The format of these posts is simple: let’s discuss a specific game or series!
Let's discuss the Donkey Kong series of games. What is your favorite game featuring this character? What do you like about it? What doesn't work for you? Are there similar games you like? Feel free to share anything that comes up and react to other comments. Let's get the conversation going!
If you have any recommendations for games or series for the next post(s), please feel free to DM me or add it in a comment here (no guarantees of course).
Previous entries: Grand Theft Auto, Pokémon, Like a Dragon / Yakuza, Assassin's Creed, UFO 50, Platformers, Uplifting Games, Final Fantasy, Visual Novels, Hollow Knight, Nintendo DS, Monster Hunter, Persona, Monkey Island, 8 Bit Era, Animal Crossing, Age of Empires, Super Mario, Deus Ex, Stardew Valley, The Sims, Half-Life, Earthbound / Mother, Mass Effect, Metroid, Journey, Resident Evil, Polybius, Tetris, Telltale Games, Kirby, LEGO Games, DOOM, Ori, Metal Gear, Slay the Spire

Holiday weekend... Forgot to post. Whatcha all been playing! I've mainly just been continuing with Talos principle 2. It's good! The story is definitely a lot bigger in scope this time around but I am enjoying it so far
In a first for the video game industry, over 300 quality assurance workers working at Microsoft subsidiary ZeniMax Media — represented by Communications Workers of America Locals 2100, 2108, and 6215 (ZeniMax Workers United-CWA) — announced that they have reached a tentative contract agreement with the company. ZeniMax Workers United-CWA and Microsoft have been negotiating for a first contract for nearly two years.
“QA workers from across the country continue to lead the charge for industry-wide change,” said Page Branson, Senior II QA Tester and ZeniMax Workers United-CWA bargaining committee member. “Going toe-to-toe with one of the largest corporations in the world isn’t a small feat. This is a monumental victory for all current video game workers and for those that come after.”
“Video games have been the revenue titan of the entire entertainment industry for years, and the workers who develop these games are too often exploited for their passion and creativity. Organizing unions, bargaining for a contract, and speaking with one collective voice has allowed workers to take back the autonomy we all deserve,” said Jessee Leese, QA tester at ZeniMax and ZeniMax Workers United-CWA bargaining committee member. “Our first contract is an invitation for video game professionals everywhere to take action. We’re the ones who make these games, and we’ll be the ones to set new standards for fair treatment.”
Welcome one and all to BigFriendly.Guide (or BigFriendlyGuide.c om, if you’re nasty). This is the new home for Jeffrey Parkin and myself, Ryan Gilliam. For the last 10 years or so, you’ve been able to find Jeff and my bylines all over a website called Polygon. We don’t work at that website anymore, due to circumstances beyond our control — namely Vox Media selling it and laying almost all of us off in the process. While we worked for Vox, Jeff and I worked on a lot of guide projects together and discovered we had a mutual love in the world of games: helping others enjoy them. So when we found ourselves unemployed, it didn’t take us long to come together and decide it was time for us to make something of our own. And thus, BigFriendly.Guide was born.
The thesis: We’re a completely employee-owned website — me and Jeff, we’re the employees and we own the joint — dedicated not to serving Google the kinds of guides it’s looking for, but serving you, our readers, community members, and, hopefully, subscribers.
Game Information
Game Title: F1 25
Platforms:
- PC (May 30, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (May 30, 2025)
- Xbox Series X/S (May 30, 2025)
Trailer:
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 79 average - 77% recommended - 31 reviews
Critic Reviews
CGMagazine - David Walters - 8 / 10
It's racing season again, and that means a new F1 game from EA and Codemasters. F1 25 has some truly incredible moments, and lays some important building
Daily Mirror - Nathan Bliss - 4 / 5
Overall, F1 25 features a number of improvements compared to F1 24, with improved handling, realism, graphics, gameplay options, and customisation.
DualShockers - Jaime Tugayev - 7.5 / 10
However, for most players, especially those running controllers or with multiple assists on, this is just $59.99 to have a slightly more polished experience than F1 24. Here's hoping the 2026 regulations bring the change that both virtual and real series need.
Eurogamer.pt - Adolfo Soares - Portuguese - 3 / 5
F1 25 is a solid continuation of the series, with occasional improvements in physics, car behavior and game modes. Despite this, many of the changes are subtle for those coming from F1 24, which calls into question the usefulness of a new annual release.
Everyeye.it - Alessandro Petruio - Italian - 8 / 10
The result is a solid and complete title, which offers many things to do for a credible and deep experience, but without representing a real break from the past. F1 25 therefore confirms itself as a controlled evolution, rather than a revolution, designed not to disappoint those who play the series continuously and appreciate its now well-established formula.
Evilgamerz - Jeroen Janssen - Dutch - 8.2 / 10
F1 25 may not feel groundbreaking, but if you've been away for a year like me, the changes feel pretty substantial. This year, it's just a few small details that have been added, but Braking Point in particular is a welcome addition and should actually be added every year. This mode provides more tension and just that little bit of extra pressure that you often don't feel in a career mode. The career mode, on the other hand, feels more bare with the disappearance of the side events that you could play in previous versions and that provided a bit more variety. It was the promo outings, let's say, that allowed you to do something a little different than driving Formula 1, but the interviews have also been removed, for example, which means that the focus is mainly on achieving objectives. Furthermore, the inverted tracks and the connections with the film are minor additions that have their charm, but are otherwise not very groundbreaking. F1 25 has its flaws here and there in terms of experience, especially in the Braking Point mode which feels a bit like an over-the-top drama, but those minor flaws could not stop me from having so much fun and the many, many hours you can put into this game with the amount of content that has grown tremendously over the years. Add to that the rock-solid gameplay, and you have another great sequel in your hands.
GAMES.CH - Olaf Bleich - German - 90%
Mainstream appeal is more than assured, not only thanks to Brad Pitt, but especially thanks to the diverse help functions. Compared to its predecessor, "F1 25" shows slight improvements in almost all areas, thus surpassing it. It's not a giant leap, but certainly a consistent evolution of the "F1" brand and therefore worthy of an editorial recommendation.
