Blade&Sword

About

"Blade&Sword" is a ported action RPG set in ancient times, where players wield swords to resist Emperor Jo's spirit seeking world domination. With fighting as its main theme, it distinguishes itself from traditional ARPGs by incorporating fighting game elements. Originally released in multiple countries, it was a bestseller and a top 10 RPG in the US in 2003.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 30 reviews

atmosphere1 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game is a nostalgic gem that captures the essence of classic ARPGs, reminiscent of titles like Diablo II.
It features a unique combat system that requires skillful timing and positioning, making it more engaging than typical click-to-win games.
The graphics and art direction, while dated, still hold a certain charm and appeal, especially for fans of ancient Chinese mythology.

Players have reported significant technical issues, including lag, crashes, and problems with launching the game, particularly on the Steam version.
The gameplay can feel grindy and unrewarding, with tedious boss fights and a lack of meaningful loot drops.
The user interface and resolution limitations can be frustrating, especially on modern displays, making the game feel outdated.

gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay is distinct from traditional Diablo-like games, resembling more of a Devil May Cry style with action-based mechanics rather than item-focused progression. While some players find it grindy with limited rewards, the game's unique presentation, grimdark atmosphere, and engaging soundtrack contribute to a highly recommended experience.
- “Blade & Sword is my favorite Diablo-like game to this day due to many reasons - I'd say it's the best at replicating the grimdark atmosphere, it has an amazing soundtrack and art direction, and the more action-based rather than item-based mechanics make it quite a different and unique game.”
- “Tl;dr: I can highly recommend the game; it has wonderful presentation and interesting gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is very grindy with almost no rewards.”
- “As other people said, this is not a Diablo clone; it looks like it, but mechanically it is more similar to Devil May Cry.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is criticized for being simplistic and lacking depth, serving merely as a vehicle to progress through the game. Additionally, technical issues such as getting stuck on maps detract from the overall experience.
- “The story is very simple and is just there to move you along; there's nothing of substance to engage with.”
- “While playing the story, I encountered a glitch that prevented me from moving to another map, and it displayed an error.”
- “I find the story lacking depth and feel that it fails to provide a meaningful experience.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unfulfilling, often overshadowing its interesting ideas. Despite acknowledging the grind, some still feel compelled to engage with the game, though many express frustration over the lack of meaningful rewards.
- “Interesting ideas are buried by tedious grind.”
- “The gameplay is very grindy with almost no rewards.”
- “Even though I remember it being grindy, I still wanted to try it.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and intricate design, particularly in relation to the Eastern level aesthetics, though some users report performance issues that suggest the game may be demanding on hardware. While the visuals are considered to have aged well, there is disappointment regarding the inability to enter buildings within the game. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some technical lag.
- “The game itself is excellent - 3 different characters, deep and exciting combat system, beautiful graphics that aged like fine wine and some incomprehensible story mixing together classic Chinese folklore, mythology, and history.”
- “Graphics are okay, thanks to the Eastern level design, though it's a pity that you can't enter the houses.”
- “I don't know what is causing it, but the game is laggy as if it has high graphics running on something that cannot handle it.”
- “The graphics are okay, thanks to the Eastern level design, but it's a shame that you can't enter the houses.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in "Blade & Sword" is praised for its ability to enhance the game's grimdark atmosphere, contributing to its unique identity among Diablo-like games. However, some users have reported issues with the music not looping properly, which may be related to individual setups rather than a widespread problem.
- “Blade & Sword is my favorite Diablo-like game to this day due to many reasons - I'd say it's the best at replicating the grimdark atmosphere, it has an amazing soundtrack and art direction, and the more action-based rather than item-based mechanics make it quite a different and unique game.”
- “For some reason, the music does not loop for me, but I'm not sure if it's because of the release or just my setup.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of Blade & Sword is highly praised for its effective replication of a grimdark setting, complemented by an impressive soundtrack and art direction. The game's action-oriented mechanics further enhance its unique ambiance, distinguishing it from other titles in the genre.
- “Blade & Sword is my favorite Diablo-like game to this day due to many reasons. I'd say it's the best at replicating the grimdark atmosphere; it has an amazing soundtrack and art direction, and the more action-based rather than item-based mechanics make it quite a different and unique game.”