MercurySteam Talks Blades of Fire – Forging the Start of a Bigger Story
In case youd didn’t know, MercurySteam, most notably known for rebooting the Castlevania franchise with Lords of Shadow, is back with a new action game titled Blades of Fire. This time around, instead of a whip, the player will need to forge their own weapon.
It’s an interesting concept, and one we wanted to know more of. Thankfully, MercurySteam was fine to chat about the game’s development, inspirations and more.
In our chat below, the answers were provided by a MercurySteam representative. The interview was conducted before the game was released to retailer or before a demo was released on digital storefronts.
MecurySteam Blades of Fire Interview With MP1st
MP1st: I know it’s been a long time, but I’m a huge fan of Lords of Shadow. Is there anything in that game, be it in concept or as a nod, that spilled to Blade of Fire? Any chance we’ll be able to wield a whip? 😉
MercuryStream: We’re afraid the whip won’t make a comeback this time ��. Blades of Fire is quite far removed from our Castlevania days, beyond the fact that both share a fantasy setting. If we had to name a true emotional reference for us, it would definitely be Blade of Darkness—the very first game the founders of MercurySteam worked on, 25 years ago. That’s where the fire really began.
MP1st: With the weapon crafting and many stats to consider, wouldn’t that overwhelm players?
MercurySteam: We don’t think so. Forging will be as deep as players want it to be. Sure, you’ll have to go through it—after all, weapons need to be forged—but everything is straightforward and easy to grasp. We’re talking about blades, weight, length… all very physical, intuitive variables. Nothing too abstract.
MP1st: Is there some sort of “auto-craft” or “equip best” feature for players who just want to blast through enemies and not worry about the weapon management that much?
MercurySteam: Absolutely. Once you’ve forged a weapon, the game will let you skip steps when upgrading it with new parts or materials. That said, the quality of your new weapon will be exactly the same as the previous one. If you want to improve it, you’ll need to reforge it properly.
MP1st: The 60-80 hours it takes to complete the game, does that include the side missions, or is this just the main narrative?
MercurySteam: Blades of Fire doesn’t have side missions in the traditional sense, but there is optional content for players who want to explore further.
MP1st: While this is a single-player game, most people these days still expect post-release support in terms of New Game+ and other features and content to be made available at some point after launch. Does MercurySteam have any plans for those?
MercurySteam: We are discussing options internally.
MP1st: Is this a standalone story or is MercurySteam planning for this to kickstart a franchise?
MercurySteam: Blades of Fire is just the beginning of a much larger story.
MP1st: I know the game puts a huge emphasis on crafting new weapons, but what if say, you craft one that you just love/ Is there a way to upgrade that and use it throughout the entire game continually?
MercurySteam: Yes, absolutely. If you fall in love with a weapon, you’ll be able to keep upgrading it and carry it with you all the way through the game.
MP1st: With the debut trailer now out, we’ve already seen a lot of online chatter comparing the title to the Souls genre. We see more God of War ourselves, even a bit of Castlevania Lords of Shadow and other classic cinematic hack-and-slash games. Where would you say this game sits more towards?
We believe the game has a strong identity of its own—something you’ll feel clearly once you play it. If we had to name a reference, the most obvious one would be Blade of Darkness, the first game the founders of MercurySteam worked on, back in 2001. In many ways, Blades of Fire is a spiritual successor to that title.
MP1st: Will there be any sort of way to guarantee a good craft, or do players simply need to adapt and learn the best ways to forge their metal?
MercurySteam: Your decisions and skill at the forge will entirely determine how well your weapons perform in combat.
MP1st: Do lost weapons stay around forever, or do they disappear after some time, or perhaps after dying again without picking them up first?
MercurySteam: Lost weapons can always be recovered. However, since they occupy a slot in your inventory, you also have the option to forget them—freeing up that slot for new ones.
Blades of Fire is out now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Stay tuned to our review hitting the site soon.
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