ZELDA-CEBO #1: BLUE FIRE REVIEW

 

Hello fellow Zelda fans. Long time no read.

I’d like to introduce you to this new section of my blog, “Zelda-cebo” which is a placebo treatment for us Zelda fans that want to play some Zelda inspired games since we may have finished every Zelda game out there (official or mod).

So the first episode of “Zelda-cebo” will introduce you to a 2021 game that I had the opportunity to play and finish recently, named “Blue Fire”.

So what is “Blue Fire”? It’s a fast-paced, action adventure platform, puzzle, dark fantasy, game. In more simple words it’s a game that you would take if you combined Zelda, Hollow Knight and Dark Souls.

As far as the story goes Blue Fire takes place in the desolate kingdom of Penumbra, a land consumed by dark forces. The kingdom was once a prosperous land, but has been overrun by malevolent force and it’s up to our hero to save his world.

Now as always let’s get into my review about the things I liked and the things that I would change about the game.

 

First about the things that I liked about the game:

1. The fast-paced gameplay is feeling great. There are not fights or areas to move that feel unfair. Every time that I failed to win a fight or traverse through an area, I knew it was my mistake and not the game’s.

2. There are many visual influences from the Zelda franchise. Dark castles, Forest and Water Dungeons make you feel like this is a dark Zelda Spin-off

3. The game’s world isn’t very big but it’s very interesting and has variety. From castles to sewers to villages and forests, from ice valleys and hills to lava Waterfalls, you really can’t get bored from the scenery.

4. Plenty of techniques and items that improve your hero, making you feel the growth of the character through his journey. Much like every single Zelda game out there.

5. The customization of our hero is very interesting and entertaining. Different Swords, Tunics (yes, tunics) and most important, Spirits, that will make your hero hit harder, jump higher, gain more treasure, be faster etc. You can choose the style you prefer to your gameplay.

6. Sidequesting can be entertaining and very rewarding. There are plenty of sidequests that except of the “check mark” after completing them, you will get great rewards that can help you to complete your quest much easier.

7. Voids are a very good mechanic inspired by Skyward Sword’s “Silent Realms”. Voids are a place that our hero has to overcome a challenge, using his wit and platforming skills and if he succeeds he will be rewarded with an extra heart container. Completing all of them is also a sidequest that will grant you a special reward (shhh spoilers…). Also there is a whole path of the main quest that resembles the Silent realms of SS and….. (I said shhhhhhhh spoilers).

8. Last but not least. The game’s developers have recently added a free DLC. “Void of Sorrows” is the title of the free DLC that will extend your playthrough from 4 to 8 hours (depending on your skills to Void completion) and also add more to Blue Fire’s lore and story.

 

Now the things that I would/could change:

1. Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Some of the Voids' challenges are brutal. There are Voids that I spent over an hour to complete. They can be exhausting for casual gamers.

2. The story of the game – even interesting – it’s very cryptic and kind of short. There are a handful – or maximum two handfuls – of cutscenes that add some lore to your game and after that you have to depend on some NPCs that may tell you something interesting about the land you are in. I guess that they went for a “Dark Souls” thing there, but I can’t say they accomplished that as good.

3. There are some items that you find in your Quest, that don’t have a purpose and it’s never explained why they are there. Really. After finishing the main Quest and completed 97% of the game, in my inventory there are things that I can’t find their usage. Maybe they are used in the DLC or they are Easter Eggs I really can’t tell but it’s really frustrating.

4. Boss fights feel a bit unpolished. There is some strategy on them but not something too big. After a point of the game that your HP are high and you have plenty of Fire Essences (Potions) it’s very difficult to be defeated more than once or twice from a boss.

 

In conclusion, is Blue Fire a good game? Short answer: Yes. But it’s not for everyone. You have to like Dark Fantasy and of course action platform games to enjoy Blue Fire. The game can be hard and unforgiving at many points but in the end it feels rewarding.

 

At the end of the game my Quest Log was looking like:

20 Hearts

Mana: X12 times upgraded

Spirit Slots: 9

Deaths: 19

Swords: Dual Blades, Diamond Wings, Bloodstorm Blades, Silver Blades, Peace Keepers, Ice Destroyers, Bremur Family Swords, Ember Twins, Iron Justice, Shadow Casters, King Defenders.

Tunics: Shadow Cloak, Green Tunic, Red Tunic, Merchant’s Robe, Violet Tunic, Forest Tunic, Sacred Robe, Infinity Robe, Thief’s Cloak, Bunny Suit, Onop Sect Outfit, Pure Shadow, Steam Worker Tunic, Performer Costume, Pumpkin Jack, Silver Cloak.

Items: Hiro’s Pouch, Fire Essence Slots (10), Shield, Fire Charm, Nuon’s Claws, Utha’s Bracelet, Vessel of Souls, Whirlwind Hook, Eya’s Faith.

Treasure: Emerald (6), Ruby, Sapphire (7), Void Ore, Ancient Relic, Sanctuary Stone, Necklace.

Misc: Apple, Rice, Dead Rat (2), Rotten Apple, Mandolin, Rare Glasses, House Contract.

Spirits: Life Steal, Gold Lust, Aerial Rat, Love Flower, Possessed Book, Storm Centry, Fara’s Grace, Frozen Soul, Blood Phantom, Shadow Gruh, Hammer Himu, Flying Onop, Moi the Dreadful, Angry Ambusher, Onop Siblings.

Ore: 5.623

Shadow Fragments: 164

Buy the game here

PS4

Nintendo Switch