Of Blades & Tails

I won this game through SteamGifts. Of Blades & Tails is one of those games I really wanted to love. The pixel art is charming, the world is surprisingly big for such a small development team, and everything runs smoothly. The characters and writing are nice enough too, so it definitely has a solid foundation. Unfortunately, the gameplay just didn't click with me. Even on the lowest difficulty, the game is brutally punishing. I played for around six hours and ragequit at least three times. It feels like you're expected to grind levels before you can make any real progress, but experience comes in so slowly that the grind doesn't even feel rewarding. On top of that, you're constantly picking up mountains of gear, but almost all of it is vendor trash. The procedural quests didn't help either. Being told to dig up one random tile in a map full of identical-looking terrain isn't exactly exciting gameplay. I don't mind difficult RPGs, but I want the challenge to come from interesting mechanics rather than endless grinding and frustration. There's definitely a good game hiding in here somewhere, and I can appreciate what such a small team accomplished. But for me, it ended up being m…

A good short tactical rpg, the negative reviews are overblowing it. The game -does- appear grindy in the first hour or so as you are getting a grip on its mechanics but afterwards progression is smooth. - Talk to a blacksmith about modifying equipment and rip modifiers out from other gear to slot into your own (this and upgrading said gear at shrines is essential, not getting stat buffs may be why some get stuck at the end) - Explore thoroughly - Use consumables and go to areas that are your recommended level - Breaking LoS makes the food passive effects kick in even if someone is tracking you. - There is fast travel in the game, click on locations that have a bonfire through the world map once you've discovered some. - Combat music can be disabled in options since its one track that otherwise seems to loop through the whole game.

Could have more potential, but unf mid-Stoneshard. + pixel, vibes, music, lore - classes and skills are bland, also no true rogue build / no daggers - weapon locked skills and very tedious leveling for skills (not mentioning mandatory grind for at least 10 first levels) - challenge difficulty leaves you using either 2 crossbows or fireball sneak build basically - uniques are pre-set, pre-located and need to be upgraded if wanna use late-game which is lamest thing - mobs kinda repetitive too much - nothing to say or remember about main character or any character in general in game, neither about the plot

Amazing artwork, but the gameplay falls flat. It's very grindy, couldn't even finish the first quest in 1.5 hours. Enemies have way more movement than you and as soon as more than three of them show up at once, you can sign your death certificate. Also, that one bird sound that constantly plays annoyed me so much I had to mute the game.

It feels like a light and easier version of stoneshard, plays well, not much to do after the end of the game though. not much replay value but for the price a single playthrought isnt bad.

Used my legendary thunder wand to destroy a band of spiders, only to be run down by a giant beetle. Good game!