Blade Symphony

Blade Symphony had a mixed critical reception, generating a score of 72 on reviews aggregation website Metacritic. Edge praised the depth of gameplay, believing the game is deep and original enough "to stand up as a competitive game in its own right". Reviewing the game at GameSpot, Nathan Meunier noted how this depth was neatly contained in a streamlined control scheme, allowing players to "unleash a wide range of unique dizzying assaults" with "no shortage of variety [in] killer moves". Will Uhl, in his review at PC Gamer, instead found the depth shining through in the gaps between the action, where players stand off in the tense "psychological war of baiting, reacting, and examining the opponent" before the engagement. Reviews spoke highly of the player community. Uhl noted how the "sense of honor" between players was unheard of in other games. Meunier described the community as a "dedicated and intriguing bunch", whose unpredictable and unusual strategies could lead to "plenty of humorous and interesting fights"; their "cordial and polite" nature comparing favourably to other multiplayer communities. Edge highlighted the community's culture of etiquette, such as the practice of bowing before a duel, citing "the combination of this collective roleplay with direct competition" as making the game so compulsive. Meunier felt the game was still incomplete, giving the example of the tutorial which abruptly ends half-way through with only the promise of future chapters. He found the character choices "painfully limiting" and the process to unlock customisation options sluggish and poorly explained. Uhl too believed this lack of variety in characters and weapons is a weak point, though he found it mitigated through the game's support of user-generated content through integration of the Steam Workshop, where one could even download an enhanced tutorial. Chris Thursten, deputy editor at PC Gamer, wrote a player diary detailing his experience learning the game, his interaction with the community, and his rise through its online ranks. He went on to recommend the game as part of the magazine's 2014 Game of the Year feature, describing his rise into the game's top 100 players as his most gratifying gaming moment of the year.