Smith it to win it
By Paul Hunter
Blades of Fire jumps into the action RPG scene with a strong focus on weapon combat and storytelling. Made by MercurySteam and published by 505 Games, it launches on May 22, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. At first glance, it feels a bit like a Souls-inspired game, but once you start playing, it’s clear this one isn’t just copying old ideas. Instead, it carves its own path with fresh takes on fighting and weapon crafting.
You play as Aran, a lone fighter with a mission, navigating a world packed with danger and secrets. Your journey unfolds through battles, a range of weapons, and a forge system that changes how you approach combat. While some familiar action RPG elements pop up, what really stands out is its effort to do things differently, especially in how you get ready for each challenge.
Blades of Fire doesn’t throw everything at you all at once—it asks you to learn its unique style, from the directional attacks to the forging mini-game that shape your weapons. It might take some time to get comfortable, but the payoff is a gameplay experience that feels fresh and deliberate, not rushed or recycled.
So, is this world of forging, striking, and strategy one you’ll want to dive into? Let’s find out!
Blades of Fire opens with Aran, a hardened warrior, locked in pursuit of a powerful queen who wields magic capable of turning steel into stone. His path is one of revenge, but things take a strange turn early on. A mysterious, divine being sends Aran into a parallel realm where an eternal forge burns—this becomes the backdrop for the game’s central systems and storytelling. Rather than relying on cut-and-dry exposition, the game presents its world through scattered terms, cryptic lore, and a series of layered cutscenes.
The narrative expects you to piece together much of it on your own, which works for those who enjoy unravelling stories bit by bit. While this method gives the world a sense of scale, at times the story can be hard to follow, and without consistent explanations, it can feel like you’re playing catch-up. Even so, there are flashes of creativity in how events unfold, particularly in the way the world and the forging system are tied together through Aran’s transformation.
Thankfully, one helpful constant is Adso, your companion for the journey. He’s not just there for chatter—he acts as an in-game source of guidance. When you need details about your current objective or the region you’re exploring, he often has something useful to say. His presence adds a bit of structure as he helps to explain the tale.
All in all, the story manages to create moments of interest, especially in how it connects forging weapons with narrative progression. There’s something satisfying about crafting a weapon in a sacred place that also has meaning in the larger world. The queen’s influence is always looming, and the battles you face along the way feel like part of that greater struggle. The story might stumble in clarity, but it rarely feels hollow.
Blades of Fire doesn’t just borrow ideas from the Souls formula—it bends them around a core system focused entirely on weapons. Every mechanic circles back to crafting, using, and maintaining the tools you take into battle. At the heart of this system is the sacred forge, where you create weapons using recipes and materials gathered across the realm. Once you've chosen the right combination, a short forging mini-game determines the final quality. A higher rating gives the weapon more repair cycles, adding a layer of long-term strategy.
Combat doesn’t just use standard light and heavy attacks. Each face button controls a different strike direction—left, right, above, or below—and all attacks can be charged. This system sounds odd on paper, but once it clicks, it feels deliberate. I remember struggling at first to retrain my instincts, especially since dodge and parry were mapped to L1 and L2. But after a few hours, I found myself reading enemy patterns better, rotating between weapon types, and using directional strikes to catch enemies off guard. The way the system rewards precision and timing grew on me fast.
The game includes three difficulty levels, but even the easiest doesn’t pull its punches. You'll still die a lot. But unlike other similar games, dying doesn’t cost you currency. Instead, you drop your equipped weapon. If you don’t recover it, it’s gone for good. This small change makes each battle feel risky in a different way. Every weapon choice becomes tactical, especially because certain enemies are resistant or weak depending on what you’re using. When you lock onto a target, a coloured glow helps you know what to expect—green means good, red means you need to switch.
Resting at anvils resets enemies and serves as a hub for upgrades, forging, and fast travel. These stations also act as checkpoints. Though familiar to genre fans, the anvil system ties more deeply into weapon creation here than just serving as a save point. This loop—craft, fight, repair, lose, recover—gives Blades of Fire its rhythm.
Boss fights, while challenging, mostly boil down to landing a few hits and dodging repeatedly. They’re tough but lack variety. In contrast, the regular exploration and forging mechanics offer more depth. There’s a real satisfaction in building and refining a loadout that works for a specific region, especially when that region punishes poor preparation. The combat and crafting design give the game its strongest identity.
