Blade Chimera

Blade Chimera is an ode to a very specific kind of Metroidvania — the sort that eschews cryptic puzzles and an open-ended structure and revels in the simple joys of ultra-fluid movement and blasting through enemies with an ever-growing arsenal of powerful weapons and equipment. It may not particularly impress with its explorative or narrative aspects, but its striking, stylish identity and endless...

Blade Chimera is short, sweet, and simple. It’s also visually enthralling and just… really dang cool. It’s the perfect kind of game to run into in January 2025, especially after so much of my time up until now has been eaten by multiple dozen-hour RPGs. I blazed through this game in two sittings and loved every minute, cliches and all. Seeing Team Ladybug come out swinging like this for its first ...

I've been playing Blade Chimera a lot recently and I'm excited to finally share my thoughts on this epic and beautiful Metroidvania.

There are movies from the 80s and 90s that are delightful because of how unrepentantly dumb they are. Take, for example, Predator 2. Dissecting the plot will leave you deeply confused, as it insinuates a single Danny Glover is equal to an entire squad of highly trained military officials, but that’s not the point. It’s loud, bombastic, and it’s pure fun from start to finish in terms of sci-fi acti...

Team Ladybug’s latest release is a grand one—the slower-paced nature of the action feels good to play especially as you get a better grasp of Shin and his companion’s move sets. The downtrodden Osaka city landscape has plenty of exploration potential and baddies to encounter, meaning that I can wholeheartedly recommend Blade Chimera to the 2D Metroidvania aficionado and novice alike. ∎

Mixing a fantastical cyberpunk narrative with fast-paced back and forth Metroidvania action, all displayed in a fantastically crisp pixel art style, Blade Chimera had me hooked start to finish.

Blade Chimera leaves a strong impression and is easily one of the better Metroidvania games this year. Of course, with the studio behind this game, it’s somewhat expected to have something this good land nearly effortlessly. With a stylish presentation and satisfying combat rounding out the exploration elements, there’s something worth checking out here.

However, it’s done with a lot of skill and a tangible amount of passion. If it’s something of a clone of Symphony of the Night, it’s less plagiarism and more “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It makes itself worthwhile with solid design and enjoyable combat. It hides a lot of its flaws beneath a communicative art style that captures its setting and its characters so well. It’s maybe no...

Blade Chimera is one of the most good-looking and engaging platformer titles out there. It easily taps into its classical influences while still maintaining its own identity. At worst, it can sometimes be an annoying game that hides crucial information. If you can overlook some of its flaws, Blade Chimera will be well worth your time.

Explore a dark and sinister Osaka as the Demon Hunter Shin. Battle demons, regain lost skills, and uncover the truth of your forgotten past in this exciting occult-inspired cyberpunk metroidvania. Switch version reviewed.

After a 30-year war against demons, humanity has allied with the Missa Association to finally overcome these formidable foes. As Shin, a warrior with no memory of your past, you must lead a revolution, facing any obstacle that dares to stand in your way. With the aid of Lux, your shapeshifting companion, you embark on a journey to uncover your forgotten history and the truth about the city’s desce...