Blades of Time
- April 20, 2012
- Gaijin Entertainment Corporation
- 13h median play time
If you're a fan of the hack-and-slash genre, then nothing should stop you from getting it. If you're not, then avoid or rent.
Get on Steam"Blades of Time" is an action-adventure hack and slash game that follows the protagonist, Ayumi, a time-manipulating treasure hunter. She battles hordes of enemies using various weapons and skills, while solving puzzles and traversing through a fantastical world. The game features a unique "Time Rewind" mechanic, allowing players to revisit previous actions for strategic combat and exploration.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- Engaging hack-and-slash gameplay with a unique time rewind mechanic that adds depth to combat and puzzles.
- Visually appealing environments and character design, reminiscent of classic action-adventure games.
- Fun and nostalgic experience for fans of the genre, with a mix of combat and platforming elements.
- Poor voice acting and dialogue that can be annoying and detracts from the overall experience.
- The story is convoluted and lacks depth, making it hard to stay invested in the narrative.
- Gameplay can feel repetitive, with some mechanics and enemy encounters becoming tedious over time.
- story111 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story receives mixed reviews, with many players finding it either confusing, clichéd, or forgettable, often overshadowed by the gameplay. While some appreciate its engaging elements and nostalgic feel reminiscent of early 2000s titles, others criticize the dialogue and character development as lacking depth. Overall, the narrative seems to serve primarily as a backdrop for the action rather than a compelling focal point.
“The story was complex and I wondered if this game is a sequel to X-Blades.”
“The story is interesting and follows the main character's journey through time and space.”
“This game surprised me in many ways; first of all, it has a quite good and original storyline, it is not like an immersive story or something that really catches you like The Last of Us, but just enough for you to get interested and curious to finish the game.”
“The only 'bad' parts about the game are the story, which is a mess, and the dialogue.”
“The story is absolutely meh; the action is fine most of the time, but the difficulty in the combat makes this game feel unpolished.”
“With some of the worst voice acting in the industry, terrible storytelling, and clunky, unresponsive gameplay, this is one of the worst games I have played in the past years.”
- gameplay100 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of hack-and-slash mechanics and innovative time-rewind features, allowing players to utilize a variety of combat tools effectively against waves of enemies. While the combat is engaging and offers creative combos, some players find it repetitive and marred by clunky controls and excessive dialogue. Overall, the game presents a solid, if not flawless, gameplay experience that balances fun mechanics with some frustrating elements.
“It makes use of all its combat tools to their full potential, between your spells, swords, guns, and time rewind mechanic. I found myself having to make use of all of these mechanics all at once to deal with the onslaught of enemies the game throws your way.”
“The second thing is that it has one of the best combat mechanics I've ever seen in a hack and slash game; good spells, creative combos, and the rewind time feature is pretty cool. Most importantly, it is actually challenging, which is a big surprise for this genre.”
“The time manipulation mechanic is well implemented; it's not just for solving puzzles but can also be useful in combat as it allows you to create multiple clones of yourself.”
“But unfortunately, even the gameplay couldn't keep me hooked.”
“The gameplay is boring; they talk too much, and you 100% don't feel like you're accomplishing anything when you complete an objective.”
“With some of the worst voice acting in the industry, terrible storytelling, writing, as well as story in general, and clunky, unresponsive gameplay, this is one of the worst games I have played in the past years.”
- graphics57 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful environments and aesthetic details that evoke comparisons to titles like Darksiders and Lords of Shadow 2. While some players note that the graphics can feel dated, especially for a game released in 2012, others appreciate the artistic design and immersive visuals that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered decent to good, with standout moments that contribute positively to the gameplay, despite some inconsistencies and technical issues.
“The graphics are fantastic, decent soundtrack and a lot of lore.”
“Brilliant game, great gameplay, outstanding graphics and level design.”
“The graphics are pretty good; I was actually surprised by how good it looked in motion.”
