I recommend Slayblade for one reason only, the price. At $5.90 AUD, it costs less than my $6.70 AUD morning coffee. While there’s not much meat on the bone, it was fun for a couple of hours. Be aware, it can be beaten in less than 20 minutes due to how overtuned Devil’s Head is – If that puts you off, steer clear.
Slayblade is something I’d have loved on my DS. You build custom blades by changing the blade head, body, and tip, battling it out each day against one of three opponents. One gives more exp, the other more money, with the nighttime opponent offering higher stakes. The goal? Level up and build the perfect blade to win the championship.
It’s short and sweet, and overly simple. Blade design offers little impact, arenas are mostly visual, and while movement is crisp, it’s overshadowed by power-ups. Regardless of level, some parts are an instant win once you get a power-up. This is unfortunate as it takes away from the game.
Episodes aim to add variety by including various modifiers such as fire, time limits, or nuclear blasts. The idea is great, and I love the idea of more variability; implementation is lacking, however. Slayblade is a simple game with simple mechanics, and while episodes aim to fix that, having the same map and opponents doesn’t realise the full potential of all the randomness.
I wish there was more meat on the bone. For the price, it’s a fun few hours for a game with a solid foundation, but be aware that longevity isn’t here. Multiplayer would go far, but even then, I’m not sure the game would retain many players due to how broken some parts are.
Slayblades aims to bring that early 2000s Beyblades nostalgia to PC, and for the most part, it succeeds. The game is bite-sized and fun, but lacks any staying power due to how limited the scope is. If you’re looking for a fun escape from reality at less than a cup of coffee, I recommend it – If you want a deep, mechanically intuitive blade battler, this isn’t it.
Slayblade is out now on Steam.
