Within the Blade Reviews
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.
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 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.
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 offers us an interesting action and stealth game, with deeper mechanics than what is usually seen and a series of very complete customization features. The main problem is in the handling and controls, which are not as well worked as we would like and what should be a pleasant experience ends up being something quite frustrating.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A 2D slash-em-up that’s as instantly forgettable as a ninja flashing past in the night, Within the Blade succeeds at fast-paced kills and decent bosses, but fails to design for stealth or differentiate itself in a genre full of superior experiences.
Within the Blade is one of those games that leaves us with lingering feelings of frustration. Not because of its demanding nature or challenging levels, but rather because of all its wasted potential. There are simply too many ill-conceived or poorly implemented design options which hurt the experience’s overall enjoyment, tainting the most of its interesting ideas and genuinely fun moments it can provide. Fans of demanding and punishing 2D action games may get some enjoyment out of this game, but there are far more accomplished, and captivating offers out there
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
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.
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 brings good elements for a fun, creative adventure with a very satisfactory level of difficulty. The icing on the cake is the retro look, that brings back games like Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi, and its excellent soundtrack. If you are a fan of ninjas, be sure to check out this game. Worth every second of your time.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Within the Blade is a worthy entry in the 2D action-platformer genre and is definitely worth your time, but beware, there are other games that do each of the main hooks better.
Within the Blade is a decent 2D action-stealth game. If you’re a fan of ninjas and NES-style graphics, you may want to check it out when it’s on sale.
There’s a cool game in here somewhere, but Within the Blade feels like it tries to do too much and cram it all into a small space. If this were a more focused sort of action game there could be a bunch of cool stuff surrounding its fast and weighty physics. But with trying to have it all, Within the Blade only manages to be a cool throwback to older, better games.
Within the Blade is an action-adventure game with various stealth elements. I stalked my foes through the tall grass, dashed from rooftop to rooftop, and strangled my foes mercilessly. Prepare to watch yourself get mangled in this macabre journey. Is it fulfilling? Find out in this Rapid Review.
No, it’s not perfect. With its clumsy dialog, touchy controls, and occasionally broken U.I., Within The Blade sometimes feels like a game that’s designed to work against the player. However, if you can overlook its faults, there’s an exciting and surprisingly deep experience beneath its many bumps and bruises. You just have to be willing to sift through the grime to uncover its finer parts. As for whether or not it’s worth doing so, that’s for you to decide. A patch or two could go a long way towards addressing many of these problems. And if Ametist Studio can do so, Within The Blade could be a must-play title for ninja action fans who cut their teeth on Ninja Gaiden, Shinobi, and other classics of the 80s. Sadly, at least in its current state, this one’s hard to recommend.
The game's presentation is worthy of praise, as is its concept, but the way everything is implemented ends up harming the gameplay experience. Mostly due to poor execution, it's frustrating to draw a fun and engaging experience from Within the Blade when most of its mechanics are in need to be reworked.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Still, with a solid combat system, fun upgrade and crafting mechanics, and a great sense of speed, this is still a decent platformer I can recommend for fans of ninja action games, especially those who love fast-paced ones and wouldn’t mind skipping over the optional objectives. Don’t expect it to be the most polished thing ever, but if you just enjoy fast-paced platformers, then this may be one worth considering, even if the price may seem a bit steep.
The quality and ease-of-use of a game's controls is one of those things you tend to take for granted...