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Doomblade is a game that was put on my radar when I went to PaxEast. I remember when I first saw the game I thought “This looks like a more metal Ori and the Will of the Wisp.” The artstyle left so much of an impression that I knew I had to play it when it came out. Thankfully I only had to wait a few months before I was able to play the game from beginning to end. So what was the experience like and who is this game for? 

Doomblade was made by Muro Studios and it was released on May 31st, 2023. This game is an indie action-adventure Metroidvania and platformer that is currently only for PC. I did receive a review code. 

Let’s dive into it.

Narrative:

As Gloom Girl you hear a voice calling to you. The voice belongs to an imprisoned sword called the Doomblade. The Doomblade makes a deal with you. If you help unlock its true powers, you can use it to defeat the Dread Lords that have corrupted your world. It’s not the most intricate story ever, but it does its job of setting the tone and providing motivation. 

Gameplay:

The gameplay is where Doomblade shines. I’ve played many games where you jump and attack enemies, but I can’t remember the last one that I’ve played where you attack primarily by launching yourself like a dart at enemies. This action makes you feel like a sword-wielding pinball that ricochets from baddy to baddy.

A cool twist in Doomblade is that launching yourself at enemies isn’t just a way to dispatch them but also the way you traverse and reach new platforms. In true Metroidvanina fashion, you get more moves as you progress which gives you more ways to traverse the world. 

The gameplay is overall zippy and engaging. It features a solid variety of foes to dispatch and an array of environments to explore. While the controls aren’t for everyone (more on that in a bit) if you do click with them then you’re going to have a good time playing this game. 

Additional Pros:

The biggest pro of the game is undisputed its artstyle. The game is gorgeous featuring a vibe that feels like a mix between the Ori series and Hollow Knight. Add in a red tone and you’ve got the overall vibe of Doomblade. This game has some striking darker environments and some beautiful lighter areas that are full of bright colors and detail. I mentioned earlier that the artsyle is what sold me on playing the game. If you don’t do anything else go check out the trailer for the game just to look see how good it looks. 

Doomblade has a dope metal soundtrack that fits the game perfectly. The metal music that plays during fight scenes is a highlight, giving the player that bloodlust sensation that you want with these types of games. 

Another aspect that I enjoyed about Doomblade is its length. It’s not too short nor too long. You’ll likely beat the game in about 7 to 9 hours. To 100% complete it will probably take you closer to that 15-hour marker. 

Cons/Flaws:

Even though this PC game has controller support it feels like it was made for a mouse and keyboard. I’ve played a lot of twin-stick shooters on console and I’ve had a good time with most of them. I found it incredibly challenging to play this game with a controller which is how I prefer to play games. I finally hit a breaking point and played the game using a mouse and keyboard which hampered my enjoyment of it overall. 

Another aspect that might put some off of the game is the difficulty spikes that you experience. When you run into a group of enemies it can get extremely hard when you have to target specific weak spots on certain enemies.  The targeting system isn’t always super precise so this can be infuriating. 

Overall/Should You play Doomblade:

This is an interesting question because this is a game that will really only vibe with certain gamers. If you are into platformers, games with twin stick mechanics, and playing games using a mouse and keyboard then you should check out Doomblade. If none of those aspects are what you like or look for in a game I would advise that you skip this one. I would have enjoyed the game more if it controlled better on a controller. Overall Doomblade is a nice entry in the Metroidvania genre due to its sensational artstyle and dynamic gameplay even if the game isn’t for everyone. 

Where should Doomblade fit in your video game backlog:

Here at the ProNerd Report and on the Single Player Experience Podcast, we practice the 10 games backlog rule. In this practice, you log down 10 games, those games are gonna be your video game backlog. To be as productive as you possibly can be, we recommend that you only play three games at one time. One single player narrative game, one game that’s gonna be your chill and relaxed game, and another game that’s going to be your palate cleanser game, which is a game that you play when you’re not in the mood for your other narrative. When you complete or get tired of one game, it leaves the backlog list. Then you decide which new game is added to the list, and which game on the list advances to your active three games.

Doomblade – This is a title that should only be in your backlog list if you enjoy playing Metroidvania games on PC. If you are one of those people, I’d recommend that you have Doomblade in your chill and relax spot or your pallet cleaner spot. For everyone else, I wouldn’t recommend that you add Doomblade to your video game backlog list.

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Reviewed on PC 

Disclaimer: Review code provided by PR/publisher.