Blue Fire

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,885 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Blue Fire Game Cover
Blue Fire is a fantastic mix of 3D platforming, intense combat, and addictive free-form exploration. A somber story perked up by colorful characters makes this an experience you can’t miss.
Starting at $1.71Buy now
Get on Steam Get on Xbox Games Store

"Blue Fire" is a 3D platformer adventure game set in a decaying kingdom. As the hero, players explore, solve puzzles, and engage in challenging combat against shadowy creatures to rekindle the dying embers of the world. With precise movement controls and various abilities to unlock, players must navigate treacherous environments and confront the darkness within.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,885 reviews
story116 positive mentions
grinding37 negative mentions
  • The platforming mechanics are incredibly satisfying and rewarding, allowing for creative movement and exploration.
  • The art style and atmosphere are charming, reminiscent of classic Zelda games with a unique twist.
  • The game offers a good balance of challenge, especially in the optional 'Void' levels, which test the player's skills.
  • The combat feels simplistic and lacks depth, making encounters with enemies less engaging.
  • There is no map system, which can lead to confusion and aimless wandering in the interconnected world.
  • Some platforming challenges can be frustrating due to camera issues and unclear level design.
  • story502 mentions

    The story in "Blue Fire" is generally perceived as simplistic and somewhat generic, often serving as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate the charming NPCs and side quests that add depth to the world, many find the main narrative lacking in engagement and coherence, with a tendency to shift focus abruptly. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a mix of familiar tropes from other games, particularly drawing inspiration from titles like "Zelda" and "Hollow Knight," but it fails to deliver a compelling or immersive experience.

    • “Even minor things, like the weaver telling a story about 5 gods, and the water god telling a conflicting story about 6 gods, build the world significantly in my eyes.”
    • “The storytelling is engaging at times, though I occasionally found myself skipping through side characters’ dialogue.”
    • “The game offers a rewarding mix of combat, exploration, and storytelling, even if some fights and levels tested my patience.”
    • “A lot of the game's systems feel thrown in at random or hacked together, and the story/quest chains feel pretty messy.”
    • “The story is especially bland as it's the same generic fantasy tripe you've heard a hundred times.”
    • “The story just kind of ends, the characters are dull and (in some cases) broken, and those great maneuvering mechanics stand in stark contrast to the terrible battling mechanics.”
  • gameplay447 mentions

    The gameplay in "Blue Fire" is primarily focused on platforming and exploration, featuring a mix of mechanics inspired by titles like "Hollow Knight" and "The Legend of Zelda." While the movement mechanics are generally praised for their fluidity and fun, combat is often criticized for being clunky and repetitive, with many players finding boss fights to be easy and lacking depth. Overall, the game offers enjoyable platforming challenges, but some players feel it lacks polish and balance, particularly in combat and level design.

    • “The gameplay is incredibly good, the movements are perfectly smooth and the platforming is just great.”
    • “The gameplay consists of a mixture of platforming using various abilities acquired over the course of the game, such as dashing.”
    • “Blue fire combines many gameplay elements, and gameplay very much comes first.”
    • “The gameplay and level design feel like a mashup between souls, Zelda, and Mario games without much cohesive synergy that makes it stale and somewhat boring to play after a while.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay constantly feels like it's in an unfinished alpha stage, as if they planned out the game but didn't really finish it or polish it up.”
    • “The combat is pretty easy for me once I got the main mechanics down, but the gameplay does feel frustrating at times.”
  • graphics266 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming, stylized aesthetic reminiscent of titles like "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" and "Hollow Knight." While many players appreciate the beautiful art style and cohesive atmosphere, some criticize the graphics for feeling simplistic or unfinished, with low-resolution textures and occasional inconsistencies. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's immersive experience, despite some mixed opinions on their execution.

    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the controls are incredibly responsive, and the platforming challenges are insanely fun.”
    • “The visuals and music are great, and the combat and platforming flow nicely.”
    • “The art style is great, and the game overall only has a few downsides.”
    • “But to be honest, the game feels very unfinished; textures are low even on high settings, which makes the graphics go from straight paper to 'we put a Paint.NET effect over it.'”
    • “The sound design is noticeably well done, while the visuals of the game do not hold up that well.”
    • “The graphics look very outdated, like it was made in 2003.”
  • music203 mentions

    The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, while others found it forgettable or lacking in memorability. Some players highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautiful and well-composed, while a few noted that it could become repetitive or uninspired. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's charm and ambiance, though opinions on its impact vary significantly.

