Blades of Fire was released to decent reviews, but it seems like this game isn’t going to change the world. Rather than innovate in any genre, it's just a solid character-action game with Soulslike and Metroidvania mechanics. That’s okay because smaller games staying in their lanes are good for players and developers.
Not every game has to change the industry. You don’t need everything to be a 10/10 title that will save your life. A solid 7/10 game with polished mechanics and some jank in it won’t be the death of anyone either.
A solid set of AA games between big releases is good for everyone, believe it or not. Whether it’s the solid Blades of Fire, a Warriors spinoff, or even a solid 2.5D beat-em-up, having just the right games is good. Players get a straightforward title focusing on one or two major mechanics. As for developers, they have to ensure the core gameplay loop is fun, without being too ambitious with other mechanics.
That’s a lot easier said than done, of course. Making any video game, whether a live-service shooter or a loving tribute to JRPGs, is challenging. It’s why AA and indie games are important, because having a constant flow of engaging titles keeps the industry healthy, even if the games aren’t entirely original.
Innovation is essential, and we want to see developers take risks with their properties. That’s why publishers patenting gameplay mechanics is a bad thing. Developers should be given the chance to improve on existing features. Whether they innovate with a huge AAA game or something smaller, just trying to improve is always appreciated.
But developers who want to make a solid character-action game like Blades of Fire should do so. If a publisher makes plenty of money from one of their AAA games and decides to make a more niche title after, they should. This is what made the sixth generation of games great, because the success of Resident Evil could lead to smaller projects like Viewtiful Joe or Okami.
Developers and publishers should make more solid 7/10 games. Whether it’s Mega Man 11, Kao the Kangaroo, or one of the many visual novels available on Steam, smaller games that focus on a core gameplay loop are still appreciated. If everything were on the same scale as GTA 6, nothing would ever come out, and who wants to live in a world with no video games?
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