Blades of Fire doesn’t try to overwhelm you with flashy visuals, but it does enough to build a consistent tone. The world leans into a medieval fantasy look, with most environments staying fairly grounded in muted colours and stone-heavy structures. Some moments, like spotting the towering city skyline for the first time, do stand out, but they’re the exception rather than the rule. Caves, dungeons, and other enclosed spaces look better, especially when lit by sparks from combat or weapon effects.
The forge, both as a visual element and a functional one, is where the game puts its best foot forward. Watching weapons come to life through heat, hammer, and metal makes those sequences feel distinct. Even though many of the game’s areas can look plain at times, these blacksmithing moments inject energy into the overall presentation. Enemy design also helps, with some creatures displaying just enough visual variety to give each zone its own personality, even if the environments themselves can blend together after a while.
The level design follows a semi-open structure. As you progress, the map fog dissapates, letting you see routes to your next objective. There are still side areas to explore and puzzles to solve, and these extra spaces often reward curiosity with new crafting materials. This setup reminded me a bit of the more recent God of War games—structured but not linear, with regular detours and secrets tucked away off the main route.
Performance on PS5 holds steady. The game doesn’t give you the usual performance or fidelity options, but it runs at a locked 60 frames per second. Even in busy areas or during forge sequences, I didn’t notice drops or stutters. That smooth performance helps the combat system shine, especially since quick input response is important when you’re relying on precise directional attacks.
Visual effects—like glowing particles from the forge or light bouncing off polished weapons—are used sparingly but effectively. They support the atmosphere without trying to dazzle. Blades of Fire may not wow you with scenery, but it holds its ground by keeping things functional, focused, and occasionally surprising.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: MercurySteam
Publisher: 505 Games
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Blades of Fire jumps into the action RPG scene with a strong focus on weapon combat and storytelling. Made by MercurySteam and published by 505 Games, it launches on May 22, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. At first glance, it feels a bit like a Souls-inspired game, but once you start playing, it’s clear this one isn’t just copying old ideas. Instead, it carves its own path with fresh takes on fighting and weapon crafting.
You play as Aran, a lone fighter with a mission, navigating a world packed with danger and secrets. Your journey unfolds through battles, a range of weapons, and a forge system that changes how you approach combat. While some familiar action RPG elements pop up, what really stands out is its effort to do things differently, especially in how you get ready for each challenge.
Blades of Fire doesn’t throw everything at you all at once—it asks you to learn its unique style, from the directional attacks to the forging mini-game that shape your weapons. It might take some time to get comfortable, but the payoff is a gameplay experience that feels fresh and deliberate, not rushed or recycled.
So, is this world of forging, striking, and strategy one you’ll want to dive into? Let’s find out!
Blades of Fire opens with Aran, a hardened warrior, locked in pursuit of a powerful queen who wields magic capable of turning steel into stone. His path is one of revenge, but things take a strange turn early on. A mysterious, divine being sends Aran into a parallel realm where an eternal forge burns—this becomes the backdrop for the game’s central systems and storytelling. Rather than relying on cut-and-dry exposition, the game presents its world through scattered terms, cryptic lore, and a series of layered cutscenes.
The narrative expects you to piece together much of it on your own, which works for those who enjoy unravelling stories bit by bit. While this method gives the world a sense of scale, at times the story can be hard to follow, and without consistent explanations, it can feel like you’re playing catch-up. Even so, there are flashes of creativity in how events unfold, particularly in the way the world and the forging system are tied together through Aran’s transformation.
Thankfully, one helpful constant is Adso, your companion for the journey. He’s not just there for chatter—he acts as an in-game source of guidance. When you need details about your current objective or the region you’re exploring, he often has something useful to say. His presence adds a bit of structure as he helps to explain the tale.
All in all, the story manages to create moments of interest, especially in how it connects forging weapons with narrative progression. There’s something satisfying about crafting a weapon in a sacred place that also has meaning in the larger world. The queen’s influence is always looming, and the battles you face along the way feel like part of that greater struggle. The story might stumble in clarity, but it rarely feels hollow.
