We’re getting a glut of highly polished brawlers at the moment, with Foregone, Shadow Gangs and 9 Monkeys of Shaolin recently hitting console. Into that breach steps Bladed Fury, which looks appropriately fantastic and slick. Bladed Fury is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
Of the batch we’ve mentioned, 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is probably the most appropriate comparison. Bladed Fury takes a similar approach of evoking a moment of Chinese history, in this case Warring States Period, and then slathers it with fantastic artwork and mythological moments.
With regard to the looks, we are actually getting heavy Vanillaware vibes, recalling Muramasa in particular. It’s not a Vanillaware joint, however, as this is the latest from up and coming PM Studios and NeXt Studios, who have recently put out the cult hit Biped, to some critical praise. This looks like it could be a real step up for them.
There’s a moody, vengeance-driven plot in here, as you play an exiled princess called Ji, looking to bring bloody murder to those who killed her father. It’s looking good for you, as you’ll have the backing of the gods, in the form of Jingwei and Hou Yi, who have handed you some godly powers in the form of Soul Slivers, which allow you to change the pace of battle, which sounds intriguing.
Features
- Unique art style with mysterious Chinese elements.
- Fluid combat experience and style that’s easy to learn but difficult to master.
- The Soul Sliver system adds depth and changes the pace, making combat more exciting.
We’ll be honest, the looks on this game were probably enough to get us interested, but the authentic Chinese setting and fluid combat are a nice cherry on the top.
Bladed Fury has somersaulted onto Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S today, and will cost you £16.74 from the Xbox Store. It’s also out on PS4 and Switch whilst being available for sometime already on PC via Steam.
Game Description:
Bladed Fury is a classic 2D action game, based on Chinese mythology with an accompanying traditional art style and sound design, but with a dash of surrealism added to the mix. Featuring a fluid combat experience, a high-octane combo system, and a plethora of ancient enemies and gods to destroy