“The graphics are decent and the game can sometimes feel decent to play, but more often than not it is just clunky, inconsistent, and doesn't give good feedback.”
“Simple story, PS2 era graphics, linear gameplay, wonky animations, she runs funny, the physics on her hair are wack, and nothing really makes any sense.”
“Graphically, the game looks like garbage even for the standards of 2012 and the voice acting is very reminiscent of 90's voice acting in the sense of how awful it is.”
- music15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its orchestral quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, while others find it forgettable and lacking in relation to gameplay events. Many players suggest that the soundtrack is not memorable enough to stand out, with some even recommending to mute it in favor of personal music. Overall, while there are moments of good music, it often fails to leave a lasting impression.
“The music also complements the game's atmosphere.”
“The soundtracks made the gameplay much more enjoyable.”
“Great game to play, good music, good story.”
“Combat still has no weight and impact to it, boss fights absolutely blow, music has little relation to the situation and environment, enemies are the same models just copied and pasted en masse, and the story progression is confusing.”
“The soundtrack is not very good; I recommend just listening to your own music or something that is not from this soundtrack.”
“The voice acting (English one at least) is horrible, and the soundtrack is uninspiring.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only a few rare bugs and glitches reported, such as clipping issues and control problems. While these glitches can be annoying and occasionally require restarting from checkpoints, they do not significantly detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. Players appreciate the game's performance, especially with certain patches, but note that the combat and enemy variety could be improved.
“This game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches, making for a seamless experience.”
“I've played for hours without any issues; the stability is impressive!”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense moments.”
“The story, fighting, and graphic details are great; the only reason I can't say this game is amazing is that over the past 14 hours of gameplay, I've experienced some bugs and glitches that can only be fixed by restarting from the last checkpoint.”
“It's had a few bugs and glitches, and the combat is too simplistic; the abilities are not that interesting, and there's not much enemy variety.”
“Points off for rare control glitches and B-movie acting and plot.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity and self-awareness, with characters reacting to bizarre situations in a monotone manner that contrasts sharply with the chaos around them. Players find the one-liners and intentionally poor voice acting to be hilariously entertaining, reminiscent of a lighthearted, almost slapstick style. Overall, the game's blend of wonky animations and nonsensical scenarios contributes to a comedic experience that many find enjoyable, despite its technical shortcomings.
“Can't stop chuckling at her one-liners 😂💘”
“The acting needs help; it is downright funny, almost on a Sesame Street level.”
“Hilariously bad voice acting.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews on grinding indicate a mixed experience; while some players find it enjoyable and balanced, preventing boredom, others describe it as tedious and repetitive, with one noting the need for extra lives to manage the grind. Overall, the grinding aspect can be engaging for some, but may feel monotonous for others.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“What a tediously boring button-masher.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It's fun and combat is balanced enough so you don't get bored grinding through levels.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking due to the absence of rewards for completing hard mode, others appreciate the decent replay value offered by new game plus and DLC content that introduces additional characters and storylines.
“Decent replay value; hard mode and New Game Plus add new items in chests, in addition to tougher enemies.”
“While there may not be a lot of replayability, the DLC introduces more fun with a different character and their side of the story.”
“No replay value; there's a hard mode, but completing it doesn't give you any rewards.”
“Decent replay value; hard mode and New Game Plus add new items in chests in addition to beefed up enemies.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the heroine's character design may detract from the overall experience, the world-building and music are appreciated, suggesting that character development may be overshadowed by aesthetic choices.
“The heroine's character design may be a distraction.”
“I'm also rather partial to the world, music, and character design, borrowed as they might be.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its complementary music, which effectively contributes to the overall immersive experience.
“The music also complements the game's atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, allowing it to run smoothly even on low-end hardware.
“It runs smoothly on a low-end laptop!”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even on older hardware.”
“I was surprised at how well it performs on my budget setup!”