Blades of Fire doesn’t just borrow ideas from the Souls formula—it bends them around a core system focused entirely on weapons. Every mechanic circles back to crafting, using, and maintaining the tools you take into battle. At the heart of this system is the sacred forge, where you create weapons using recipes and materials gathered across the realm. Once you've chosen the right combination, a short forging mini-game determines the final quality. A higher rating gives the weapon more repair cycles, adding a layer of long-term strategy.
Combat doesn’t just use standard light and heavy attacks. Each face button controls a different strike direction—left, right, above, or below—and all attacks can be charged. This system sounds odd on paper, but once it clicks, it feels deliberate. I remember struggling at first to retrain my instincts, especially since dodge and parry were mapped to L1 and L2. But after a few hours, I found myself reading enemy patterns better, rotating between weapon types, and using directional strikes to catch enemies off guard. The way the system rewards precision and timing grew on me fast.
The game includes three difficulty levels, but even the easiest doesn’t pull its punches. You'll still die a lot. But unlike other similar games, dying doesn’t cost you currency. Instead, you drop your equipped weapon. If you don’t recover it, it’s gone for good. This small change makes each battle feel risky in a different way. Every weapon choice becomes tactical, especially because certain enemies are resistant or weak depending on what you’re using. When you lock onto a target, a coloured glow helps you know what to expect—green means good, red means you need to switch.
Resting at anvils resets enemies and serves as a hub for upgrades, forging, and fast travel. These stations also act as checkpoints. Though familiar to genre fans, the anvil system ties more deeply into weapon creation here than just serving as a save point. This loop—craft, fight, repair, lose, recover—gives Blades of Fire its rhythm.
Boss fights, while challenging, mostly boil down to landing a few hits and dodging repeatedly. They’re tough but lack variety. In contrast, the regular exploration and forging mechanics offer more depth. There’s a real satisfaction in building and refining a loadout that works for a specific region, especially when that region punishes poor preparation. The combat and crafting design give the game its strongest identity.
Blades of Fire doesn’t try to overwhelm you with flashy visuals, but it does enough to build a consistent tone. The world leans into a medieval fantasy look, with most environments staying fairly grounded in muted colours and stone-heavy structures. Some moments, like spotting the towering city skyline for the first time, do stand out, but they’re the exception rather than the rule. Caves, dungeons, and other enclosed spaces look better, especially when lit by sparks from combat or weapon effects.
The forge, both as a visual element and a functional one, is where the game puts its best foot forward. Watching weapons come to life through heat, hammer, and metal makes those sequences feel distinct. Even though many of the game’s areas can look plain at times, these blacksmithing moments inject energy into the overall presentation. Enemy design also helps, with some creatures displaying just enough visual variety to give each zone its own personality, even if the environments themselves can blend together after a while.
The level design follows a semi-open structure. As you progress, the map fog dissapates, letting you see routes to your next objective. There are still side areas to explore and puzzles to solve, and these extra spaces often reward curiosity with new crafting materials. This setup reminded me a bit of the more recent God of War games—structured but not linear, with regular detours and secrets tucked away off the main route.
Performance on PS5 holds steady. The game doesn’t give you the usual performance or fidelity options, but it runs at a locked 60 frames per second. Even in busy areas or during forge sequences, I didn’t notice drops or stutters. That smooth performance helps the combat system shine, especially since quick input response is important when you’re relying on precise directional attacks.
Visual effects—like glowing particles from the forge or light bouncing off polished weapons—are used sparingly but effectively. They support the atmosphere without trying to dazzle. Blades of Fire may not wow you with scenery, but it holds its ground by keeping things functional, focused, and occasionally surprising.
The Verdict
Blades of Fire shakes up the usual action RPG formula with its sharp directional combat and weapon crafting that actually matters. The controls take some time to click, but once they do, the gameplay really hits its stride. The story throws some fresh ideas your way, even if you have to piece some of it together through bits and pieces of lore. Boss fights are sure to challenge you, but it's the regular combat and exploration that keeps you hooked. Visually, it looks fine, with performance running smooth on PS5. If you want something that breaks the usual RPG mold, this one’s worth a look.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Blades of Fire details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: MercurySteam
Publisher: 505 Games
Genre: Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.