    • “The music is fantastic and is always a bop to listen to.”
    • “The synergy between visuals and music contributed to the immersive atmosphere that enveloped me throughout my time in the game.”
    • “The music genuinely impressed me.”
    • “The music gets kind of annoying and forgettable, as are the NPCs going for a kind of Zelda-quirky that it does not nail at all, but that's a matter of taste.”
    • “I don't know if it was just my volume because I played with the default, but there wasn't much and the music was not memorable for me after completing the game.”
    • “The music is forgettable, and the graphics look very outdated like it was made in 2003.”
  • atmosphere85 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating blend of stylized graphics, immersive music, and charming NPCs, creating a unique environment that balances light-heartedness with darker undertones. Many reviewers note its resemblance to the atmospheres of games like Hollow Knight and Dark Souls, highlighting the intricate world design and the rewarding exploration it offers. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as cozy, intriguing, and visually dynamic, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall experience.

    • “The contrast between darkness and vibrant lighting effects created an atmosphere that was not only visually dynamic but also mysteriously alluring.”
    • “The synergy between visuals and music contributed to the immersive atmosphere that enveloped me throughout my time in Penumbra.”
    • “The atmosphere and music really make this game for me.”
    • “The atmosphere is just a little odd, as the majority of your surroundings are quite dark, and yet your character always glows like a neon light. It was a little disappointing that even with all the various outfits in the game, none of them were able to actually tone down that bright glow very much.”
    • “The level design reminds me of Wind Waker, but the atmosphere is lacking density and an overarching sense of plot.”
    • “As for atmosphere, it's much closer to Hollow Knight than Souls, in that while trying to be dark and atmospheric, it's in fact fairly light-hearted with colorful characters and a sprinkling of comedy here and there.”
  • grinding44 mentions

    Overall, players have mixed feelings about the grinding aspect of the game. While some found it manageable and not overly grindy, others described it as tedious, particularly when it came to collecting currency and upgrading resources. The lack of a map and slow loading times contributed to the frustration, making exploration and backtracking feel more laborious than enjoyable.

    • “It was not grindy and I was able to beat everything within 9 hours, including purchasing everything from the shops.”
    • “The basic combat is okay, if not tedious, but the floaty controls make this game kind of a nightmare to play due to how much the devs loved adding terrain that hurts you.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “By the end of the game, getting ore is dull due to it only being available as items in chests which you can sell to merchants. The quickest way to get money was constantly reloading the same area with a bunch of pickups, and it's kind of tedious.”
    • “The boss fights are very tedious, easy, and boring.”
    • “In order to move out of the first major area, I had to collect 2400 of the currency in the game, which was very annoying because I was picking up currency every chance I saw, and I still had to go back through the level grinding for the last 600 or so.”
  • humor34 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players enjoying the charming characters, funny side quests, and amusing interactions with NPCs. Many highlight the blend of dark and lighthearted elements, as well as the unexpected comedic moments that enhance the overall experience. The game features a variety of humorous details, from quirky costumes to clever flavor text, making it a delightful and entertaining adventure.

    • “Then there's the charm, humor, clean art style, and even the soundtrack has a cozy, yet still dark feel to it.”
    • “This game is also filled with extremely charming characters that have interesting, cool, and funny side quests for you that will reward you with cool swords and tunics!”
    • “The characters that you encounter throughout the game are often charming and funny, so I never felt like I was wasting my time by interacting with them.”
  • stability32 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting various glitches, including camera issues, control problems, and occasional crashes. While some users experienced significant bugs that affected gameplay, others noted that recent patches have improved performance, leading to a more enjoyable experience overall. Despite the technical issues, many players still found the game fun and expressed optimism for future updates to address the remaining stability concerns.