GRYOnline.pl - Mikołaj Łaszkiewicz - Polish - 8 / 10
It’s a pity that ditching last generation of consoles did not manifest a substantial leap in quality (that many hoped for). Fortunately F1 25 is a better game than F1 24 in every way, with big emphasis on an improved driving model and path tracing on PCs. Still, a real revolution should arrive in the 2026 season.
Game8 - Allisandra Reyes - 86 / 100
F1 25 strikes a strong balance between convenience for casual players and depth for racing enthusiasts. It refines the gameplay and storytelling from previous entries while introducing enough new features to keep the experience fresh, though it doesn't radically reinvent the series. Minor frustrations like repeated engineer messages and a sense of annual iteration prevent it from scoring higher, but overall it delivers a polished and engaging motorsport simulation.
GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 9 / 10
EA sports F1 25 features the usual iterative improvements when it comes to visuals and physics, and LIDAR technology has been used to make a number of tracks as accurate as can be. But it's the return of Braking Point as well as a substantial overhaul of My Team that really makes this an impressive package, and a must-have for both casual and ardent F1 fans.
GamingBolt - Stuart Glover - 8 / 10
An experience which promises much and delivers on some, F1 25 is without doubt a worthy entry but the feeling is its innovations could be greater.
Hardcore Gamer - Cory Wells - 4 / 5
F1 25 doesn't feature much that's new, but this car handling may just be the best the series has ever seen.
Hobby Consolas - David Rodriguez - Spanish - 80 / 100
F1 25 doesn't set the fastest lap in the series, but it does bring substantial improvements in terms of driving compared to F1 24 and takes the trouble to add interesting and well-polished content such as Braking Point 3 or the My Team management additions.
IGN Italy - Leonardo Visentini - Italian - 7.5 / 10
Quote not yet available
IGN Spain - Marcos Catalán - Spanish - 8 / 10
The new EA Sports F1 25 will not revolutionize neither the genre nor the saga, being as continuous as it is, but it has polished certain aspects (others not) and added interesting options to team management and multiplayer. LiDAR technology realli is quite impressive.
F1 25 has built on last year's entry into the franchise and brought some genuine updates, both to the visuals and to the various modes in the game. I appreciate the changes made to My Team mode as a fan of both the sport and management games in general; and even though I'm overall somewhat lukewarm to Braking Point as a feature, I appreciate what Codemasters are trying to do with it.
MKAU Gaming - Hayden Nelson - 8 / 10
F1 25 stands out as a major step forward for the franchise, offering meaningful improvements across gameplay, visuals, audio, and immersion. With the revamped My Team 2.0 mode, enhanced handling mechanics, and deeper customisation, it delivers the most realistic and engaging Formula 1 experience ever. This is going to set a new benchmark for racing games.
MondoXbox - Davide Mapelli - Italian - 8.3 / 10
F1 25 races ahead with stunning visuals, ultra-realistic Lidar-mapped tracks, and a revamped My Team Career mode rich in management depth. While inconsistent AI and questionable driver ratings hold it back, the refined driving model and broad content - spanning Braking Point 3 to F1 World - make it a well-rounded package for both casual fans and dedicated sim racers, assuming you're always online.
PC Gamer - Justin Towell - 74 / 100
Wonderfully authentic, but it's too familiar, cumbersome with a pad, and the career management is unusually tedious.
PCGamesN - Toby Durant - 8 / 10
F1 25 offers a stronger driving experience and greater attention to detail than its predecessors, with major changes to My Team breathing new life into the mode. It's not a revolution, but it's undoubtedly Codemasters' best F1 game in years.
PSX Brasil - Paulo Roberto Montanaro - Portuguese - 90 / 100
Compared to the previous game in the franchise, EA SPORTS F1 25 takes few risks in terms of the driving itself because it knows it has already achieved a very high level of excellence and stability. With some substantial changes to two of its main game modes and subtle improvements to the visuals, it is the most faithful and entertaining game for fans of the category, valuing the most ardent followers without giving up on new enthusiasts.
PlayStation Universe - James Davie - 6 / 10
Subtle improvements and the amalgamation of ways F1 25 engages players aren't enough to stave off the fact there's no bold step forward with this latest series offering. It's another year and another entry, and while you'll still want to return if you've been dedicated to F1 games for years, there's not enough here to justify F1 25 as a must-buy.
Push Square - Stephen Tailby - 7 / 10
EA Sports F1 25 is overall another rock solid entry in the annual franchise. The driving is reliably good fun and impressively flexible, and the return of Braking Point is a welcome one, even if it's not the best story ever told. A robust set of modes means there's something for everyone, and it looks and sounds great on the whole. One or two career mode changes might ruffle some feathers, and navigating the game can feel slow, but by and large it's a podium finish for this F1 racer.
Shacknews - Jan Ole Peek - 7 / 10
Veterans of the series should only consider F1 25 if they're specifically interested in the expanded My Team mode or invested in the next chapter of Braking Point. Otherwise, if you're satisfied with F1 24, there's no pressing reason to upgrade this year.
Spaziogames - Giulia Garassino - Italian - 8.2 / 10
Thanks to the inclusion of some cut-scenes created through motion capture , the involvement is particularly satisfying – and we point out that the mode is easily playable by both veteran pilots and younger users.
The Beta Network - Anthony Culinas - 9 / 10
F1 25 doesn’t shake up the formula, but it fine-tunes the experience with slicker handling, sharper visuals and a surprisingly spicy Braking Point 3 story mode that’s well worth the ride.
The Games Machine - Daniele Dolce - Italian - 8 / 10
F1 25 marks an improvement over the previous installment, featuring new content and a more in-depth My Team mode. The LIDAR scanning has made some tracks much more realistic, though the disparity with those that haven't been updated is noticeable. As for Braking Point, once again, the developers have opted for a highly dramatized approach to Formula 1, resulting in a simplistic and somewhat unrealistic narrative. The driving model remains largely unchanged, offering a good balance between arcade and simulation.
TheSixthAxis - Dominic Leighton - 8 / 10
F1 25 is a clear improvement over last year's entry, with improved handling, the returning Braking Point story mode and more all coming together to create an excellent F1 racing experience.
XGN.nl - Roland Janssen - Dutch - 8 / 10
EA Sports F1 25 brings quite a few improvements to the franchise along with an overhaul of the My Team mode. There are still some problems to be found, but in general it's the best F1 game we've had in a long time.
