En Garde! Reviews
En Garde! has plenty of style and looks and controls well enough, but the extremely tedious gameplay focusing more on tricks than swordplay quickly starts to wear thin.
For a game that was marketed with swordfighting at the forefront, it's a pity that swordfighting doesn't have any serious depth. Keeping things superficial in terms of story made me think that I would see more varied gameplay mechanics that reflected the essence of swordfighting. Here, not much has been put on top of an ordinary action & adventure game.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
As is, En Garde! doesn’t overstay its welcome, and its strong combat will carry players through its rather short playtime. While the rest of the game isn’t as compelling, and the characters and story, while fine, feel like a missed opportunity, I still enjoyed my time with it. A more fleshed-out sequel, however, could be something truly special.
En Garde! brings character, energy and finesse to your pad within moments of play. It moves well and is balanced wonderfully with combat that matches and even surpasses many great games out there already. Its difficulty will definitely be offputting to some and its size may not be enough for others, but this game knows what it is, leans elegantly into it and gives you a memorable journey from its opening to close.
En Garde! flares brightly with its slick, slapstick combat, for a while at least.
En Garde! is a fun and unique experience, with fresh, agile and flexible combat. An authentic swashbuckling adventure.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
En Garde! is a fun, humorous and stylish frolic through a colourful 17th century Spain that pays homage to Zorro and the golden age of swashbuckling adventures.
En Garde! is a fun and compelling experience, and its best part surely is found in the unforgiving combat system, that hardcore players and casual gamers will enjoy alike: you can freely change the difficulty level in every moment, so that your new life as a swashbuckler can easily adapt to the kind of experience you are looking for.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Out of nowhere, En Garde! is a surprise hit and a swashbuckling tale well worth playing. Engaging in fights, whether that's one-on-one or being outnumbered as you navigate an environment, using many obstacles and contraptions is immensely fun. Complimenting all of this is a painterly world, backed with a strong soundtrack, clever dialogue quips and a lot of heart. My biggest gripe with En Garde! is that there isn't more of it, something I so desperately need. As iron and steel collide in tense frantic battles or as you send your hundredth mook careening down a flight of stairs, one thing becomes apparent: Fireplace Games have made a hell of an unbelievably charming and special game.
En Garde is a very pleasant surprise, with it standing out as a really fun and charming action-adventure that packs plenty of finesse into its combat. The comical storytelling helps make Adelia a heroine you can really root for, whilst the robust combat mechanics that focus as much on playing defensively as they do on unloading swashbuckling combos ensure that there’s plenty of strategy to be found in each showdown. It’s just a really fun game and one that fans of the genre definitely won’t want to skip on.
Precise combat combined with a good dose of chaos is the main attraction of En Garde!, but not its only bright point.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Like the savvy swashbuckling outlaws of yesteryear, En Garde is a daring romp that will most assuredly sweep (or kick) you off your feet.
En Garde! is a really fun action game full of heart that rewards skillful play, and mastery of its mechanics. Adalia is a charming protagonist, and her unmatched wit cripples her opponents as she kicks, parries, and dodges her way through a series of hilarious episodes. The beautiful presentation, varied levels, and excellent pacing add up to a solid adventure worth taking. The boss fights are a bit disappointing due to the reliance on mobs, but En Garde! does way more right than wrong.
En Garde is a tantalizing first outing from new studio Fireplace Games, thanks to its slick combat and wonderful sense of humor. It's in some ways so strong that it leaves you wondering what this team could do with more time and money behind them.
En Garde! It focuses the entire experience on the charismatic protagonist and the spectacle of the fights, which are truly reminiscent of the swashbuckling movies that were so popular in the last century. It therefore offers a lot, but at the same time offers only this: a hack and slash that in the end is little more than a beat'em up. Definitely a welcome surprise for those who love action-packed games with a light and fun story in the background, but those looking for depth in gameplay, exploration or character growth will find this game too simple. In any case, I am sure we will still hear the name of Adalia de Volador.
Review in Italian | Read full review
En Garde! is the perfect example of a game that does not seek to be perfect, but still comes very close. With some minor flaws and a setting as pleasant as its combat, it is the perfect game to have a good time without worries.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
With a swish of the sword and a bit of improvisation, En Garde! is a fantastically fun action-packed adventure with a distinctive flair. Sure, it's a little bit short, but that doesn't make it any less sweet.
Arkham-esque combat and lovely platforming combine in this joyous and colourful game.
En Garde! is the swashbuckling adventure you didn't realize you needed this summer. The fencing mechanic adds unique gameplay to a theatrical story jam-packed with fun characters, rich and colourful environments, and real-time dodging and parrying. An Arena Mode will keep you coming back for more, but the difficulty curve is definitely something to look out for.
En Garde! offers a tight core idea and executes on it well, although in some predictable ways. It’s fun to constantly scan the battlefield and evaluate incoming enemies to decide how to use the environment and Adalia’s superior fencing skills to separate groups, stun some enemies, and, finally, take all of them down.