X-Blades Demo

Mindless fighting is not usually frowned upon in video games, since most of them would not have too much of a purpose otherwise. However, oriental action games really took it to the next level when it comes to combat, by going over the top in almost every regard, including the size of the weapons, the surreal combos and the techniques involved. On the other hand, that is exactly what makes the Devil May Cry franchise so fun, despite the fact that the rest of it is not very well polished.

X-Blades is basically a combination between Devil May Cry and Tomb Raider, given the fact that the main character is a girl by the name of of Ayumi and she has to kill everything that crosses her path. The plot itself is very similar to something you might have seen in Tomb Raider at some point, although it is bad enough not to make sense in the true sense of the word. To top it all off and attract a bigger crowd, Ayumi chooses not to wear any pants during her adventures, although the purpose of this particular choice is not exactly clear.

Story-wise, the plot takes a few wild turns along the way, ranging from searching for ancient artifacts, to visiting hell-like locations and engaging in intense battles with various types of demons. You shouldn't hope for explanations or any kind of closure in the end, since it is quite clear that the main emphasis is put on combat, rather than meaning. However, depending on some choices you make along the way, it is possible to get the good ending or the bad one, although it all resumes to a different cutscene, more or less.

The most important aspect of the game is definitely the combat, since that is what you will be doing for the entire duration of the main campaign. There are plenty of special moves, combos and weapons to use in battle, but all things being equal, the diversity is not that great and the mechanics themselves are pretty weak and repetitive. Thus, you end up having the same confrontations over and over and again, which can be quite frustrating.

Visually, the environments are rather dull and lacking in detail, but the demons and the main character are pretty detailed and nicely modeled. Not a lot of work went into the special effects department either, since the sparks and flames that result from your combos are nothing out of the ordinary. You can at least find comfort at the thought that the cutscenes are rather interesting and well-made, although it might not be enough.

In the end, X-Blades is not the type of game to leave you with any kind of memories, but it can be relatively fun in short bursts, as long as you are a fan of the genre. The combat may be repetitive and the levels narrow and constricted, but you can keep boredom at bay for a few hours with the game at hand, maybe even more if you start pondering on why would a teenage girl battle demons in her bikini.