Blade Chimera Review – Cutting Through the Chaos

Blade Chimera Review

Metroidvanias have a timeless appeal. The thrill of uncovering hidden paths and unlocking new abilities to overcome seemingly impassable obstacles never gets old. While the genre’s surge in popularity has led to a crowded digital marketplace, a standout entry can still rise above the noise. Blade Chimera is the latest release from Team Ladybug, a studio that has carved a niche for creating lush, action-packed experiences. With their signature combination of stunning pixel art and ferocious combat, will this 2D adventure have what it takes to soar above its peers?

After a 30-year war against demons, humanity has allied with the Missa Association to finally overcome these formidable foes. As Shin, a warrior with no memory of your past, you must lead a revolution, facing any obstacle that dares to stand in your way. With the aid of Lux, your shapeshifting companion, you embark on a journey to uncover your forgotten history and the truth about the city’s descent into chaos. While the premise is serviceable, the dialogue often feels stilted, and the narrative struggles with focus. However, the talented developers wisely shift attention away from these shortcomings, allowing the game’s solid gameplay to carve its own identity within the genre.

Ready the Blade

Shin is equipped with a range and melee attack giving you options on how to defeat foes. By default, your weapon will auto-aim, allowing you to focus on distance and positioning in order to avoid the variety of oncoming projectiles. In addition to this, you also have a melee attack which is useful when closing down to eliminate the enemy. As you progress, you’ll encounter shops and items littered around the environment. Although some are just logical upgrades, others act in different ways. For example, a rifle is a strong distance-based attack whereas a shotgun can blow your opponent to smithereens from close by. This extends into melee weapons too which gives you the opportunity to create a build that suits your playstyle.

You can use the Demon Sword, Lux, in a variety of ways, which helps the game find its niche. Pummel enemies with her powerful attack properties and traverse the world, burying her into walls to give you a platform to reach higher points. In addition, you’ll come across a button prompt that allows Lux to transform. At times, this can simply be an item that gives you cover or helps you climb to the next platform, however, at other points, she can give you the ability to hover across areas or swing through the environment. Due to the array of uses of this mechanic, Blade Chimera continues to feel fresh and maintains a strong pace throughout the adventure.

Split Design

Enemies feature diverse designs and attack patterns, making each encounter engaging and requiring a varied approach to overcome them. Bosses are a spectacle often transitioning from the back to the foreground to unleash attacks. This variety keeps you on your toes, encouraging creative use of your arsenal. However, while the unique designs add intrigue, some feel disconnected from the world’s aesthetic, creating a sense of visual inconsistency that detracts from the overall cohesion.

The pixel art style is brought to life through smooth animations, particularly in Shin’s graceful movements, which add polish and make traversal more enjoyable. Complementing the visuals is a techno-synth soundtrack that perfectly captures the futuristic, technological tone of the adventure. Together, these elements blend seamlessly to create a captivating presentation.

Defeating demons will allow you to level up and gain new skills. Some improve your offensive abilities while others give you new defensive opportunities. An interesting upgrade is the ability to warp. You can simply open your map, pick a square, and jump straight to that location which makes it much easier to fully explore the world. This counters the repetition that can ensue with constant backtracking and helps the game maintain a snappy pace. The feature is fantastic and something that many other Metroidvanias would benefit from.

Final Cut

Blade Chimera leans on genre conventions but executes them with precision and flair. While it follows familiar traits, innovative mechanics involving Lux give the game its own identity, allowing the developers to introduce fresh and engaging ideas. Traversing the map is streamlined thanks to warp abilities, while other upgrades provide meaningful character progression throughout the adventure. Although the story is largely forgettable, the stunning pixel art style and creative use of Lux ensure that Blade Chimera remains a memorable experience.

***A Nintendo Switch code provided by the publisher***