Blades of Fire, new game from the Metroid Dread studio, launches in May

After showing a teaser in early February, developer MercurySteam announced its new action-adventure game Blades of Fire, set to launch on May 22 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Digital pre-orders are now available. On PC, the game will be exclusive to the Epic Games Store. Blades of Fire is the latest title from a studio known for games like Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Metroid Dread. More gameplay segments were shown in a reveal video posted on the game’s official channel. Although the developer says it’s still a work in progress, Blades of Fire is less than a month away from launch, which might raise some red flags for a few players.

This action game takes players on an adventure where they can forge their own weapons while facing fierce enemies through a new combat system. Battles are more methodical, but not in a Soulslike way like Elden Ring—they’re more along the lines of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Still, Blades of Fire never called itself an RPG but an action-adventure game. No preview has shown level-ups, attributes, or a skill tree. On the flip side, the focus seems to be entirely on crafting and switching between different types of wielded weapons.

Blades of Fire Gameplay Preview

In the story, you play as Aran of Lira, the firstborn of the commander of the King’s Ward. The newly crowned Queen Nerea has cast a spell that turns steel into stone. Now, only her abominations wield the divine metal against which other blades shatter. You’ll need to find Forge Scrolls along the journey, which let you develop abilities and craft your preferred weapon. The category you pick and the materials you use will affect traits like weight, length, durability, penetration, and sharpness. There will be seven weapon categories and over 30 exclusive Forge Scrolls, allowing for near-endless combinations.

The combat system in Blades of Fire lets you target specific parts of the enemy’s body, slicing, stabbing, or striking, depending on the situation and the gear they’re wearing. Only the right weapon can pierce an enemy’s armor. Alongside Aran is your companion Adso, who will give useful tips on how to defeat the more than 50 enemy types, analyzing them and taking notes in his chronicles. He’ll be a key part of your adventure as he speaks the ancient tongue of the forgers.

Blades of Fire launches May 22, 2025, for PC via Epic Games, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you want to see what the MercurySteam team is cooking, check out our comparator for the best deals on Blades of Fire and snag a discount before the game lands on its platforms.