Blade & Sorcery hands-on: I tried out the new PC version 1.0 of the popular fantasy VR game
Blade & Sorcery is a VR game for fantasy fans. Who wouldn't want to fight gigantic enemies with swords and axes? I looked at version 1.0 for you.
Blade & Sorcery has been one of the most popular VR games for years. Whether it's videos of wildly crafted mods or simply the bloody gameplay in sandbox mode, Blade & Sorcery has established itself as a popular VR experience. With the release of version 1.0, all major content updates have now been completed. But can the new story mode take the game even further?
To answer this question, I took a closer look at the PC VR version of the fantasy carnage simulator and tried out the new Crystal Hunt mode. I won't write about the Sandbox mode, which has been around for years and should be familiar to most fans. So my experience is limited to the new story of the game.
Start with technical difficulties
Right at the beginning of my journey, I ran into some technical problems. I just couldn't get the game to run smoothly through SteamVR — everything jerked, and the screen kept flickering. Even after a few tries and changing the settings, it still didn't work properly. Since I play with a Meta Quest 3 on a PC, I could switch to the OculusVR version, and the game finally run stable. Unfortunately, I was not spared from further bugs.
After about 25 minutes in the first area of the story, I came to a place that didn't load properly. Enemies just floated in the air, and I couldn't see the floor or the walls of the cave I was in. So I had to restart the level to be able to see the entire environment on my second attempt. But enough of the bug report. Let's dive in.
Stranded on the island
The beginning of the story in Blade & Sorcery is almost reminiscent of The Nameless One in any Piranha Bytes game like Gothic or Risen. Stranded on an island, I have to find my way around the unfamiliar surroundings. I'm shown little tutorial messages and can read a letter at the beginning of the story, which happens to be draped in exactly the right place.
Then I pick up my first weapon, a short old sword, and continue my journey. After a short time, I meet my first opponent, who is also armed with a short sword and a small shield. A well-aimed blow, followed by a thrust directly into my opponent's neck, and I send him to the ground. So my first fight went without much resistance.
I move through similar gorges on my journey. | Picture: Warpfrog
Exploring my surroundings
On my way, I encounter another enemy, which I can kill this time with a direct stab, even if I sneak up on it carefully. On my way to the cave mentioned in the letter at the beginning, I have to face some climbing passages. After two small failed attempts, I quickly find out how to climb along the wall quickly and effectively.
Now I enter the cave, which unfortunately wasn't rendered correctly during my first run through. Three enemies are waiting for me here. I managed to steal a short sword from one of the defeated enemies, so I now have two weapons. I equip one of the swords normally in my right hand and turn the other one with the blade down and hold it in my left hand.
First real battle
While two of the enemies are running directly towards me, another is shooting at me from a distance. I now have to dodge his shots, which requires a little more concentration. With the blade in my left hand, I block a few of the first opponent's blows, only to finish off the second opponent with two well-aimed blows to the neck at just the right moment. This makes the fight much more relaxed.
With two weapons, I am far superior to the other fighter and can quickly finish him off after a parry. I then quickly move to the ranged fighter and finish him off before he can draw his sword. This completes all the enemies in the first area, so I read some notes lying around at an old gate, explore a small abandoned village, and then leave the area by interacting with a map.
Graphically, Blade & Sorcery scores well, even if it doesn't offer hyperrealistic graphics. | Image: Warpfrog
I am under the spell of Blade & Sorcery
After the area change, I run into a friendly NPC. He offers to show me the options at the market. However, I am much more interested in the next battles, so I decline his offer for the moment and immediately enter the first real level of the story. All I have to do is interact with the map directly behind me.
Once there, the first thing I have to do is figure out where I need to go. After a bit of exploration and a few small fights, however, I made good progress. I'll spare you the details here, as the fights don't really stand out due to the rather simple equipment at the beginning. Even though I haven't had a chance to try out bows or magic in the short time I've been playing, especially due to the initial technical difficulties, the story structure and the swordplay have already convinced me.
Here is my verdict on Blade & Sorcery
At first, I was very demotivated by the severe technical problems, and after about two hours of trial and error, I almost didn't want to try Blade & Sorcery anymore. Some current difficulties seem to be due to the recent upgrade to version 1.0. Fortunately, after switching to OculusVR, everything ran smoothly.
Movement, combat, and interaction with the various elements of the game were absolutely flawless. I've never had so few issues with a title. Every weapon change or even the use of weapons worked exactly as I imagined from the beginning.
Of course, Blade & Sorcery looks good on PC VR. However, since it is an older and mainly physics-based game, I am not too overwhelmed by the graphical splendor of the game. The sound, on the other hand, is absolutely great. When the metal of the weapons clashes, or you deal a deadly blow to the enemies, it just sounds good.
Since I've only tested the story so far and there weren't many weapons and especially no magic in the game at the beginning, I'll definitely invest a few more hours in Blade & Sorcery. I'm curious to see what else awaits me in the course of the story and what equipment I'll be able to use in battle against countless VR opponents.
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