I don’t know what Slayblade is trying to do. Your dad disappeared five years ago after creating a Slayblade with infinite spin that would have solved the energy crisis. If you win the Slayblade World Championships, you’ll find out what happened to your father.
We’ve seen games or shows with competitions that reveal world-shattering truths. That’s not the problem here. The problem is that the rest of the game has nothing to do with the story. The description says “No big story mode, just a brief intro+Outro cutscene.” Then why add the premise? Just let it rip.
You start the game and are immediately thrown into a city that’s filled with different things to interact with. No one talks, nothing suggests there’s a conspiracy, I don’t know who I am. It feels like an NES game made in the era of strategy guides—where do I go, what do I do?
Navigating the world requires using the shoulder buttons or the triggers to spin it and see what else it offers. For some reason, the character can’t keep up with the cursor, so I lose track of my overworld character constantly. People loiter on the streets waiting for you to challenge them, but what they offer doesn’t make sense. The lower level fights offer lower experience—makes sense—but more money. The higher level fights offer more experience—correct—but less money. What? I’m punished financially because I fought a higher level character? What sense does that make? There’s no risk in fighting a lower-level character. Why should I be rewarded with more money?
Money is how you make your Slayblade build. There are three parts that influence stats like spin and weight, and do other things like giving power-ups. You get stronger by leveling up, but you win with your Slayblade. So I can just farm lower level characters and earn a ton of money and perfect my Slayblade build before I’ve reached the higher levels. But apparently that might be necessary because the tournament continues to increase levels, either as you grow stronger or as the days go by. I couldn’t match the level. It’s senseless design.
Slayblade fights are just as senseless. Think of Beyblades, but more confusing. You win by making your opponent stop spinning—or take out their health. I’ve won by taking out an opponent’s health, but I couldn’t tell. No one has a health bar. I can’t tell how aggressive or passive I should be. Who hits whom seems arbitrary. We both run into each other, but who takes damage is anyone’s guess. My theory is that the faster spinner gives the damage. But there have been times when I think I’m the faster spinner, but I take damage. I can see how fast I’m spinning at the bottom of the screen, but I can’t see the opponent’s RPM. It eliminates any strategy.
Slayblade is a game that should be more appealing and interesting, but based on this first impression, the developers aren’t up to the task. Their focus is clearly the arena fights and custom creation. Stick with that. It’ll be a better game.
Try Slayblade.
Thank you for reading The Daily Demo! Did you play it? What’d you think of it? I’d love to hear your thoughts.