Blade Chimera Reviews
Blade Chimera is an ode to a very specific kind of Metroidvania - the sort that eschews cryptic puzzles and an open-ended structure and revels in the simple joys of ultra-fluid movement and blasting through enemies with an ever-growing arsenal of powerful weapons and equipment. It may not particularly impress with its explorative or narrative aspects, but its striking, stylish identity and endlessly entertaining shoot-and-slash combat loop elevate this to the heights of the classics it's so clearly inspired by.
Blade Chimera does little that feels new, but delivers a slice of comfortable, familiar and, dare I say it, safe side-scrolling adventure.
Blade Chimera is short, sweet, and simple. It’s also visually enthralling and just… really dang cool. It’s the perfect kind of game to run into in January 2025, especially after so much of my time up until now has been eaten by multiple dozen-hour RPGs.
Blade Chimera is a very beautiful and colorful metroidvania with colorful bosses that suffers from serious control and balance issues.
Review in Russian |
While it follows familiar traits, innovative mechanics involving Lux give the game its own identity, allowing the developers to introduce fresh and engaging ideas.
A traditional metroidvania with a fascinating setting that mixes Japanese folklore and cyberpunk, brought to life by excellent pixel-art. The classic gameplay is enhanced by a mechanic that allows you to manipulate time and matter. A couple of bugs and a few minor technical stumbles, as well as an imperfect difficulty balance, however, prevent Blade Chimera from aspiring to the Olympus of the genre.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Blade Chimera is one of the most good-looking and engaging platformer titles out there. It easily taps into its classical influences while still maintaining its own identity. At worst, it can sometimes be an annoying game that hides crucial information. If you can overlook some of its flaws, Blade Chimera will be well worth your time.
A solid cyberpunk Metroidvania on Switch
Blade Chimera is far from a bad game, but it’s one that doesn’t fully play to the metroidvania genre’s strengths. Exploration is mostly linear, and the game’s unique gimmicks are underutilised in some unfortunate ways.
Blade Chimera is one of the best Metroidvanias that you can play thanks to its jam-packed gameplay, stellar presentation, and rewarding supplementary content. It may not be the longest or most challenging game in the genre but it's definitely unforgettable. 🗡️
Blade Chimera is a masterful blend of nostalgia and innovation. It channels the spirit of IGA’s legendary works while carving out its own identity with fluid combat, seamless exploration, and a striking cyberpunk Osaka brought to life in vivid pixel art. More than a love letter to the genre, it’s a bold new chapter that stands tall on its own.
Blade Chimera is a metroidvania with a solid storyline, effective gameplay and a sketchy but functional RPG component. What works is the whole, the feeling it gives the player, the plot that engages with functional twists and turns, and the variety of enemies and bosses. As far as I'm concerned, this is a must-buy title!
Review in Italian | Read full review
In the end, BLADECHIMERA stands as a testament to Team Ladybug’s evolution—a departure from their traditional Metroidvania roots that is satisfyingly unique. Sure, the early ease and lighter platforming might not fully satisfy hardcore genre purists, but it builds into an excellent experience with razor-sharp combat, pixel-perfect visuals, and a narrative that sneaks up on you with surprising depth. The neon-lit streets of its cyberpunk Osaka, drenched in Japanese occult lore, brings the experience to life, accompanied by an energetic soundtrack that encapsulates it further. Lux and Shin’s bond delightfully brings together your playthrough with rewarding gameplay and narrative beats. It’s a game that is great for a quick playthrough but further rewards you if you choose to dive deeper into its side content, leaving a lasting impression either way. For fans of the studio or anyone seeking a finely crafted action platformer, BLADECHIMERA wholeheartedly proves to be a worthy investment.
Overall, Blade Chimera is another win for Team Ladybug. Its slower, more methodical take on the Metroidvania formula feels refreshing, especially once you master Shin and Lux’s moveset. It really feels like a perfect blend of Metroid and Castlevania - particularly Symphony of the Night. The ruined streets of Osaka are brimming with secrets and enemies to tackle, making this a solid pick for both longtime fans of the genre and newcomers looking for a challenge. It’s not perfect — the level design can frustrate, the story doesn’t fully capitalize on its world, and some enemy placement and difficulty can be a real challenge — but it’s a damn good time nonetheless. I’d say it’s a must-play for anyone craving a neon-soaked demon hunt.
Having played other titles from Team Ladybug, I had a feeling that Blade Chimera was going to be good, but I wasn’t expecting it to forcibly inject its way into being one of my favorite Metroidvania titles of all time. A good (albeit rather clichéd) story perfectly carried by a bloody trio of fantastic combat, smooth and responsive controls, and some of the smoothest sprite work I’ve ever seen in my life creates an almost perfect storm for fans of the genre and those tempted to dip their toes in.
Blade Chimera will grab your attention with its captivating style while keeping you engaged with its experience.
Fans of the genre should absolutely dive into Blade Chimera. Tight, brutal and engaging, I could spend another two thousand words singing the praises of the combat, the items and the overall world building. But I think seeing is believing, and you won’t believe what you see. PCor Switch, you should go ahead and gear up: Blade Chimera is ready for you, even if you’re not remotely prepared.
Blade Chimera feels like a breath of fresh air for the Metroidvania genre, standing out with its gameplay and design choices—though keyboard players may want to grab a controller for this one.
While not the lengthiest of search action titles, Blade Chimera makes it up with everything else.
Team Ladybug’s latest release is a grand one—the slower-paced nature of the action feels good to play especially as you get a better grasp of Shin and his companion’s move sets. The downtrodden Osaka city landscape has plenty of exploration potential and baddies to encounter, meaning that I can wholeheartedly recommend Blade Chimera to the 2D Metroidvania aficionado and novice alike. ∎