Xbox Achievements - Richard Walker - 91%
Hot on the heels of the 2025 Monaco Grand Prix, here comes EA Sports F1 25, the latest instalment in developer Codemasters' racing sim series, a...
XboxEra - Győző Baki - 8.5 / 10
F1 25 is a quite small upgrade over F1 24, but the presence of Braking Point 3, content from the F1 movie and improved career options ensure more unique race experiences, especially for solo players who want to do a full immersion of the Formula 1 experience.
I like how she argues casually that a good video game is a good thing for your focus as opposed to the toxic gunk too many people get trapped into, such as big social media and evil mobile gaming. I mean it’s nothing new, but sometimes hearing some positivity is a boon.
Hi,
Can someone recommend a gaming controller that works with AppleTV 4K and Nvidia ShieldTV (2017)? It has to be wireless.
Thanks.
Game Information
Game Title: Elden Ring: Nightreign
Platforms:
- Xbox Series X/S (May 29, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (May 29, 2025)
- PC (May 29, 2025)
- Xbox One (May 29, 2025)
- PlayStation 4 (May 29, 2025)
Trailers:
- Elden Ring Nightreign: 'Libra' Boss Reveal Gameplay – IGN First
- ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN | Overview Trailer
- ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN | Overview Trailer
Developer: FromSoftware
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 80 average - 77% recommended - 88 reviews
Critic Reviews
AltChar - Semir Omerovic - 90 / 100
AnaitGames - Víctor Manuel Martínez García - Spanish - 7 / 10
Atarita - Eren Eroğlu - Turkish - 80 / 100
BaziCenter - Javad Mohseni - Persian - 8.5 / 10
Bazimag - Hamidreza Ghaneei - Persian - 8 / 10
But Why Tho? - Eddie De Santiago - 9.5 / 10
CBR - Mark O'Callaghan - 10 / 10
CGMagazine - Justin Wood - 9 / 10
CNET - David Lumb - Unscored
COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 85 / 100
Cerealkillerz - Gabriel Bogdan - German - 9 / 10
Checkpoint Gaming - Omi Koulas - 8 / 10
Cloud Dosage - Jon Scarr - 4.5 / 5
ComicBook.com - Tanner Dedmon - 4.5 / 5
ComingSoon.net - Tyler Treese - 8.5 / 10
Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3.5 / 5
Digitale Anime - Raouf Belhamra - Arabic - 9 / 10
DualShockers - Ethan Krieger - 7 / 10
Enternity.gr - Konstantinos Kalkanis - Greek - 8 / 10
Eurogamer - Ed Nightingale - 4 / 5
Eurogamer.pt - Adolfo Soares - Portuguese - 4 / 5
Everyeye.it - Riccardo Cantù - Italian - 7.5 / 10
Fextralife - Fexelea - 8.7 / 10
GAMES.CH - Sven Raabe - German - 87%
GRYOnline.pl - Paweł Woźniak - Polish - 8.5 / 10
Game Rant - Matt Karoglou - 9 / 10
GamePro - Dennis Michel - German - 65 / 100
GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 7 / 10
GameSpot - Richard Wakeling - 9 / 10
Gameblog - Geralt de Reeves - French - 8 / 10
Gamepressure - Maciej Bogusz - 8.5 / 10
Gamer Guides - Ben Chard - 92 / 100
Gamers Heroes - Johnny Hurricane - 90 / 100
Gamersky - 奕剑者柴王 - Chinese - 7.4 / 10
Gamesource Italia - Carlo Dragone - Italian - 7 / 10
Gaming Age - Braden Czerwinski - 5.5 / 10
GamingBolt - Ravi Sinha - 8 / 10
Generación Xbox - Spanish - 90 / 100
Hardcore Gamer - Adam Beck - 4 / 5
IGN - Mitchell Saltzman - 7 / 10
IGN Italy - Andrea Peduzzi - Italian - 7 / 10
INVEN - Hongman Yoon - Korean - 8.7 / 10
Just Play it - Aimen TAIB - Arabic - 10 / 10
Kakuchopurei - Lewis Larcombe - 90 / 100
Loot Level Chill - Chris White - 9 / 10
MKAU Gaming - Dylan Kocins - 9 / 10
MMORPG.com - Nick Shively - 7 / 10
Merlin'in Kazanı - Samet Basri Taşlı - Turkish - 80 / 100
MondoXbox - Mirko Rossi - Italian - 8.5 / 10
MonsterVine - Luis Joshua Gutierrez - 3.5 / 5
Multiplayer First - James Lara - 9.5 / 10
NextPlay - Brad Goodwin - 9 / 10
Nexus Hub - Sahil Lala - 9 / 10
One More Game - Ricki Buzon - 8.5 / 10
Oyungezer Online - Onur Kaya - Turkish - 6 / 10
PC Gamer - Tyler Colp - 80 / 100
PPE.pl - Piotrek Kamiński - Polish - 7 / 10
PSX Brasil - Marco Aurélio Couto - Portuguese - 80 / 100
Paste Magazine - Garrett Martin - 8 / 10
PlayStation Universe - Simon Sayers - 8 / 10
Push Square - Aaron Bayne - 8 / 10
Quest Daily - Tom Greer - 8 / 10
RPG Fan - Zach Wilkerson - 75 / 100
RPG Site - Scott White - 7 / 10
Restart.run - Jesse Vitelli - 4 / 5
SECTOR.sk - Oto Schultz - Slovak - 7.5 / 10
Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 7 / 10
Shacknews - Sam Chandler - 9 / 10
Spaziogames - Domenico Musicò - Italian - 7.5 / 10
SteamDeckHQ - Noah Kupetsky - 4.5 / 5
Stevivor - Steve Wright - 8 / 10
TechRaptor - Joe Allen - 8 / 10
The Games Machine - Erica Mura - Italian - 8 / 10
The Nerd Stash - Julio La Pine - 9 / 10
The Outerhaven Productions - Keith Mitchell, Jordan Andow, Andrew Agress - 4 / 5
TheGamer - James Lucas - 4.5 / 5
TheSixthAxis - Jason Coles - 7 / 10
Twisted Voxel - Ali Haider - 7.5 / 10
VG247 - Connor Makar - [5 / 5 ](https://www.vg247.com/
Game Information
Game Title: Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon
Platforms:
- Xbox Series X/S (May 23, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (May 23, 2025)
- PC (May 23, 2025)
Trailers:
- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon - Official Story Trailer
- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon - Official Story Trailer
- Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon - Release Date Trailer
Developer: Questline
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 81 average - 95% recommended - 19 reviews
Critic Reviews
COGconnected - Mark Steighner - 80 / 100
Despite its lack of refinement, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is entertaining and addictive. It has a sprawling story and world to explore with dozens of hours of content. Its combat is more effective and engaging than you might expect. It’s a bit messy to be sure, but fans of classic RPGs are almost certain to enjoy Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon’s take on Arthurian mythology and old-school roleplaying games.
Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 4.5 / 5
There’s a real heart and soul to this project, and Poland has produced yet another developer that is well worth keeping an eye on.
DualShockers - Christian Bognar - 8 / 10
It's a project where passion is on full display and I can't wait to see what Questline does next.
Game Rant - Josh Cotts - 8 / 10
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon delivers a bleak, immersive RPG experience, though its clunky combat and unbalanced gear system hold it back.
Game8 - Michael Gerra-Clarin - 72 / 100
While dark fantasy open-world RPGs are nothing new, Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon is an ambitious open-world RPG that backs up its comparisons to the greats and is a worthy newcomer in a saturated market.
GamingBolt - Matt Bianucci - 8 / 10
Despite major technical issues, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is an exciting "Scrolls-like" that offers a tightly-scoped RPG experience that shows a ton of potential for the franchise and genre.
Hobby Consolas - Miguel Ángel Sánchez - Spanish - 82 / 100
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon achieves its ambitious goal: to follow in the footsteps of Skyrim and Oblivion, with a game that looks squarely at the classics. Tremendously fun and varied, it offers complete freedom to experience all kinds of adventures in Avalon, and its epic scale is a testament to the hard work of this independent team.
IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 8 / 10
With a free exploration that works and a combat system that takes the best of the genre, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a new step in the western RPG. The Arthurian myth serves as the basis for a lore riddled with legends, fantastic creatures and mythical characters that merge with the story to create something with its own personality. Large areas to travel through, solid mechanics and unforgettable moments that take all the good things from the board game to create a title that, despite its budget problems, manages to shine within the current catalog.
I'm always keen to dive into an RPG and open RPG's provide a satisfying level of freedom but if the story telling isn't there then interest can fade quickly. Tainted Grail: The Fall Of Avalon doesn't just hold that interest… it keeps piquing it. When you build your world upon an established legend it can be tempting to let the existing elements do all the heavy lifting… here that legend is simply the starting point and helps colour the world, but the new Lore is what really brings it to life! If you are a fan of the Arthurian legend you might well enjoy this furthering of the stories. If you enjoy open world RPG games… then definitely grab a copy!
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 8 / 10
Despite some obvious influences, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon manages to be an excellent action RPG with an interesting, dark world to explore.
Merlin'in Kazanı - Murat Oktay - Turkish - 87 / 100
Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a dark fantasy open-world RPG inspired by Arthurian legend. With deep character builds, rich lore, and tactical combat, it's a must-play for RPG veterans-despite some technical flaws.
PSX Brasil - Bruno Henrique Vinhadel - Portuguese - 80 / 100
Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon follows its inspirations to deliver a unique and excellently structured work for an open-world action RPG inspired by Skyrim and Oblivion, with a strong focus on freedom and an excellent dark fantasy presentation. Even so, several technical issues on the consoles will diminish the overall experience in its current state.
PlayStation Universe - John-Paul Jones - 8.5 / 10
A welcome surprise, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon really clicked with me. The Euro indie Skyrim that could, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon might not be as technically sound as other genre efforts, but across its 60-80 hour playtime there's a lot to enjoy here, while its inventive take on Arthurian legends and surprisingly effective writing all add up to make it a compelling prospect for RPG fans everywhere that don't want to wait 89 years for the next mainline Elder Scrolls title to drop.
RPGamer - Ezra Kinnell - 3.5 / 5
Not everyone is going to resonate with the creepier, darker tone, and the game’s technical state leaves much to be desired. However, those that do resonate with it will find an interesting, complex, intelligent narrative with the player being used both as a framing device and a driving force.
Shacknews - Lexi Luddy - 5 / 10
There are things I respect about Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon. Its soundtrack, for one, is uniformly pretty good, and the game’s ambition is undeniable, but I can’t really say I enjoyed much of my time playing it, moment to moment. Occasional striking vistas and questlines can’t make up for a world that feels pretty inauthentic in its representation of a fictionalized version of Celtic culture, and the way you are forced to constantly wander it to complete straightforward missions makes it a space that is hard to enjoy exploring. And while there are interesting roleplaying narrative beats, that is rarely reflected in gameplay that railroads you into one of two playstyles.
Despite these technical hiccups and the sense of artificiality that creeps into the open world on a macro scale, The Fall of Avalon’s intimate moments remain resonant—and, at their most evocative, enthralling.
Spaziogames - Italian - 8.5 / 10
While Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon may not shine from a technical standpoint and can feel like a patchwork of successful ideas reassembled in a new way, pulling off such a feat was far from easy. The developers never hid their (notable) sources of inspiration and have instead crafted a love letter to open-world role-playing games, brought to life through a compelling and well-executed dark fantasy atmosphere-one capable of winning over genre enthusiasts and, perhaps, drawing in newcomers as well. It took some time in early access to reach this point, but it was undoubtedly worth the wait.
The Games Machine - Emanuele Feronato - Italian - 8.5 / 10
The developers of Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon call it a love letter to open world RPGs as if the game were just a tribute to the masterpieces of the genre such as Skyrim or Oblivion, when in fact we are dealing with a production with great personality, spectacular from an artistic point of view and with a plot entangled enough to stick us to the monitor for quite some time. The gameplay does not aim to innovate the genre, but it offers everything you could want from a modern role-playing game, reinterpreting the story of King Arthur in a dark key full of compelling combat.
Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 8 / 10
With an impressive RPG throwback core game and oodles of high quality physical extras, Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon Collector's Edition offers one nostalgic package that any fan of dark fantasy role-playing will absolutely adore. 👑
cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/20234081
2 days ago I made a post that the game would not run on a Linux desktop PC (but it would on the Steam Deck). 10 hours ago they released an update that resolves this issue and makes the game run through Proton on a Linux desktop PC.
