Blades of Fire is an upcoming Soulslike from MercurySteam, and it takes clear inspiration from iconic ARPGs that came before it. Here’s everything we know so far:
Veteran Developers from Metroid and Castlevania
Blades of Fire is being developed by MercurySteam, the award-winning studio behind the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow trilogy. They also co-developed Metroid Dread for the Nintendo Switch, which, personally, was my favorite game of 2021.
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+ 3You can instantly spot Blades of Fire’s inspirations through its over-the-shoulder camera and heavy focus on melee combat. If you’ve played a Lords of Shadow game before, expect familiar gameplay elements and a similar visual style.
Weapons, Weapons, Weapons
The hearth, I mean heart of Blades of Fire lies in its weapon system. You play as Aran de Lira, a warrior granted by a magical hammer that came from a race of powerful Forgemasters. With it, he can craft an arsenal of weapons. As one of these elite smiths, you can essentially build weapons however you want.
click to enlarge+ 3From swords and spears to massive hammers, each weapon type brings its own impact; and the better you forge it, the stronger it becomes.
Entering the Forge allows you to fully customize your weapon, kind of like a medieval build-a-bear workshop. You can tweak its attributes, give it a custom name, and create a true “weapon of destiny” to take on the game’s many challenges.
Monster Hunter-Level Sharpness
Since the game revolves around weapons, durability plays a key role. You won’t just be swinging wildly forever—Blades of Fire introduces a weapon sharpness mechanic reminiscent of Monster Hunter.
When your weapon dulls, your damage output drops significantly. Let it hit zero, and the weapon breaks, forcing you to forge another one. This makes durability not just a detail, but something central to your combat strategy.
So yeah, forging with durability in mind? It’s going to matter, and it may take some getting used to.
It’s Not Open World (And That’s Okay)
Blades of Fire isn’t going open-world. Instead, it leans into the Soulsborne structure: linear levels with smartly interconnected areas. It’s not chasing the next big sandbox trend, it’s more of a love letter to the PlayStation 3 era, where linearity was king.
This approach won’t necessarily appeal to players expecting sprawling open worlds and cutting-edge graphics. But for fans of tight, focused level design and classic third-person action, it hits the mark.
click to enlarge+ 3Blades of Fire launches on May 22nd for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The game is also enhanced for PlayStation 5 Pro and will have a physical version for those who want it. For more updates on the game, check out Gfinity.
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