Should’ve left the Sword in the Stone
I am usually a sucker for a good beat ‘em up game, give me a sword, a screen full of monsters that need vanquishing and I am good for the night. Unfortunately, Blades & Battles feels more like a brief trip down memory lane than a game that gives you a compelling reason to stay. Developed by QUByte Interactive, this 2.5D beat ‘em up wears its inspiration on its sleeve, most notably Golden Axe. Players will take control of King Arthur and Lancelot as they try and rescue Merlin from the clutches of Arthur’s sister Morgan le Fey. The real problem is that the game rarely builds on the fundamentals in order to make Blades & Battles something truly memorable.
The story as I said has Arthur and Lancelot fighting through hordes of goblins, bandits and more in order to save Merlin. Players will travel through fantasy environments fighting monsters and taking down bosses. Moving left to right is the norm but I was glad to see that there are some branching paths that give players a reason to replay levels. Seeing as this is a shorter game the addition of branching paths is nice and adds some replayability. The story doesn’t do much to leave any sort of lasting impression though. I think Blades & Battles understands what kind of game it wants to be. What it struggles with is giving players a reason to remember it once the fighting is over.
MSRP: $14.99
Platforms: XBOX (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $10.99
The biggest draw here is the combat, and thankfully, there are moments when Blades & Battles manages to deliver some satisfying action. Arthur and Lancelot have their own attacks and special abilities, allowing you to string together combos, launch enemies into the air, and unleash powerful attacks when things get crowded. Magic attacks provide a nice bit of spectacle, while desperation moves offer a way to fight back when you find yourself overwhelmed.
Unfortunately, the combat starts feeling repetitive far too quickly. There are only two playable characters, and while they have their own flavor, the overall experience doesn’t offer enough variety to keep things interesting for very long. You cannot pick up alternative weapons or grab enemies, either, limiting the number of ways you can approach a fight. Some attacks can also feel a little clunky, which is particularly frustrating in a game where combat is practically the entire experience. The basics work well enough, but there is a difference between simple combat and combat that feels underdeveloped. Blades & Battles occasionally crosses that line.
Visually speaking Blades & Battles isn’t doing much better as the visuals attempt to recreate the look of older action games, combining pixelated character models with some simple environments. There is a nostalgic appeal to the presentation however nostalgia can only carry you so far. The environments lack a visual personality and I am grateful for the ability to turn off the pixel filter as it makes the game look extremely muddy. The game isn’t an ugly game, per say, but these pixel filters aren’t doing what I think the developers wanted them to do.
Blades & Battles does offer co-op that helps to make some of the repetitive encounters more enjoyable. With a run time of roughly a half-hour it wont demand too much time of players and can easily be a quick game session when a friend drops by. The problem is the lack of content to keep you coming back. With its limited character variety, little to no real progression and no system to upgrade attacks or even hidden unlockables to chase; once you’ve seen what B&B has to offer… you’ve seen it all.
Blades & Battles isn’t a complete disaster, there is some fun to be had with its easy combat, fantasy setting and local co-op. Fans of Golden Axe, and other classic games in the genre will feel right at home. Unfortunately, the game never manages to turn all those familiar ingredients into something exciting. Combat quickly becomes repetitive and the short campaign leaves little to return to. At its best, Blades & Battles feels like a serviceable imitation of games that have done this sort of thing better.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.