- The Beta now supports players on Linux thru Proton
I can confirm it does run and I just did the short tutorial. I still have to play more, but wanted to inform anyone who is interested into the game.
If you are in the mood to play Skyrim or the recent Oblivion remaster, but you don't want to play a Microsoft-backed game for, oh, any number of reasons, the word on the grapevine is that open world RPG Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is pretty decent. We don't have a review as yet, but Khee Hoon Chan called Questline's previous Tainted Grail: Conquest one of the best games you missed in 2021, and The Fall Of Avalon is currently humming along with an Overwhelmingly Positive Steam user consensus as it prepares to leave early access today. The Steam page also harbours a demo, plus the below, moderately thunderous trailer's worth of first-person spellcraft, shattered cosmic castles and fishing mechanics.
The Fall Of Avalon is set in another dark reimagining of Arthurian myth, one less abundant in beauty influencers than Tides Of Annihilation. It takes place about 600 years after King Arthur's fall, in a realm of "unending strife" and plague that is divided into three zones.
The game is said to span 50-70 hours, with over 200 sidequests and an assortment of miscellaneous activities such as decorating your house, farming and "sketchbook journaling". I sincerely hope that last one is a fully fleshed-out illustration subgame, or at least some kind of fantasy photography mechanic. We need more virtual idylls like Eastshade.
One enemy left, I have no moves and must skip the last turn and lose...

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/30594672
SteamOS is Valve’s Linux-based operating system. It features a seamless user experience that's optimized for gaming, while retaining access to the power and flexibility of a PC. SteamOS plays tens of thousands of games on Steam, and we are constantly testing the Steam catalog for SteamOS compatibility. It's an open Linux platform that leaves you in full control, and you can install new software or content as you wish. By default, the Steam Client serves as a user interface and provides connectivity to our Steam online services, but you can still access the standard Linux desktop. Users should not consider SteamOS as a replacement for their desktop operating system.
Game Information
Game Title: Blades of Fire
Platforms:
- Xbox Series X/S (May 22, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (May 22, 2025)
- PC (May 22, 2025)
Trailers:
- Blades of Fire Character Trailer
- Blades of Fire - Official Combat Overview Trailer
- BLADES OF FIRE Trailer 4K (New Third-Person Action Game Like GOD OF WAR 2025)
Developer: MercurySteam
Publisher: 505 Games
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 72 average - 49% recommended - 73 reviews
Critic Reviews
33bits - Fernando Sánchez - Spanish - 90 / 100
Blades of Fire, the new game from Spanish studio MercurySteam, arrives quietly but is poised to become one of the surprises of 2025. A fable of fire and steel that tastefully blends recognizable elements from different genres and revolves them around the powerful concept of weapon forging and the depth with which the Madrid-based studio has endowed the concept. Once it catches your attention, Blades of Fire is a game you shouldn't miss; it will captivate you.
AltChar - Asmir Kovacevic - 80 / 100
Blades of Fire is an action RPG following its own rules and trying to be something else, even though the similarity with the Souls titles and their influence is something it cannot escape from. However, the unique fighting mechanics, paired with the original weapon management, are enough to make this game very intriguing and to make it stand out in the sea of titles that mindlessly try to be like every other game out there.
Analog Stick Gaming - Jeff M Young - 6.5 / 10
Blades of Fire likely sounded great on paper. However, its lack of direction, dated visuals, and inconsistent combat leads to far too much frustration. While the premise of forging your weapons is appealing, and does actually make the game stand out, the weapon swapping systems are cumbersome to use during combat and make this one adventure that's hard to recommend.
Atarita - Eren Eroğlu - Turkish - 70 / 100
Blades of Fire may have let me down in many ways, but its solid gameplay ideas and well-crafted world still make it a game worth exploring.
BaziCenter - آرش سفیدی - Persian - 8 / 10
Blades of Fire had the potential to be one of the best action-adventure games in recent memory if it had stuck to its unique ideas instead of borrowing from others. Its gameplay mechanics are some of the freshest and most exciting we've seen in years, bringing a much-needed burst of creativity. However, the story, characters, and level design feel uninspired and rely too much on familiar tropes, offering little that feels new or engaging. This imbalance leaves the game exciting to play but disappointing to experience as a whole.
But Why Tho? - Kyle Foley - 7.5 / 10
Blades of Fire is a well-made package focusing more on crafting creativity than physical battles. It forces players to take a more thoughtful approach instead of prioritizing fast-paced action.
COGconnected - Stephan Adamus - 80 / 100
Like its title, Blades of Fire suffers from aspects that are kind of generic. The visual design and musical score emulate Hollywood fantasy to a fault, and the gameplay is excellent. Fans of action RPGs can safely ignore the Souslike label and enjoy this very accessible game.
Cerealkillerz - Gabriel Bogdan - German - 7.4 / 10
Blades of Fire sadly offers very little, besides some small creative rays of hope and misses completely, when it comes to create interesting characters and a gameplay that can offer something new in a overcrowded genre. If some variety in boss fights and metroidvania-like exploration is enough for you, you can still give this a try.
Console-Tribe - Simone Cantini - Italian - 80 / 100
Will MercurySteam now be recognized as the studio behind Blades of Fire? Based on my experience, I certainly hope so. Their new IP offers a challenging and engaging adventure with a distinct identity and well-crafted gameplay elements, particularly its combat system and arsenal management. Its main flaw lies in an overly extended duration, leading to some redundant and less inspired sections that may amplify a sense of disorientation due to certain design choices. Nonetheless, it remains a game with a strong personality, making bold and divisive gameplay decisions that will reward those willing to embrace its nature.
Cultured Vultures - Ash Bates - 7 / 10
Blades Of Fire gets in its own way sometimes with busywork-heavy quest design, but the unique combat and enjoyable weapon crafting save it.
Daily Mirror - Aaron Potter - Unscored
can’t say I ever truly invested in Aran’s personal plight, but I very much enjoyed the way he goes about resolving it, all thanks to one of the most unique and thoughtful melee combat systems I’ve experienced in the past few years. Blades of Fire borrows from the past, but when it comes to combat and creativity it also forges its own way forward.
