MercuryStream, the studio behind bangers such asMetroid DreadandCastlevania: Lords Of Shadow, has finally lifted the veil fromBlades Of Firevia a fantastic gameplay reveal.
I’ve seen enough to say I want to play it, but I understand how others have immediately drawn comparisons to the newerGod Of Wargames and theSoulsseries. I believe a better look into the context of the studio behind the game will likely leave you assured that there’s no lack of originality at play and perhaps even blow your minds.
Regarding the allegations thatBlades Of Firelooks too much likeGod Of War, I gotta say that the biggest similarity is how Kratos’ favorite weapon is, well, a pair of flaming blades. Aside from the similarities that will inevitably come in a game about cutting down monsters in a fantasy setting,Blades OfFireseems like it is trying to be its own thing.
It’s when it comes to the comparisons with theSoulsseries that I think things get really interesting. It’s true that the combat looks “Soulslike” — orGOWlike— because that reboot definitely took a page from the Souls book. Still, MercuryStream is composed of veterans from Rebel Act Studios, a defunct studio responsible for one of the most slept-on titles of all time:
Blade Of Darkness, originally known asSeverance: Blade Of Darknessis a dark medieval fantasy title from 2001 that received excellent feedback from players and critics but that failed to sell enough to even keep the studio afloat.
In case you don’t know, I’m quite fond of theSoulsseries. That’s in large part due to how FromSoft’s games immediately reminded me ofSeverance, the magnificent game that laid out many of the elements that madeDark Soulsresonate with players. Massive areas inspired by a nightmarishly corrupted European medieval setting? Check. Wide variety of weapons and specific move sets? Check. The possibility of complementing your melee combat with long-ranged options? Check. But, more importantly, the need to keep your stamina in check to avoid getting killed by the measliest of enemies? Definitely Check.Severancedidn’t invent stamina in games, but it’s the first title where smarts will have to accompany even the strongest of fighters at all times if they’re to prevent dying in ridiculous ways.
If you look at their gameplay videos, you’ll see howBOFseems to be playing exactly like a modernized and more complex version ofSeverancewould, and that’s just fantastic. Another thing you’ll see thatBlades Of Firehas that you don’t see in eitherElden RingorGOWare combos that work more or less like they do onTekken, yet another awesome staple ofSeverance.Also,Blades Of Firealso puts a lot of emphasis on severing the various limbs of your opponents. I don’t need to tell you where that’s coming from, but I will, because it’s glorious.
I’d be abusing the power of my nostalgia goggles if I were to claim thatSeverancewas as far ahead of everything else asDark Soulswas upon release. Still,Dark Soulsmight not have even existed withoutSeverance.It’s only fair that Mercury Stream now gets to make use of everything all other studios built uponSeverance‘s foundation to help them create the spiritual successor imaginable.
Interestingly, Sony’s bigwig Shuhei Yoshida infamously also thoughtDemon’s Soulswas crap when he first got to play it, resulting in Sony scrapping plans to publish the game in the West. HadDemon’s Soulsnot grown immensely in this part of the world through organic word of mouth,Dark Soulssimply might’ve never come to be. With a deserved extra push, who knows how farSeverancecould’ve gone?
Here’s hopingBlades Of Firegets luckier than its predecessor when it releases forPlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PCon May 22.
