Blades of Fire: Emphasizing Weapons and Skills Over Magic and RPG Statistics

Insights from MercurySteam on Blades of Fire

In a recent interview with the Epic Games Store blog, MercurySteam, the creators behind the eagerly awaited action/adventure title Blades of Fire, provided valuable insights into their game design philosophy and focus.

Emphasis on Skills Over Magic

During the interview, the developers highlighted that Blades of Fire prioritizes weapon mastery and player skill rather than flashy magic and complex RPG mechanics. Lead Game Designer Joan Amat stated:

You definitely can’t turn Aran into a magic god at the end of Blades of Fire, right? There’s lots of spectacular things that you could do, have your weapon shoot fireballs or other things that are really spectacular. This is not our aim! Our aim is to make everything really important.

A Meaningful Approach to Combat

Amat emphasized the importance of feeling empowered through meaningful gameplay. Rather than relying on visual effects to convey strength, the focus is on strategic weapon usage. He elaborated:

You can fill the screen with VFX and make the character feel really powerful, but we’re forced to make sure you feel powerful because you’re doing meaningful stuff—because you’re wielding that weapon, you created that weapon, that enemy has a long-range weapon, and I have to solve that problem.

The Forging System

At the heart of Blades of Fire lies the Forge, a unique crafting system enabling players to combine materials creatively to develop diverse weaponry. Amat reassured players that the game moves away from traditional RPG statistics:

Historical YouTubers are talking about edges; they’re talking about balance, center of mass, grips and handling, and edge alignment. They’re not talking about agility, strength, stamina, intelligence, and dexterity, right? Those are not the stats.

He further explained how this shift from statistical increments to a challenge-based strategy streamlines gameplay mechanics:

When we moved from the stats combo into a challenge mentality, balance became so much easier. We only really need to make sure that the enemy is strong against some things and weak against some other things.

Realism in Weapon Dynamics

Amat argued against the typical progression system seen in many RPGs, asserting that weapons should remain consistent in their capabilities:

Weapons don’t scale. Weapons don’t get better. You made a weapon—this weapon doesn’t grow stronger in reality… it is because it has a reputation, because of what it’s done.

This grounded perspective on weaponry emphasizes maintenance and historical significance over arbitrary enhancements.

Conscious Resource Management

Players will need to exercise caution, as using weapons will incur durability costs, even when engaging with environmental objects like barrels. This factor adds an additional layer of strategy to gameplay.

Dynamic Combat and Storytelling

The developers also confirmed that combat will feature unpredictable enemy movements, ensuring players must remain agile and responsive rather than memorizing enemy patterns. The narrative will be engaging, yet the game will not guide players through every step, promoting exploration and discovery.

Release Date Announcement

Blades of Fire is set to launch on May 22 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X, promising a unique action/adventure experience focused on skillful gameplay and meaningful choices.

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