There’s tons of fantasy RPGs available on Steam to sink dozens or even hundreds of hours into. Whether it’s the timeless Elder Scrolls Skyrim or a newcomer like Tainted Grail: Fall of Avalon, escaping into medieval debauchery is something gamers still do to this day. So with Blades of Fire entering the fold from MercurySteam, the developers of Metroid Dread and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, this new IP was sure to turn a lot of heads. Now that it’s left Epic Games Store exclusivity and available on Steam, is it worth picking up?

Blades of Fire starts off like most other RPGs of its ilk: you’re “the chosen one” that’s able to do mystical things with your titular blade. What sets this game apart from the pack, though, is the in-depth crafting through the blacksmithing of your weapon, to modify it to your heart’s content. Early on, you’ll learn this comprehensive mechanic and tailor your swords into your playstyle, being able to adjust its efficiency far past simple damage upgrades, and mastering the minigames tied to smithing to churn out the best possible result.

You’ll learn to love your blade in Blades of Fire, as there’s tons of fights to be had with it. In your grand adventure as Aran de Lira, you’ll face very tough battles even in the early hours. I wouldn’t go so far as to call the game a soulslike as it doesn’t inherit that subgenre’s mechanics, but rather a hard-but-fair action title that is punishing to those that fight carelessly. A few hits and you’re down, but learning enemy fight patterns and utilizing the right weapon for their armor is key to winning battles that at first may seem insurmountable. Trial and error will pave the way to success.

Past the fighting and forging in Blades of Fire, the plot sees you take on the newfound magical Queen that has used a curse to render her opposers useless against her. Aria travels to the Royal Palace to end her reign/life, while young Adso follows along, not contributing much to the protagonist past a few hints and pointers here and there. It’s a largely afterthought plot, but like most action games, many gamers are here for the combat, and that much about the game is quite strong and worth sticking it out for.

As the Steam release of Blades of Fire is the 2.0 version, it’s polished past its initial lukewarm release on Epic. The game runs great on most hardware and boasts a ~50-hour runtime, great for the lower price point. It’s a shame that the long-running developer is mired in controversy regarding this release, and the jury is out on how well it’s sold up to this point in 2026. Reports on the MercurySteam working environment to develop this title are less than favorable, but the end result of their hard work is something those individuals should be proud of.

A PC Review copy of Blades of Fire was provided by 505 Games for this review.

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Blades of Fire

$39.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Engaging Smithing Mechanic
• Solid Combat
• Runs Great

Cons

• Forgettable Plot
• Meh Dialogue