[STEAM] Blades of Fire review - brutal action RPG can't get weird enough

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Blades of Fire have played a lot of videogames. Developer Mercurysteam has spent a decade-plus working on classic series like Castlevania and Metroid. As might befit that pedigree, its latest effort is a bone-deep rethinking of action RPG trends. From moment to moment, Blades of Fire plays unlike anything else. The God of War and Dark Souls influence is apparent, but the game also has subtler inspirations. The swinging positionality of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, for one, and the gonzo action and stilted earnestness of Dragon's Dogma for another. In an era of perfunctory crafting systems, Blades of Fire's crafting alters every swing of every sword. However, despite its relentless cleverness, it can't help but feel mundane and overdrawn. It lacks the verve of the genre's best because it is so focused on its influences, resulting in a game that can feel lifeless and self-conscious. Blades of Fire might be a weird original, but it's never quite weird enough.

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