The game 'Blades of Fire' recently revealed its first five minutes of gameplay, and I feel it may be drawing too heavily from 'God of War.'

Blades of Fire gameplay looks too similar to God of War.

: MercurySteam has showcased the first five minutes of gameplay for Blades of Fire, raising concerns over its heavy resemblance to God of War. The protagonist, Aran de Lira, battles goblin-like creatures and solves puzzles in a woodland setting. The gameplay features weighty combat, a focus on weapon forging, and aesthetic similarities to God of War. Despite these concerns, players await the full release on May 22, hoping for a distinct identity.

The recent gameplay reveal of Blades of Fire by MercurySteam has sparked discussions due to its striking resemblance to the God of War series. As a spiritual successor to Severance: Blade of Darkness, expectations were high for Blades of Fire to inherit the unique atmosphere and tone reminiscent of Dark Souls. Instead, the initial gameplay showcased to the public has drawn comparisons with Sony Santa Monica's popular series, particularly in its combat style, environment design, and overall aesthetic.

Rick Lane, a contributor to PC Gamer, expressed his nostalgia for Blade of Darkness, developed by MercurySteam's predecessor, Rebel Act Studios. Lane highlights his disappointment in witnessing Blades of Fire's debut sequence, which featured protagonist Aran de Lira in a forest battle with goblin-like enemies and undead foes. The sequence involved an environmental puzzle solved using a cursed paladin's corpse, yet lacked the dark and eerie tone fans anticipated.

The gameplay clip demonstrated a significant combat feature where Aran’s blade shatters, forcing a switch to a hammer. This aspect suggests weapon forging will be integral to gameplay mechanics, as Aran also unlocks a forge transportation node by striking an anvil. However, viewers were quick to point out the color palette, pacing, and even enemy designs bore a strong resemblance to God of War.

Rick Lane openly acknowledges MercurySteam's possible motive for this approach, recognizing the familiarity players may have with God of War over an older PC exclusive. However, Lane hoped for a greater emphasis on Severance's unique personality within Blades of Fire's gameplay. Despite these issues, Lane remains cautiously optimistic that future reveals might showcase a stronger individuality in the final version.

Players keenly await the launch on May 22, eager to see if MercurySteam can successfully establish Blades of Fire as a standalone experience. Until then, comparisons with Sony's heavy-hitter seem inevitable, casting a shadow over the anticipation shared by long-time fans of the original Blade of Darkness series.

Sources: Rick Lane, PC Gamer, MercurySteam, Sony Santa Monica

gamingGame DevelopmentPC Gaming