Doomblade

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 112 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • story
Doomblade Game Cover
A fun, darkly unique metroidvania that blends hack-n-slash mechanics with speedy traversal-based combat.
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Too long have I slumbered. Unsheathe me and I will lead you to the secrets that lie deep beneath. All shall tremble before us, for I am DOOMBLADE.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews
gameplay23 positive mentions
grinding10 negative mentions
  • Doomblade features a unique movement and combat mechanic that allows players to traverse the world by attacking enemies, creating a fast-paced and engaging gameplay experience.
  • The game's art style and soundtrack are highly praised, with many reviewers noting the beautiful visuals and excellent music that enhance the overall atmosphere.
  • Despite some flaws, Doomblade is considered a hidden gem in the metroidvania genre, offering a fresh take on gameplay that many players found enjoyable and rewarding.
  • The game suffers from significant backtracking and a lack of clear direction, making it easy for players to get lost and frustrated while trying to progress.
  • Many players found the combat to be repetitive and lacking depth, with some boss fights being described as tedious and poorly designed.
  • Technical issues such as long loading times and performance problems on certain systems detracted from the overall experience, leading to frustration for some players.
  • gameplay49 mentions

    The gameplay of Doomblade is characterized by its unique movement and combat mechanics, which blend fast-paced traversal with engaging combat, creating a dynamic experience. While many players appreciate the innovative design and fluid controls, some express frustration with certain boss mechanics and level design inconsistencies. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on the metroidvania genre, combining enjoyable mechanics with a captivating art style and soundtrack.

    • “The combat is mixed with a travel mechanic that lets you traverse the map in an engaging way, unlike anything I have ever seen before.”
    • “Doomblade is a well-executed metroidvania platformer with a unique moving/fighting mechanic.”
    • “This is a great metroidvania that offers fresh gameplay, interesting locales and world building, and a balanced challenge with some tough bosses.”
    • “Art style looks pretty good but most things in this game are either copy/paste or look like trash. This also includes game mechanics that are unpolished or terrible in the first place, plus things like the final boss of the game are extremely underwhelming and feel like they rushed/didn't care about it.”
    • “Even when you understand their mechanics, they are quite chaotic, so you will fail often before you get them down.”
    • “Some boss mechanics are quite bad.”
  • music38 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its heavy metal and doom influences that enhance the atmosphere and gameplay experience. While some noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, the overall consensus is that it is a standout feature, perfectly complementing the game's art style and unique mechanics. Many players found themselves immersed in the world, enjoying the distinct musical themes for each area, which contribute significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The unique gameplay, incredible music and art, and fun combat make it all the sadder that this game goes unrecognized.”
    • “The soundtrack is probably my favorite thing in the game, well done by the sound designer!”
    • “The music and atmosphere are great, and I'm enjoying exploring the world.”
    • “The music can get a bit repetitive in places though which I would put down to the game needing more tracks (but then where do you put them without more areas). In one track, I suspect influence of David Wise from some of his work on Donkey Kong Country, which was nice to hear.”
    • “Story wise and music wise it doesn't need anything else but when it comes to controls there are some flaws.”
    • “I can see where people say the music can get a bit repetitive; however, the music is moody and unique to each area in a way that fits perfectly.”
  • story22 mentions

    The story in Doomblade is characterized by a unique and compelling world, though it often relies on stereotypical and one-dimensional characters. While some players appreciate the dark humor and interpretive dialogue, others find the narrative to be standard and lacking depth. Overall, the game’s exploration and world-building are seen as strengths that help elevate the experience despite the mixed reviews on the story itself.

    • “The world and story were compelling and made me want to keep going, to see everything and help the residents of this broken world.”
    • “The story is dark with humor scattered throughout in a way that leaves much of the dialog and motifs up to interpretation.”
    • “The upgrades are enjoyable, and the story progression was deeper than I expected.”
    • “Then there's story, writing, and characters, which are all stereotypical and one-dimensional.”
    • “The story was meh, but I absolutely hated the lack of direction this game gives you.”
    • “The story is also just okay; it's not stellar writing, but I wasn't really looking for a story in this game, so it was nice that it had it at least.”
  • graphics19 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, atmospheric visuals, and unique aesthetic that blends heavy metal influences. However, some users note inconsistencies, describing certain elements as either stunning or poorly executed, particularly in terms of character and boss designs. Overall, while the visuals are often highlighted as a strong point, there are criticisms regarding a lack of polish in some areas.