Digitale Anime - Raouf Belhamra - Arabic - 8 / 10
"A new flame in the dark fantasy world" Blades of Fire successfully balances inspiration and innovation. Despite being an AA entry, it has ambitious ideas that it confidently delivers, particularly through its unique blacksmithing system and thoughtful combat. Its emotional narrative and dark fantasy-infused world give it a distinct character. With some improvements, it could become one of the most prominent action-adventure games
Blades of Fire manages to feel original, lovable, and born of genuine passion, despite the near overwhelming number of problems that could have extinguished it.
Everyeye.it - Brian Arnoldi - Italian - 7.5 / 10
The combat system and crafting mechanics thus come together in a unicum that makes the gameplay of Blades of Fire innovative and truly original. At the beginning, such an impressive amount of choices to make might seem overwhelming. But it still remains a much-needed breath of fresh air in a stagnant sector .
Expansive - Cait Lee - 3.5 / 5
Blades of Fire is an interesting take on a familiar genre, offering some clever ideas, well engineered combat and a vibrant world. There’s challenges with this one, though, like traversal, iffy mini games, and some grind. However this is a mostly enjoyable romp that deserves the chance to be played and appreciated and a game that ultimately presents in a positive light.
GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 80%
"Blades of Fire" surprised us in a very positive way. After the dubious prologue, we would have guessed it would be mediocre, but the game quickly picks up pace and improves with almost every hour of play.
GRYOnline.pl - Mateusz Zelek - Polish - 6 / 10
Blades of Fire has two faces – at first the game irritates with nearly every little thing, but after a while the pieces seem to fit quite nicely. I wanted to discover new mechanics (that were extremely poorly explained) and really get to know the game. But that does not change the fact, that it is tiresome and demands frequent breaks.
Game Rant - Cameron Swan - 6 / 10
MercurySteam makes its bold return with Blades of Fire, a Soulslike with some revolutionary mechanics but some serious pacing issues.
Game8 - Michael Gerra-Clarin - 68 / 100
Blades of Fire is a fun action-adventure game that boasts its unique features well but unintentionally shows off its many flaws.
GameGrin - Mike Crewe - 9 / 10
With fun, challenging combat and a fantastic weapon-forging system, Blades of Fire is one of 2025's most surprising videogames for all the right reasons.
GameLuster - Axel Cushing - 8 / 10
Blades of Fire could have been another Soulslike with a gimmick. Instead, MercurySteam has delivered a well crafted world with an intriguing adventure and the means to let players really find out what works best for them when they need to take hold of some cold steel.
Gamefa - Mostafa Zahedi - Persian - 7.5 / 10
Blades of Fire brings back so many good memories from previous Console generation. with an engaging combat system and interesting forging mechanics, it can entertain you for many hours.
Gameliner - Philip Zeldenthuis - Dutch - 5 / 5
Blades of Fire is a thrilling third-person action-adventure that draws you into a rich, mysterious fantasy world full of lore, puzzles, and rewarding exploration, with intense, tactical combat and a deeply satisfying forge system that make it a must-play for anyone who loves challenging, story-driven games.
Gamepressure - Zbigniew Woźnicki - 6.5 / 10
Blades of Fire is a pretty decent, average game. It looks good graphically and works just as well. Unfortunately, it can be irritating and even boring at times.
Blades of Fire adds a unique twist to the action RPG formula with new inventive mechanics that reward long-term investment with hugely enjoyable combat and a compelling story to boot.
Gamer Social Club - Vikki McGowan - 7.5 / 10
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Blades of Fire. A lot of people online seem to be comparing it to a Soulslike, which I just don’t see. The team over at MercurySteam have put a lot of time and effort making a very unique system that encourages a completely different approach to combat than I’ve really experienced before. I’m usually one to stick to one style of weapon, if not just one weapon, but Blades of Fire stops you from doing that. You are a master blacksmith and a master at arms and you need to use every tool available to you to save this cursed world.
Gamers Heroes - Casey Scheld - 80 / 100
Blades of Fire tries something new with its combat, truly excelling as a result. Those that devote the time to its blacksmithing and weaponry will no doubt have fun slicing and dicing (and piercing and blunting).
GamesRadar+ - Abbie Stone - 4 / 5
It's got the Metroidvania chops of their Nintendo Switch high-point Metroid Dread, the fantasy-horror imagination of their Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games, and a fantastic combat system that smashes them both. A great adventure that'll make you want to try every weapon it hits you with. Outstanding.
Gamesource Italia - Nicola Galea - Italian - 8.5 / 10
Blades of Fire is configured as an atypical action (RPG), capable of combining the tradition of “hardcore” titles with a metroidvania setting that represents, to all intents and purposes, its most distinctive stylistic feature. The game map, in fact, is developed around a vertical and layered, highly interconnected structure, in which exploration, backtracking and spatial memory assume a central role. This approach, far from the more recent drifts of the open world, restores an organic and coherent sense of progression, reinforcing the player's sense of growth through knowledge gained in the field, rather than through mere numerical statistics. Mercurysteam's introduction of a forging mechanic is certainly the most successful innovation, shifting the focus of progression to weapons. On the other hand, the overall gameplay experience can be too diluted, with fragmented quests and unclear objectives that can detract from the pace of the experience. Ultimately, Blades of Fire is not afraid to stray from the established canons of action to offer a certainly authorial vision. It is not an immediate title, nor is it all that forgiving, but it will know how to gratify you if you are looking for a new experience among this year's many releases.
GamingBolt - Matthew Carmosino - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire stands out with its unique sword-based combat and surprisingly deep forging system. While it stumbles with repetitive enemy encounters and frustrating escort missions, there's no denying the charm and originality in its core gameplay loop. It's a flawed gem, but one that action-RPG fans will find plenty to enjoy in.
Generación Xbox - Spanish - 88 / 100
With an excellent combat system and the ability to forge massive weapons, this is a fresh experience that's not your typical souls-like game. Blades of Fire stands out from the rest in its own way, allowing us to enjoy its diverse and expansive world. Whether you're a fan of this style of game or not, it's a pleasant surprise, coming from the talent of a Spanish studio.
Gert Lush Gaming - Jim Smale - 7.6 / 10
Despite its learning curve, Blades of Fire offers a rewarding experience for players seeking deep combat mechanics, rich customization, and an open-world adventure filled with secrets. While there are areas for improvement, the foundation sets the stage for a promising franchise.
