MercurySteam, the developer behind Metroid Dread, has announced its next game: Blades of Fire.
Set for release this May, the action-adventure game is fully 3D and seems more akin to the studio’s work on Castlevania: Lords of Shadow than the Nintendo Metroidvania.
The key mechanic in Blades of Fire appears to be The Forge – as players find scrolls they can create new weapons to suit their playstyle based on weight, length, durability, penetration, and edge quality. There are seven weapon families and 30 unique Forge Scrolls, so plenty of possible combinations.
MercurySteam also promises a challenging combat system, in which players need to target specific enemy body parts and attack with the right damage type – slash, stab, or bludgeon. There are over 50 enemy types with varying attack styles and armour types to overcome.
The above trailer gives a sense of the game’s story too, as players take on the role of gruff hero Aran de Lira, firstborn of the King’s Ward. The newly crowned evil queen has cast a spell that turns metal into stone, and her abominations wield a divine metal against which other blades shatter.
Aran is joined by a companion, Adso, a scholar who conveniently speaks the lost tongue of the divine forgers.
“MercurySteam’s pedigree for creating unique and beloved games is just one of the many reasons we’re thrilled to partner with them on Blades of Fire,” said Neil Ralley, president of publisher 505 Games. “Their gaming system that transforms weapons customisation into an outstanding combat experience is astounding, as is their commitment to telling the best story possible. We can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Blades of Fire is set for release on 22nd May across PC (Epic Games Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
The studio’s last game was Metroid Dread, which received an Essential from Eurogamer, with former editor Martin Robinson describing it as “a sublime return for a Nintendo icon”. That followed the 3DS remake of Metroid: Samus Returns.
Before that, the studio was best known for the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games, the first of which was received favourably when it released back in 2010.
