Bleak Sword DX Reviews
It’s tight in execution, just like a noose, but without the satisfying release after you say the safe word. It’s as grim as it should be and unapologetic, and that’s admirable.
Bleak Sword DX is a good challenge with a wonderfully designed retro 3D aesthetic, a steadily paced, increasing difficulty of enemies to keep the content feeling fresh, and some nice gameplay changes to ensure you’ll stick with it through the fun times and the rough. Odd disconnection issues, combat and control repetition and responsiveness do add to the frustrations a bit, but not enough to deter you from this satisfyingly savage slasher.
Bleak Sword DX might keep things simple with its combat and visual style, but it makes for an engrossing experience that’s a ton of fun to play. I loved the gameplay loop of progressing between levels, levelling up, and dealing with every new threat the game sent my way, whilst the more challenging moments (and many deaths) never feel like a massive deterrent thanks to the game’s bite-size level setup. And sure, it can be rough losing your items and experience points, but with players getting a shot at redemption, it never feels unfair.
That’s not to say there’s nothing good here, however. It’s a solid foundation, but where other games would strive to build something on that foundation, Bleak Sword DX unfortunately just leaves it as a slab of concrete.
Bleak Sword DX provides an enchanting experience that will keep you engaged throughout your journey. It may not be for everyone, but if you're up for a challenge and appreciate artistic pixel graphics, this indie title is well worth your time.
Certainly not for those lacking in skill and patience, Bleak Sword DX distills the likes of Dark Souls into a lo-fi and brutal arcade-like action game
Bleak Sword XD is a tense and unusual journey of action. The focus is on complicated combats through compact arenas full of dangers and enemies in which any mistake is fatal. The clashes are intense and difficult, requiring precision and observation to survive, and the fun is precisely in mastering all the nuances to overcome adversity. The intention is clear in offering a campaign of heightened difficulty, but some choices leave things frustrating, such as lack of visual clarity, unbalanced challenge and limited variety of situations. At the very least, there's plenty of content to explore and the striking setting has its charm. Those who like to overcome tribulations will enjoy the brutal world of Bleak Sword XD, just be prepared to face its rough edges and frustrations as well.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Bleak Sword DX is an absolute treat that takes the core pillars of the soulslike genre and distills them into a wonderfully moreish, action-packed adventure. The narrow focus, coupled with the unforgiving nature of the gameplay and progression loops, may put some off, but not every game has to be for everyone, and I commend the developers for sticking with the vision they clearly had. If, like me, you love soulslikes, but have found yourself feeling slightly alienated due to the scope that some of the genre’s heavy hitters bring, then I urge you to check out Bleak Sword DX and let it get its pixelated hooks into you.
Bleak Sword DX is the rare instance where it does overstay its welcome, but if played in small bursts, is brilliant. While it doesn’t run out of new ideas, it does drain the player through its numerous arenas and modes, it’s an exhaustive amount of content that it never runs dry on. Playing something so challenging that originated on Apple Arcade, but now expanded and reworked for PC and Switch shows that it has a home on these new platforms. The dioramas that encapsulate the arenas to fight on are some of the more unique elements, to include its visual and enemy design, makes Bleak Sword DX easy to recommend.
Bleak Sword DX is a hauntingly beautiful game, with a fantastically executed Dark Fantasy world and great combat hidden behind a deceptively simple art style. Fans of Dark Souls or Dark Fantasy as a genre would be missing out if they don’t give Bleak Sword DX a try.