Gfinity - Feliciano Mondigo III - 8 / 10
In the end, Blades of Fire is an intriguing blend of old-school charm and modern design, like a game forged out of time. Its deep combat and weapon forging shine, even as its 3D Metroidvania structure occasionally falters. Backtracking and vague direction can frustrate, but the game’s heart and ambition stand out, especially with plenty of secrets to uncover in its sprawling fantasy world.
HCL.hr - Hrvoje Smoljic - Unknown - 68 / 100
Blades of Fire is an RPG that knows where its priorities lie, but everything surrounding its mechanical core remains underdeveloped, failing to leave a lasting impression.
Hobby Consolas - David Rodriguez - Spanish - 87 / 100
Blades of Fire is one of the most ambitious Spanish games of recent times and an action-packed offering worthy of applause for bringing a sense of renewal to a crowded gaming genre. With a combat system directly tied to role-playing elements and exploration, this title will captivate the most discerning action RPG fans.
IGN - Jada Griffin - 5 / 10
Blades of Fire’s blacksmithing burns bright, but overly simplistic combat and a mediocre story mean it doesn’t forge a sharp enough edge to put its customizable weapons to good use.
IGN Italy - Alessandra Borgonovo - Italian - 6.5 / 10
An action-adventure that is guilty of a lot of naivety and tries to do too much, without really concluding anything. Too bad, because the potential was all there.
IGN Spain - Alejandro Morillas - Spanish - 8 / 10
Blades of Fire gives us a fascinating approach to action adventure, using ingredients from Action RPG and souls like within a huge world, to give a mixture with a unique flavor. Its spectacular and addictive battle system, combined with the enormous possibilities of the forging system, make Blades of Fire one of Mercury Steam's best works to date, despite its rough edges.
Just Play it - Aimen TAIB - Arabic - 8 / 10
The developers of Metroid Dread and Castlevania return with a new identity in Blades of Fire—a story-driven adventure inspired by Souls-like mechanics. But rather than merely imitating the genre, the game carves its own path with unique systems like weapon forging, weapon loss, and resource management. It offers a journey that blends challenge, narrative depth, and a beautiful visual style, making it a perfect experience for fans of story-rich and gently punishing games.
Kakuchopurei - Jonathan Toyad - 60 / 100
MercurySteam has a lot going for with Blades of Fire despite its drawn-out story and path that does wear out its welcome over time. While not exactly the most engrossing of all action RPGs with Dark Souls DNA, Blades of Fire is still worthy of your time due to its approach to weapons-crafting and nuances to its combat system.
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire has some elements that feel original and compelling, but it ultimately falls short of the bar set by other AA adventure games of recent years.
Merlin'in Kazanı - Samet Basri Taşlı - Turkish - 78 / 100
It’s not an unmissable classic, but it’s a game I’d recommend to those who love the genre to try. I’d also like to mention that while I was playing the game, I kept thinking how great this combat system would be in new God of War games.
MonsterVine - James Carr - 2 / 5
Blades of Fire is a misfire, attempting to mix elements of soulslike games with its own action ideas in an oil and water result. The story is bland, and the characters are deeply unfunny despite constantly trying to be, resulting in a tone that matches the worst of the Xbox 360 era. Obtuse and confusing level designs combined with the choice not to have objective markers create a frustrating experience, which is only furthered by the unique combat system feeling out of sync with the hardcore third-person combat games it wants to emulate.
Niche Gamer - Fingal Belmont - 9 / 10
Blades of Fire is a lengthy and substantial quest, dense with optional challenges and secret encounters. There is no shortage of similar action games out there, but Mercury Steam proves that their work on Metroid Dread was no fluke. Blades of Fire is easily one of the best options out there, and it achieves epic AAA quality without being a $70 game, too.
One More Game - Chris Garcia - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire is not a game for everyone, but players who choose to invest in its deep and highly involved systems will be treated with a title that rewards persistence and creativity. The game's combat and forging systems are the star of the show and really make it stand out among its contemporaries.
It is a surprise, especially from a developer such as MercurySteam. However, it is also dragged down by its uninspired story and world that would fail to hook players from its dreadful start and premise. It's a respectable effort and worth checking out if you overlook its flaws.
Oyungezer Online - Turkish - 7.5 / 10
Blades of Fire is far from a masterpiece; it has graphical and technical weaknesses, with occasional noticeable shortcomings. However, thanks to smart gameplay decisions, masterfully crafted mechanics, and creative details, it manages to make you overlook most of these flaws. If only the development team had a bigger budget, these well-designed mechanics could have been backed by the same level of technical polish. Still, Blades of Fire succeeds in thoroughly pleasing fans of the genre—even surprising them at times. Despite its imperfections, it absolutely deserves to be played and given a chance.
PC Gamer - Kerry Brunskill - 74 / 100
Blades of Fire can be great fun, but it definitely overstays its welcome.
PCGamesN - Grace Benfell - 6 / 10
With its weapon-building systems and deliberate, targeted combat, Blades of Fire has a lot of fresh-feeling ideas. Its control scheme is strange and will force you to press each button with care. Its granular forging system makes you consider every weapon in your arsenal. But however differently it approaches them, the game only offers the same thrills as other action games of its ilk. Blades of Fire feels unique, but just can't get weird enough.
PPE.pl - Paweł Musiolik - Polish - 5.5 / 10
Well, I was fooled by the enthusiastic announcements. Blades of Fire revolves around mediocrity. Sometimes it rises above them, sometimes it scrubs the bottom with its nose.
PSX Brasil - Bruno Henrique Vinhadel - Portuguese - 75 / 100
Overcoming an uninteresting and confusing beginning to the game, as well as flawed level design at times, can be a big challenge here. In any case, there is a lot of interesting stuff in Blades of Fire and an originality that needs to be highlighted in the combat and weapon creation system, even though the game is otherwise heavily inspired by other works.
Pizza Fria - Matheus Jenevain - Portuguese - 7.3 / 10
Even though I had fun with the combat and forging mechanics, and was intrigued by some aspects of its narrative, I felt that the title wasn't all it could be due to some flaws that affect the experience as a whole.
PlayStation Universe - Garri Bagdasarov - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire is a great return to the genre for MercurySteam. With great exploration and a unique combat system, Blades of Fire should have been a sure hit. Unfortunately, the situations you encounter feel completely unfair, and the mechanics sometimes work completely against you. Even still, Blades of Fire is a fun game that harkens back to the old school action-adventure titles, where exploring its world reaps the best rewards and game experience.