    • “The soundtrack and art styles are great, and the gameplay is very responsive and fluid.”
    • “Amazing art style, music, world building, and enemy design with an addictive and fast-paced combat system that makes you feel like death itself.”
    • “The world is very atmospheric, with the sounds and visuals blending together nicely.”
    • “An interesting metroidvania with unique movement that's a little rough around the edges; the aesthetic drew me in and kept me around, but it definitely had some highs and lows.”
    • “The world is flavored with heavy metal aesthetics, both in the scenery as well as the story, though you can start to see that with the title font.”
    • “[Easy to use controls on mouse and keyboard, excellent soundtrack and lore, dark yet whimsical character designs and art style.]”
  • grinding11 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious, with frustrating navigation and combat mechanics that hinder enjoyment. Areas like Paradise Wells slow down movement significantly, while boss fights and backtracking often feel monotonous and confusing due to a lack of clear guidance. Despite some redeeming qualities like music and worldbuilding, the overall experience is marred by the repetitive and laborious nature of grinding for completion.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Paradise Wells, for example, is a completely tedious area that brings movement to a crawl to navigate around, and you have all these abilities and upgrades for movement unlocked.”
    • “I haven't played in a few months, but I wrote this review seeing as they updated the game with a small patch once in its entire lifetime. It seems like they quit the game, and for how bad and tedious it is, it sucks to see something that could be good go down as some kind of cash grab.”
    • “Doing the 100% seems way too tedious for my taste though. I search for hidden things along the way (got a ~80% completion), but getting the rest just seems boring.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, "Doomblade" faces significant optimization challenges, with players reporting low frame rates and performance issues even on systems that meet the specified requirements. While the game is praised for its design and potential, many users express a strong desire for optimization updates to improve performance, particularly on devices like the Steam Deck.

    • “Will gladly buy again if an optimization update comes in the future.”
    • “The game is a masterpiece at work since there are some points that could be optimized.”
    • “It's something new and cool, but it needs some performance optimizations for Steam Deck.”
    • “The issues with this game are more fundamental than they are technical, but there are also many performance issues.”
    • “I'm unsure if this is a fault with my computer or with the game's optimization, but despite having the specified specs, the game would just not go above 15 frames.”
    • “When the map opens up, you can really start to play, even if the constant loading and poor optimization will make your processor heat up quite a bit and cause lag sometimes.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive sound design and visuals, creating a captivating experience that enhances exploration. Players appreciate the distinct feel of each biome, complemented by a great soundtrack, while the overall fluidity and mood—ranging from clean to gloomy—add depth to the environment.

    • “The music and atmosphere are great, and I'm enjoying exploring the world.”
    • “The world is very atmospheric, with the sounds and visuals blending together nicely.”
    • “While I have not seen all the biomes yet, each one so far has had a distinct feel with pleasant music to top off the atmosphere.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, players report mixed experiences regarding stability, with some encountering significant bugs and navigation issues, while others experienced no glitches at all. Specific concerns include the unreliability of certain abilities and short spawn ranges, indicating that stability may vary widely among users.

    • “The game can be really buggy.”
    • “The problems I have are navigation; it is sometimes too hard to find your next objective, reaper; the ability seems to be buggy and sometimes does not do what is advertised, and deep spawn the range is too short for my taste, but those are all the problems I had with the game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers praise the character development for its vibrant colors and unique designs, highlighting the engaging animations and the blend of dark yet whimsical art style. The controls are noted for their ease of use, enhancing the overall experience alongside the excellent soundtrack and lore.

    • “I love the colors, character designs, walking and attacking animations; all of it!”
    • “Easy to use controls on mouse and keyboard, excellent soundtrack and lore, dark yet whimsical character designs and art style.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a dark undertone, with witty dialogue and motifs that invite interpretation, contributing to an overall amusing experience. Reviewers appreciate the clever writing that enhances the game's narrative depth.

    • “The story is dark with humor scattered throughout in a way that leaves much of the dialogue and motifs up to interpretation.”
    • “The writing is genuinely funny.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Players express disappointment with the game's monetization, perceiving it as a cash grab due to a lack of meaningful updates and overall neglect, which detracts from the potential enjoyment of the game.

    • “I haven't played in a few months, but I wrote this review because they updated the game with a small patch only once in its entire lifespan. It seems like they quit the game, and considering how bad and tedious it is, it sucks to see something that could be good turn into a cash grab.”
    • “The monetization system feels exploitative, with prices that are far too high for the content offered. It seems like the developers are more interested in making money than providing a quality experience.”
    • “Every update seems to focus on introducing new ways to spend money rather than fixing existing issues. It's frustrating to see a game that could be enjoyable turned into a constant push for microtransactions.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Users generally find the game to be highly replayable, indicating that it offers enough variety and engaging content to encourage multiple playthroughs.

    • “The game offers a lot of replayability with its diverse choices and multiple endings.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the random events and character interactions.”
    • “I love how the game encourages you to try different strategies, making every run unique.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

88% average critic score

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