Bladesong

played a bit , its basiclly just sword lego lol , theres zero mining or smelting , you slap parts on and shape them , which is cool but hardly what ide consider the "ultimate sword smithing game" or however they marketed it lol , its good but , not what I want from a smithing game

come for the swords, stay for the text adventure -- I'm really enjoying this game so far, but since it's in early access I figure I'll offer my genuine feedback. I'd love to see this game get even better. There's not much incentive to make designs in story mode that strictly fit the mechanical requirements, it would be nice to have some in-game encouragement to think outside the box (but also, that's what creative mode is for). I would really love a little more information on what the given sword parts are for, since you buy books that teach you how to add quillions and peens and I have no clue what those are and I would like to try to learn stuff about swords instead of just sticking them places to make my peen count (heh). There are some skill checks within the text adventure parts, but I'm honestly not convinced that my skills have anything to do with them. The game tells me that I have skills, but I don't think about them until a check happens. Even if I fail a check, there doesn't seem to be any consequences for it other than potentially death, which restarts my day and is very annoying to deal with. Resource management is also very annoying. I'm not aware of my resource count until I find I don't have enough to complete the sword I'm making, at which point I either buy the resources I need (I always have enough money) or I salvage some junk (this doesn't seem to be worth the action points honestly). The repair tasks also don't earn you nearly enough coin or XP to seem worthwhile. I've stopped doing them, and it's really confusing keeping track of things I've already done when I'm exploring the town after a day of forging. I keep accidentally doing nothing because there is some secret limit on how much stuff you can do before the day ends, and I worry that certain plot points are time based. This has been a bit frustrating to deal with. In summary, the game as-is is enjoyable enough for me to keep playing. It's semi-idle in that I can bang away at swords while also kind of doing other stuff, and the story is interesting enough to keep me going. It could use some polish though, in particular: * I would LOVE a codex/journal so I can keep track of sword anatomy and also who I've met and what they're doing (this might exist and I just haven't found it) * More/clearer consequences for failure/clearer indications of how your "end of day" works/more indication of your character build. Basically, if you're going to add RPG elements, add RPG elements. The story part is mostly text except for when it's not, and it's kind of confusing. * An incentive to make swords that aren't just meeting required specs with as few resources as possible

Why does a game about crafting pretty swords have some of the best writing of any game this year???

Came in completely blind and curious of what makes this game so overwhelmingly positive, and before realizing it I had played for 9 hours straight, and am currently at 22 hours. This game is captivating through rich and invested story-telling, unique characters, and lovely art/scenic designs. I love the sword making as they feel like puzzles I'm solving of how to meet the client's needs; some swords which have turned out straight up bizarre or feeling proud of a sword where I thought "Oh yeah, I really like the way this sword turned out." There are details to this game I thoroughly enjoy. I love the concept that some clients can be from side quests or decisions you make, or how some clients can assist your reputation with factions. I love the concept where you can name a sword just about anything and there's some hilarity to the game's intensity. Otherwise, I love that there is some DnD asset/element to the game which I find interesting. With the sword making concept, I want to say it's more decorative; for those who are looking for thorough mining, smelting, etc. you won't find it in the game, as the game leans more towards plot/story. However, from someone who has no idea about making/designing a sword in the first place, the way the game introduces you to creating swords is very clear, while allowing you to develop the skill on how to shape the sword on your own. I really love the idea that from the small learning curve it becomes more of a "I know how to balance the weight and shape of this sword" to better understanding the anatomy/parts of a sword. It's become rewarding in itself that I find the gameplay very relaxing yet engaging. Last but not least, I love Chlodo. You get to feed and pet him everyday. 10/10.

Expected a bit more from this one. Coming from a lot of management and tycoon games, Bladesong feels a bit too shallow. The best way to describe it is "PC Building Simulator for swords." You assemble the parts, but it lacks the overarching complexity that makes sim games so addictive for me. Not a terrible game by any means, but definitely not for me.

good game for cool people like me and other people who are cool. If you don't like you probably support trump.

While its Early Access nature is very apparent, the core gameplay loop is solid. One cause for potential concern is the repetitive nature of early stages of crafting; getting the initial length/thickness correct is the same every time. Rather than the apprentice providing you with extra 'stamina', I would like to be able to instruct the apprentice to make 'blanks'. (In game terms, to save a few presets that can be used as a starting point, allowing the player to focus on the customization and fine-tuning.)