Push Square - Khayl Adam - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire is a well-made and lengthy action adventure romp that will test your combat skills, provided you can see it through. Taking inspiration from some of gaming's greatest hits, it never quite manages to reach those lofty heights itself, let down by a generic setting and lacklustre art direction. Still, it offers some interesting concepts, with combat and crafting mechanics that remain satisfying throughout.
RPG Site - James Galizio - 6 / 10
MercurySteam's latest project holds a lot of promise, but death by a thousand cuts holds it back from true greatness.
RPGamer - Jordan McClain - 3.5 / 5
Blades of Fire is an impressive and solid action RPG that executes soundly on its foundational ethos, which lends itself extremely well to its combat and lore. Unfortunately, the game’s remarkable aspects are somewhat undermined by its scope, level design, and some janky gameplay and presentation elements.
Rectify Gaming - Victor Tan - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire brings fast-paced combat with a weapon-based combat system. Strengthen your weapons and understand your enemies’ weaknesses to succeed. Figuring out how all the mechanics work together is difficult and the story is predictable. The game puts a new spin on the action-adventure genre that pays off, though it won’t break much new ground.
Restart.run - Charlie Wacholz - 3 / 5
If I could slash its frustrating level designs in half, focusing on the character and intrigue its eccentricities added while sifting out the gameplay impurities they come with, Blades of Fire would be an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a cool hack-n-slash. Instead, it’s plagued with unforgivable wheel-spinning that undermines a lot of what I liked about its satisfying gameplay loop.
SECTOR.sk - Jakub Pokorný - Slovak - 8 / 10
If you're a fan of Souls-like games, Blades of Fire is a must-play. It introduces unique mechanics that may not suit everyone, making it a very specific experience. It's not as accessible as God of War, but also not as punishing as traditional Souls titles'landing somewhere in between. While it may not look like it at first glance, this is very much an RPG at heart, not just a hack-and-slash.
Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 6 / 10
Blades of Fire has some brilliant ideas to make a forge based Soulslike game, but it failed to execute these ideas to the point it broke the game's pacing badly
SavePoint Gaming - Harry Kalogirou - 5.5 / 10
There are many parts of Blades of Fire that I admire or had fun with. It’s unique and inventive in ways that so many games aren’t nowadays. Unfortunately, its many moving parts fail to come together and create a cohesive whole. It’s far from being an outright terrible game, but it doesn’t come close to the highs that MercurySteam have been able to achieve with their other titles in recent years.
Shacknews - Lucas White - 6 / 10
It’s a kind of game that feels out of place in time, but benefits from its accidental time travel by doing things a PlayStation 2-era console simply can’t.
Slant Magazine - Justin Clark - 2 / 5
Ultimately, there’s too much work involved for not nearly enough reward from the world or the narrative, despite the occasional interesting twist and turn.
Spaziogames - Italian - 8 / 10
Blades of Fire is ultimately a game for those who can appreciate beauty beyond appearances-for those who seek in video games not just entertainment, but a chance to journey through, understand, and, in a way, forge themselves. Imperfect and a bit rough around the edges at first glance, yet incredibly solid and deep, MercurySteam's latest project is further proof that you don't need a massive budget to create something truly special.
SteamDeckHQ - Noah Kupetsky - 4 / 5
Blades of Fire is a fantastic metroidvania that excels in its gameplay loop. The combat is addicting and gory, with a solid amount of variety thanks to the weapons you can craft and wield. Combined with the simplistic progression and upgrade system, the experience is easy to get into and difficult to master. There are some little nuisances here and there, like getting your weapon caught on walls and some storytelling woes, but these are worth fighting through to experience this wonderful game.
On top of that, it runs decently on the Steam Deck, even though it is only on the Epic Games Store. It can handle near-stable 30 FPS with low settings, and while it could be improved with a Steam release, it's still a solid way to play it if you don't want to wait for that possibility.
Stryftek - Ryan "Stryftek" Bullock - Worth your time
Video Review - Quote not available
The Beta Network - Anthony Culinas - 6 / 10
Blades of Fire had the potential to be a blazing sleeper hit, but too often settles for a safe, lukewarm affair. It’s not bad—it’s just painfully mid. And in today’s crowded action-adventure space, mid doesn’t quite cut it.
The Games Machine - Gabriele Barducci - Italian - 7.5 / 10
Blades of Fire alternates very good mechanics (the forge and the combat system) with less successful ones (characterization, narrative and game world). It is well playable and fun, but it has the feeling of a wasted opportunity.
TheSixthAxis - Aran Suddi - 8 / 10
Blades of Fire is a very good game, blending tough action RPG combat with a fun and unique weapon forging. The story is a little by the numbers and exploration does have a lot of back and forth, but the different regions and enemies look great and the narrative is elevated by Aran and Adso's relationship.
Twisted Voxel - Ali Haider - 7 / 10
A solid but uneven debut for MercurySteam’s new IP, blending satisfying weapon-crafting with God of War-inspired combat. While its enemy variety falters and pacing stumbles early on, the deep forging system and punishing boss battles carve out a niche worth exploring. Not quite a masterpiece, but a promising foundation for future installments.
Blades of Fire may not revolutionize the genre, but it brings enough quality, originality and heart to stand out in a crowded field. Its approach to crafting is genuinely engaging, its world is refreshing to explore, and the relationship between its two leads adds emotional depth to tale. Combat isn’t flawless, but when it clicks, it’s rewarding, tense, and complements the satisfying weapon crafting mechanics.
Xbox Achievements - Josh Wise - 60%
The new game from developer MercurySteam is Blades of Fire, which is not a good name. Blades of Fire. It sounds like a documentary about patriotic i...
XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 7 / 10
Blades of Fire is not going to be a game for everyone. It’s beautiful, runs great, and has some design decisions that made me pull my hair out. It’s incredibly long, and I do not think that it benefits the game in any meaningful way.
ZTGD - Terrence Johnson - 8.5 / 10
Blades of Fire is a welcome return to MercurySteam and I think it’s one that is going to be a sleeper hit. The way the story unfolds and pushes the player to explore the environment that is littered with hidden fights and upgrades that will help Aran become stronger.

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