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Where do you go after making both a Metroid and a Castlevania?
It’s a question that Madrid-based developer Mercury Steam are in the unique position of pondering.
Naturally, speculation has been rife about what comes next from the Madrid maestros.
On first impressions, Blades of Fire fits that most groan-inducing of descriptors a Soulslike.
Is this all that Blades of Fire has to offer?
In fact, they may well have beaten Miyazaki to the masochistic punch.
Back in 2001, MercurySteam’s co-founders released a pioneering action game called Blade Of Darkness.
Knowing its origins, Blades of Fire’s name suddenly feels reverent, not generic.
“It’s narrative driven, but an action adventure that gives you an enormous amount of freedom.”
It’s in this map-sprawling journey where MercurySteam’s Metroidvania experience shines brightest.
“Playing this game is accompanying Aran and [companion] Adso in their journey towards the royal palace.
But the royal palace is very far away,” says Alvarez.
“It’s a fairly big scale.
You’re going to get lost very easily, and you’re going to find incredibly creative environments.
It’s an adventure and the sense of discovery is essential to any adventure, right?
Thankfully, the weapons themselves feel great.
In a nice touch, new weapon blueprints are discovered by defeating the enemies that wield them.
Tired of your hammer and want to build a shiny new spear?
Well, then you’ll have to slice up 20 speary lads.
Battles feel far more forgiving than FromSoftware’s signature sadism.
One for the road
Joining you on your journey is a mysterious magic-wielding ally, Adso.
Thanks to its developers' experience forging the masochistic genre, it feels unfair to call it a Soulslike.
Blades of Fire looks poised to walk its own new path in the action genre.
Whatever you do though, don’t call it ‘AA’.
“I still don’t know the difference between AAA and AA”, shrugs Alvarez,.
“For me, AAA means an attitude more than a number.
He pauses, thoughtfully.
