Blade Chimera Review
Release date: Jan 15th 2025
Developer: Team Ladybug/WSS playground
Platforms: PC (Reviewed), Switch
Price: $20
Blade Chimera is cyberpunk metroidvaia from Team Ladybug/WSS playground and published by PLAYSIM. PLAYSIM is behind a lot of very interesting indie games across generations. The big question is what is Blade Chimera and does it stand out amongst a crowded Metroidvania scene? This reviewer had a pretty good time with the game and is thinking this is a must own especially for the price.
Metroidvania to me is defined as exploration meets heavy combat of Castlevania, recently games have also straddled the roguelike genre with this genre as well. So is Blade Chimera the perfect blend or does it lean in one direction? I would say it's more combat focused which is fine with me. Gamers play as Shin who is a battle seasoned warrior that hunts demons in what is left of human civilization. Early on in the game players will bond with a demon named Lux which will let players attack and explore in more ways. Did I mention Shin has no memory, so that's part of the adventure, let's figure it all out.
Controls and the combat are fantastic. Shin moves and dodges and dishes out attacks quickly and fluidly both with close range weapons and firearms. Controls are very responsive. Lux bonds to Shin as a sword, and this adds a new level of attack, throwing the sword, using it as a shield, sending it in to grind enemies. As Shin progresses he will unlock upgrades to his attacks and moves.
The puzzles are fun, you can teleport using the maps. Plenty of reasons to explore and backtrack and most of the time the next objective is labeled on the map. Enemies can feel spongy at times and I heard the game clocks in at 6-7 hours of playtime, I am about 1/2 way through at this point.
The visuals are a nice blend of futuristic and modern environments. There is stuff going on in the background and we are treated to some nice effects. The music suits the game and the story is there and has some twists. Overall this is a very fun game, and for $20 on Steam and the eshop, it’s good buy. Big thanks to the publisher for letting us review this.
Final Grade 4/5
Pros:
Unique setting and theme
Great controls and combat
Cons:
Difficulty is tougher than it should be at some points
Needs to be longer