This anime-inspired action game wasn't made well for the PC and there is nothing special about it.
- Sharp looking graphics
- Some fun combat sequences
- A lot of magic to unlock
- Nice cel-shaded cutscenes
Negative
- Gamepad required, because the mouse and keyboard are awful
- Voice acting is atrocious
- Combat isn't very well made
- The camera will make you make nuts
By first looks, X-Blades is a beautiful game, just like an anime version of Tomb Raider, combining it will Devil May Cry and the repetition of Dynasty Warriors. Aside from the graphics, this game wasn't made for the PC at all. The controls are a mess and a lot of fast enemies reduce combat to mouse clicking.
Like Tomb Raider would be, X-Blades starts a treasure hunting young girl, Ayumi whose biggest sell point is definitely the little clothes she wears. As told in the beginning and as she narrates, Ayumi found varies treasures around the world and found a book about ruins which held an immense treasure. The game follows her adventure in these ruins where you fight a good amount of different but quick enemies, a ton of bosses and a lot more.
Let me say it again, this game wasn't made for the PC. The keyboard and mouse are an awful combination which they become the real challenge of the game. You can turn the camera by simply moving the mouse but it turns so fast that at times it is better not to turn it, but when you do you are most likely to lose your target because the enemies are very fast on their feet, that or you will be driven crazy. You can keep track of your enemy by holding the middle mouse-button, if you have one that is. The arrows keys are a bit better than the camera controls but they aren't as good as a gamepad. The game seems to except Xbox controller. If you leave the camera unchecked, Ayumi might jump none stop and make this worse. I'm not 100% sure if the camera is the problem but my problems were mostly solved if I put the camera exactly behind here.
Combat consist of sword fighting, guns, and magic. It has familiarities with Devil May Cry just a little bit, but the overall result isn't that great. Enemies are so fast that they are difficult to hit in close-quarters. Guns are weak so they are only worth to shoot from distance which leaves only magic. Thankfully the magic is good but you will grow dependant on it. There are a lot of skills to buy by just pausing the game. Defeating enemies earns you souls which you can buy magic, but you have to bind them to use and quick use by pressing q, or you can pause each time and use skill amongst others you have but you can't use the others you haven't. There are a lot of bosses in the game, more than normal battles and there are times you won't even notice that you entered boss territory unless the boss's health bar is displayed in the bottom right side of the screen.
For how it performances, X-Blades runs well. There are a bit of technical issues including the fact the Ayumi like to jump on her own without you pressing the space button, the controls and especially the camera needed a lot more work for the PC. These limit how much you can do. The requirements aren't as high as recent PC games.
X-Blades biggest hit are the graphics. Ayumi is definitely the biggest sell point, by that aside the background environments are great looking. Enemies can in pairs but you rarely see the same kind of enemies coming one after another. The cel-shaded graphics look good but more of them are needed to emphasize the storytelling.
On the other hand the sound is around mediocrity. The voice acting quality especially Ayumi voice which you will hear often in cutscenes is pretty bad, there are some parts where others talk but there is a bit better. Background music consists of heavy themes which try to keep you engaged but fails. Lack of sound effects is a bummer as well which makes combat a chore and you won't know if you hitting the enemy. Magic spells sound fare better and certain skills like earthquake home a short scene everytime.
I had high expectation for this game but the potential is lost in those poor controls, lack of sound effects and overall average combat. This anime inspired game is solid, but not made well for the PC. X-Blades didn't make an impact on other platforms but for the PC is a forgettable adventure. With a bit more effort this game could have been something special, but as it is, it is something you shouldn't really look into.
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Graphics = 8.3
Ayumi's model will attract a lot of people but everything else is well done.
Sound = 5.8
Mediocre voice acting with a lack of sound effects and average soundtrack made X-Blades sound pretty low.
Presentation = 6.3
The menu looks good and the loadings are fast. The cel-shaded graphics are pretty good as well. The camera and the controls are simply awful and are enough to avoid playing the game. Xbox controller required. Frame rate suffers.
Gameplay = 5.9
Nothing special. Aside from the magic spells, sword and gun are pretty weak. There are a lot of bosses which artificially lengthen the game and take long to beat especially if small enemies appear. Combat is overall simple and repetitive. Some places where the ground moves on its own.
Story = 7.0
Good story and development although not the best around. If Ayumi wasn't there….
OVERALL = 65 / 100
This anime-inspired action game wasn't made well for the PC and there is nothing special about it. To have said it all, X-Blades is a poor port from the console.