Blades of Fire's Steam launch, which comes with a myriad of improvements and new content included as part of the 2.0 version of the game, is set for the 14th of May. Ahead of that reforging of one of 2025's hidden action gems, we chatted with the game's director, Enric Alvarez, about what this update brings, and how it delivers an improved Blades of Fire experience.
Q: Blades of Fire first launched nearly a year ago. What lessons have you learned in the time since that you've taken into 2.0?
Alvarez: One of our key learnings is that there was an opportunity to further refine how Blades of Fire was introduced to players at launch. Many players approached it with expectations shaped by more traditional action games — faster pacing, immediate feedback, constant rewards — and that created a mismatch between expectation and experience. The game asks for something different: patience, intention, and a willingness to understand its systems. When that expectation isn't set correctly, it can lead to frustration. With 2.0, we haven't changed the core of the game — we've stayed true to it — but we've worked on making that intent clearer, both in how the game presents itself and how it is communicated.
Q: Blades of Fire 2.0 introduces a lot of new content, with a lot of it dedicated to returning players, what can brand new players look forward to most?
Alvarez: Blades of Fire is a game that asks for attention and rewards curiosity. All the new systems introduced in 2.0 continue that philosophy. I would say 2.0 is a more complete experience, including systems we didn't have time to implement originally, which now add meaningful depth to the game. For example, Adso — Aran's companion — can now imbue the weapons you forge with spells, introducing new and interesting possibilities in combat.
Q: What kind of customisation and powerful abilities can players use with Adso's spells?
Alvarez: Adso's spells are not just upgrades — they are extensions of your weapon. They allow you to imbue steel with different properties, subtly changing how a weapon behaves in combat. Some enhance specific playstyles, others open new tactical possibilities. But the key idea remains the same: they don't replace your decisions — they amplify them. The weapon is still yours. The responsibility remain yours
Q: Does this add the final touches to Blades of Fire, or can we expect more significant updates/DLC content in the future?
Alvarez: 2.0 is a very meaningful step for the game. It represents a significant refinement of the experience we set out to create. That said, we continue to observe how players engage with it. If there are ways to evolve Blades of Fire while staying true to its identity, we are open to exploring them.
Q: Which boss do you think will give players the greatest challenge in Boss Revival Mode?
Alvarez: Bosses in Blades of Fire are not just about reflexes — they are about understanding. The same boss can feel completely different depending on the weapon you forged and how you manage your stamina. That said, some encounters demand a very precise balance of patience and aggression, and those tend to be the ones players remember most.
Q: The art used for the 2.0 version of the game looks a bit darker in tone, is this something you wanted to reflect in the original game?
Alvarez: The tone of Blades of Fire has always been somber, but with 2.0 we've leaned a bit more into contrast and atmosphere. Not to make the world darker for its own sake, but to reinforce the feeling that this is a world where steel — something fundamental — has been lost. That absence shapes everything.
Q: The customised element to Blades of Fire's combat really helps it stand out from modern fantasy action games in my opinion. Do you see customisation as a way to make combat more refreshing?
Alvarez: For us, it's not really about customisation in the traditional sense. It's about authorship. In many games, combat is something you adapt to. In Blades of Fire, combat is something you partially create — through the weapon you forge and the choices you commit to. That changes how every encounter feels, because you're not just executing a system — you're facing the consequences of your own design.
Q: Blades of Fire is a game driven by its narrative. With such a large amount of content coming in this 2.0 version, was there ever the temptation to add in more to the narrative or change certain elements of it?
Alvarez: We were very careful with that. Blades of Fire doesn't push its narrative onto the player — it asks the player to seek it out. Much of the world is understood through observation, through conversation, through curiosity. The story in Blades of Fire is not something you are told — it's something you uncover. And that only works if the player chooses to engage with it.
Q: What's your favourite weapon you've ever made in Blades of Fire?
Alvarez: It's always the one that didn't work at first. The weapon you had to adjust, rethink, and finally understand — that's the one that stays with you. Because in Blades of Fire, a weapon is not just a tool. It's a reflection of how you approached the game.
