Metroid Dread developers unveil new fantasy action game Blades of Fire

Metroid Dread developer MercurySteam has unveiled its next project, Blades of Fire, a 3D action-adventure game. It launches May 22, 2025, for PC (Epic Games Store), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Unlike the studio’s recent work with Metroid, this title brings full 3D combat and deep weapon customization, drawing comparisons to its earlier Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games.

In Blades of Fire, players will utilize a feature called The Forge to craft weapons tailored to their playstyle, adjusting attributes like weight, length, durability, penetration, and edge quality. The game offers seven weapon families and 30 unique Forge Scrolls, allowing for extensive customization. Combat involves targeting specific enemy body parts with appropriate damage types—slash, stab, or bludgeon—to overcome over 50 distinct enemy types.

The narrative centers on Aran de Lira, heir to the King’s Ward, who battles a tyrannical queen’s curse that turns metal into stone. Accompanied by Adso, a scholar fluent in the language of divine forgers, Aran seeks to forge legendary weapons to defeat the queen.

MercurySteam’s previous titles include the critically acclaimed Metroid Dread (sold over 3 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling game in the Metroid franchise) and the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow series, which influence the design and combat of Blades of Fire.