to attack from the left or right, aim for the head or torso, and switch between slashing, stabbing, or blunt attacks. Blocking regenerates stamina, while parrying breaks enemy defenses, opening up brief windows to land massive damage.
And you’ll need every advantage. Weapons degrade over time, and if you die, your currently equipped weapon is dropped at the place of your death, forcing you to retrieve it like a lost soul in Dark Souls. Weapons can be repaired at anvil checkpoints or dismantled into materials for future forging.
Where Blades of Fire sets itself apart is in its customization depth. Using Forge Scrolls, you can tweak weapon shape, length, material, and blade style. These changes aren’t cosmetic—they impact durability, penetration, edge sharpness, and more. You’ll need to experiment to find combinations that match your playstyle and enemy weaknesses.
The game features a color-coded enemy vulnerability system: green means your weapon is effective, red means it won’t do a thing. It’s a clever touch that encourages preparation and experimentation, rather than brute force.
Now here’s the honest part: as someone who doesn’t usually play Soulslikes, I was overwhelmed. This game doesn’t ease you in. It expects a level of genre fluency right out the gate—managing weapon stances, crafting materials, elemental affinities, and stamina economy all at once. The learning curve is steep, and if this is your first foray into the genre, expect to feel out of your depth for a while.
Still, the combat is rewarding once mastered, and genre veterans will likely thrive here. There’s depth, strategy, and a core loop that values experimentation. It just doesn’t hold your hand.
Visions of Steel and Stone
Visually, Blades of Fire strikes a balance between pseudo-realism and stylized fantasy. The character designs feel steeped in Celtic folklore, with regal robes, brutal armor, and supernatural flourishes. The aesthetic walks a fine line—grounded enough to feel serious, but expressive enough to bring the world’s mythic energy to life. In motion, it works beautifully.
The environmental design is another strength. You’ll explore crumbling citadels, twisted forests, forge-filled caves, and cursed battlefields—all rendered with enough texture and variety to keep exploration compelling. The game’s interconnected world structure makes each area feel meaningful, with alternate paths and hidden locations rewarding curiosity.
It’s not all perfect. There’s some jank in the presentation—textures can pop in, animations occasionally stutter, and some lighting effects feel inconsistent. But none of it ruins the experience. It’s rough around the edges, sure, but never rough enough to feel broken.
The Roar of Steel and the Echo of Flesh
One of the game’s strongest aspects is its sound design. Every clash of metal, every enemy scream, and every hammer blow lands with crunchy, satisfying weight. There’s a gritty, visceral texture to the audio that really sells the brutality of combat. It feels loud in the best way.
The voice acting is also a standout. Aran’s delivery carries emotional depth without feeling melodramatic. Glinda brings gravitas. And Nerea, despite her limited screen time early on, radiates menace with every line. Adso adds a softer, inquisitive tone that balances the cast nicely.
That counts for a lot in a genre that usually leaves its protagonists mute and hollow.
The soundtrack however is an unfortunate missed opportunity. It lacks character and personality. It feels like temp music for a blockbuster movie. It fills the space but it doesn’t make it memorable at all.
Final Verdict: Niche Flame, But a Fierce One
Blades of Fire doesn’t reinvent the forge—but it adds some compelling sparks. It’s got strong lore, memorable characters, punishing-but-satisfying combat, and a weapon crafting system deeper than most triple-A RPGs.
But let’s be real: this game isn’t for everyone.
- If you’re a hardcore Soulsborne fan expecting god-tier difficulty and polish? You’ll probably bounce off.
- If you’re a newcomer hoping this will ease you into the genre? Good luck.
- But if you’re Soulslike-curious and want something a little different—more story, more soul—then this might be the one to test your mettle.
Just be ready to die. A lot.
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