Within the Blade
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Critic Reviews for Within the Blade
Unlike Wildfire, though, Within the Blade works marvelously on the Switch and seems perfectly optimized for the platform, although the speed of the game does make more sense when docked on a nice TV. Little control and camera niggles - inputs to activate skills are constantly stumbled on Joy-Cons, and orienting the camera during stealth attempts is a pitiful chore - don’t compromise what is a weirdly deep, potentially satisfying low-rez action ninja sim. Elaborate and overflowing with optional content and a snappy narrative, Within the Blade should be a hit with the Sengoku set.
Within the Blade on the PS5 takes a classic arcade sidescroller and morphs in into something slightly modern from RPG to crafting (over 200 items) and old school combat mechanics, including a plethora of different weapons plus clever stealth mechanics. Like the games of yesteryear, you'll be overjoyed at times and totally annoyed when you continue dying so expect some controller rage … especially if you play it in permadeath mode.
Take on the evil Steel Claw Clan and prevent them from taking over in this fast-paced stealth platformer, Within The Blade! Run, jump, flip and cut and assassinate your way through fantastical levels to prove that you are the Black Lotus Clan's greatest warrior.
Within the Blade is full of action and stealth, just like what you would expect a ninja to be good at. Unfortunately some of the levels become quite repetitive, but the game offers a unique weapon crafting feature that you don't usually see in games like this.
Within the Blade is a solid stealth-action platformer with challenging gameplay that might bring back memories of Ninja Gaiden. It’s got a good amount of content to play through and plenty of challenge for those who like that in their games. The downsides are that the challenge may turn some away, the controls have a learning curve, the visuals get a little repetitive, and some of the systems like the crafting don’t feel thought out enough. I still enjoyed my time with it though and for the affordable price I recommend it to those who enjoy the genre.
Within the Blade will definitely make you feel like a ninja and by that, I mean you'll have to tirelessly train in order to become a master of your craft. Once you do, the reward of stealthily slaying hordes of guards is a nice payoff but it's a steep climb to get there.
Within the Blade has a good amount of customization and fun combat. However, those that need stable and fair level design may be put off by the random seeding.
Within the Blade is an intricate blend of fast-paced stealth and action that we don’t see too often in this genre. While it falters in repetitive level design, it makes up for it in stylish and satisfying gameplay. There’s a high skill ceiling for players who’d like to challenge, and the experience of utilizing the stealth systems makes for interesting bouts of action gameplay.
