Bleak Sword: Three reasons why you should play the dark-fantasy adventure
Challenging, but satisfying.
Bleak Sword is, to simply put; one of the very best games on the Apple Arcade. Created by the guys over at Devolver Digital (creators of the current mega-hit, Fall Guys), it is a bloody, 8-bit adventure set in a dark fantasy world where you're a warrior with a powerful sword.
The game takes inspiration from the iconic Dark Souls series in some ways. Its locations, combat style, challenge, and terrific music give it a solid Souls-feeling while still being its own, unique game. You go through multiple levels in different locations, taking out a number of enemies.
It has the look of a game that you might've played in the '80s or 90s but is so incredibly modern with smooth, fluid movements, dynamic weather, and excellent audio. If you're a fan of dark fantasy experiences, then here are a few reasons why you should give Bleak Sword a try.
The combat
The essence of many great RPG-type games is the gameplay. And the overall combat in Bleak Sword is incredibly satisfying. You smack your enemies around with your sword, as you feel the weight of your attacks through your iPhone.
You don't have any special powers or anything really, just your sword but despite that, it's still some of the best feeling hits in a mobile combat-oriented game. In particular, there is this cool charging attack that can be used to drop foes almost instantly.
You just need to hold down on the screen for a certain amount of time and then release to unleash to deadly blow. You just need not hold down on the screen for too long as this will reset the charge. With enemies coming at you quick, it can be tricky to get a full charge sometimes, but you'll have no problem giving it at least a small boost, allowing you to down enemies swiftly.
The atmosphere
Despite the simplicity of Bleak Sword's diorama styled levels, they still stand out immensely. They are quite atmospheric and give the game a perfect dark-fantasy aesthetic on iPhone. From spooky forests to swamps, snow-capped locations, etc, the game offers a bit of everything.
Not to mention that each area has unique weather as mentioned earlier. Like in the forest area, it can start pouring down with rain. You can see lightning and hear thunder too. It's really interesting because the design of the areas is arcade-ish, yet the weather is so modernized.
It's a unique blend that you don't see too often. But it's the little things that make each area stand out. Add in the great, eerie music, and you have ambiance gem on mobile.
The story/journey
The story of Bleak Sword is one that is somewhat classic. You are tasked with lifting the curse of the Bleak Sword. What makes the story so fun is that you feel the struggle of our hero as he heads out on this lonely journey to lift this terrible curse.
Going through waves of enemies in a cursed world is no easy feat, but our hero has what it takes. Another part of the journey that stands out greatly are the boss battles. Just because the game is bite-sized, doesn't mean that the bosses aren't terrifying, and that, they are.
In fact, the very first boss you encounter in the game is both challenging, and scary. It will definitely feel tricky since you're still kind of new. But that battle in itself is quite the epic one and so are the many other bosses you confront. And there's nothing quite like when a boss matches up beautifully with the location. It tells you that "this thing runs this place" and Bleak Sword nails this in the journey/story.