    • “No glitches or bugs in my run.”
    • “Either way, it's a great challenge that felt fun, and it all worked. There were no glitches, and I never found myself asking, 'Wait, why can't I do this even though I should be able to?'”
    • “All the issues have been fixed, and the game is back to being just fun with no glitches or issues.”
    • “I have experienced some weird glitches that needed rebooting the game, and I have heard from some people it's possible to get game-breaking bugs as well... overall I didn't have many issues though.”
    • “Bugs, crashes, and freezing problems... it is really frustrating... but after doing some troubleshooting, at least I was able to finish it, 95% complete so far...”
    • “I really want to love this game, and that should say a lot because it is buggy as anything.”
  • optimization27 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players praising its smooth performance and lack of bugs after recent patches. While some users experienced significant issues at launch, including crashes and low frame rates, these problems appear to have been largely resolved, leading to a generally positive reception regarding performance. The game runs well on various systems, with players reporting high frame rates and enjoyable controls, though a few still noted occasional glitches.

    • “Well optimized and worth every minute, some stages can get a bit annoying but it's sensational 💙💙”
    • “Performance is superb.”
    • “Great technical performance and no bugs that I've found.”
    • “Seems like a cute game, but unplayably bad performance (3 fps!) on r7 5800x + rtx 3080 = ???.”
    • “My only gripe with this game is that when I played it I had a lot of performance issues including constant crashing and rooms not loading properly.”
    • “It's not perfect, as I said, the difference between the story hinted at by the world and what I have found is a big problem and the game does have some performance issues but I would and have recommended this game and at the end of the day, that says it all.”
  • character development18 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique character designs and charming aesthetics, while others criticize the lack of depth in the story and character arcs. Many find the lore underwhelming and poorly explained, leading to a perception of shallow character development despite the appealing visuals. Overall, while the character designs are often praised, the narrative and emotional engagement fall short for several players.

    • “The story line is well written and the character designs are unique.”
    • “The character design is superb, the story is interesting, gameplay as fluid as it can be, amazing level design and quite hard.”
    • “This game has a stellar soundtrack, charming character design, incredible puzzle/dungeon design, and surprisingly challenging but rewarding gameplay.”
    • “In the end, I do understand why a lot of people like it, but this is not working for me. The story is not really hooking me in, and the character design looks weird.”
    • “It's quite buggy; it has a bit of a personality problem (as in it doesn't really have much of one). It's basically 3D Hollow Knight with much less interesting lore and some Breath of the Wild sprinkled in. The story is really boring and by the numbers, the combat is mediocre, and the character designs are kind of ehhh, but those are all tertiary aspects at best.”
    • “The lore is half-assed; nothing is explained, a ton of words that have no meaning, and there is no character development.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of tragic, wholesome, and humorous side quests, creating a generally uplifting experience. The music enhances key moments, although some players felt a lack of emotional investment in the story and characters. Overall, while the gameplay mechanics can be frustrating, the journey is described as enjoyable and reminiscent of classic gaming experiences.

    • “The ambient tunes and intense tracks complemented the gameplay, enhancing the emotional impact of key moments.”
    • “It's about a 10-hour journey and is all around wholesome.”
    • “Made me feel like I was playing Wind Waker again for the first time, 10/10.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally rated low, around 4/10, with many players noting a lack of content and linear gameplay that diminishes the incentive to replay. While there is a boss rush mode that offers some replay value, the overall experience is considered bland and not worth revisiting after the initial playthrough.

    • “I wouldn't be complaining about this if it was something you could've done the first time you entered any of these zones; in fact, that would've added some zest to the kind of bland straightforward sections and possibly even give the game a less linear nature, which could improve its overall flow and replayability.”
    • “Replayable boss rush mode.”
    • “Not much replayability.”
    • “Do not think there is much replay value here.”
    • “Initially, I was reluctant to leave a positive review, as for the somewhat steep price, the game offered clean and fun gameplay, but not a lot of content and replay value.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the game's lack of microtransactions, highlighting it as a respectful homage to more complete titles, despite acknowledging that it may not be the most innovative experience.

    • “It isn't the most innovative game, but I respect the effort the developers put in and pay homage to games that are actually complete and don't have microtransactions.”
    • “The monetization model is overly aggressive, making it feel like the game is more about profit than player experience.”
    • “I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to spend money, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The in-game purchases are not just optional; they are almost necessary to progress, which feels exploitative.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

Buy Blue Fire

Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
5-11hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 27 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News