A Beauty of a Game
At first glance, Blade Xlord by Applibot, Inc. appears to be a thrilling roleplaying game. The game itself is reminiscent of the Final Fantasy franchise and will immediately grip you with its intense opening cutscene. The similarity is not surprising when you consider the game was directed by Hisatoshi Hayakashi, who is known for his work on Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. Add to that the captivating music, beautiful voice-overs, simple yet effective combat system, and Blade Xlord seems like a dream game. Unfortunately, gameplay is hampered by a glitchy interface.
A Game With Character
Blade Xlord offers a captivating storyline that will intrigue most players. You are introduced to the main character, Ryde, as he and his fellow knights battle a fearsome dragon. Ryde and his friend Meryl belong to an order of knights known as the Alabaster Dragons, duty-bound to protect the people and fight off the vicious grimloks, which are strange creatures that prey upon humanity. When their leader Heathbell is murdered after being falsely accused of treason by the Obsidian Lions, an organization of evil knights, Ryde and Meryl set out to save the kingdom.
Want to learn more about Ryde, Meryl, and those they pick up along the way? Click on Brave Story under the events tab to access text-based stories that reveal information about your characters. These snippets add depth to some of the people you encounter in the game, and you should not overlook them. One such tale reveals Meryl’s dark past, while another tells a humorous anecdote revolving around Fiana’s fierce appetite.
A Glitch that Gums up the Works
Once I got past the prologue, the trouble started. Often the game will freeze as the word “connecting” flashes in the upper right-hand corner. I would have assumed this was the fault of my device if not for the number of negative reviews on Google Play citing the same problem. This quickly becomes frustrating. When this happens, you have to close the game and hope it works when you reopen it. Despite this rather annoying setback, it’s an enjoyable game when it works.
A Sweet Battle System
Blade Xlord’s battle system is easy to master. You can have up to four team members or units in each battle. Starting out, though, you will only have Meryl and Ryde. Each unit falls into one of three categories: attack, heal, or defense. Characters in the attack category focus on dealing high damage, while those defense units are essentially tanks. Since there are only three types of units, you’ll be able to have one of each in your party with an extra slot to spare. You can summon more units under the Summon tab. Each summon costs blade stones, which luckily can be easily obtained by completing quests.
Battles move quickly, and you’ll have a blast as you fight cute and ferocious grimloks. Hades Spiders are large purple spider-like creatures, while Pipples are adorable mouse-like enemies. As your party attacks, your Soul Burst gauge fills. Once full, click on the image of your lead unit at the bottom of the screen to use Soul Burst. When Soul Burst is active, cooldown periods for combat abilities are drastically shorter than normal, allowing for rapid attacks. During Boss battles you’ll be able to take advantage of the Break gauge. Once full, all attacks deal critical damage. One irksome mechanic commonly found in mobile games is the stamina bar. Luckily for players, only side quests make use of the stamina bar.
In-app Purchases That Aren’t in The Way
While the game does have in-app purchases, your gameplay is in no way hindered if you do not buy anything. Blade diamonds are Blade Xlord’s premium currency and can cost anywhere from $0.99 to $79.99. They can be used to expand your weapon and accessory inventories, to purchase high energy potions, or to summon new units.
Blade Xlord is a game that falls short of its serious potential. Games are meant to be played. Unfortunately, the game freezes so often it becomes infuriating. However, when it works, combat is engaging, and the game offers beautiful graphics and an intriguing story. Hopefully, Applibot fixes the game’s freezing issue soon. Until they do, Blade Xlord will frustrate players as much as it entertains them.
Is it Hardcore?
Mostly.
Blade Xlord offers a fun and easy combat system, beautiful graphics, and a compelling story reminiscent of the Final Fantasy franchise. Unfortunately, the game is prone to freezing.