Currently in early access, Blade & Sorcery is an immersive, innovative, and unique VR sandbox game focused on simulating real-world combat rather than abstract and ‘gamey’ mechanics. It gives players complete control over their character and the environment they’re fighting in, allowing them to engage in any combat they want.
Forget everything you’ve ever known about fighting games. In Blade & Sorcery, no artificial limitations are preventing you from using any weapon, skill, ability, or technique you wish. You can stab, slash, smash, grapple, throw, pick up items with telekinesis (teleportation), choke, climb, jump, run, teleport, shoot, cast spells, and the fight is limited only by your imagination.
With Blade & Sorcery, become the mighty warrior, ranger, or sorcerer you’ve always wanted to be!
But what VR is Blade & Sorcery on? Let’s find out.
What VR Is Blade and Sorcery On?
Blade & Sorcery is available for Oculus Quest 2! This is a bespoked game designed to work seamlessly on Quest 2 while still retaining its elements from the original release.
BLADE & SORCERY: NOMAD
Blade & Sorcerer: Nomad is the stand-alone sister title to the PC VR version of Blade & Sorceror, made specifically for Quest 2.
Nomad is an innovative physics-based VR sand box focused on simulation rather than abstract gameplay. It gives players complete freedom in the ways they play and interact with the world.
BLADE & SORCERY Reviews
Intensity 7/10
- Calories burned: 170
- Calories per minute: 6
- Average heart rate: 126
- Max heart rate: 146
- Steps: 2019
- Active Minutes: 27
This game was rated moderate for physical activity, with the potential to become high for physical activity if you decide to play accordingly. When playing Blade and Sorcery, you may burn an additional 20 calories, have a slightly higher pulse rate, and cover 500 more footsteps than usual when you decide to physically kick when the in-game characters do so and also physically punch.
Arms 7/10
You’ll be able to use a wide range of hand-held weapons including thrusting, cutting, parry, shield bashing, and even throwing. There are also dual-handed broadsword weapons that allow for both hands to be used at once.
Realistic physics means that weapons have an appropriate heaviness to them, but they don’t allow for flailing about with huge swords like in Skyrim.
It greatly improves the feeling of combat but reduces the energy out put slightly, as you will move slightly slower.
Legs 3/10 or 7/10
Like Gorn and Gladius before it, this game is mainly an upper-body workout. You play standing up, and if you have 360-degree setups, you will constantly be rotating in every direction to fend off opponents, but there are no squatting or duckings involved. If you play this style, it gets a rating of 3.
If you’re looking for innovative ways to challenge players in VR titles, then Blade and Sorcery offer some interesting ideas. You can deliver powerful punches by pressing the left joystick and jump high into the air by pressing the right joystick.
With a bit of practice, it’s possible to re-create these movements with your physical body. You will enjoy kicking your opponents down the well “Leonidas”-like in the marketplace. Make sure you have enough room, you don’t want to destroy your furniture or harm your kids, and your headphones should be firmly attached.
Still, if you have the space to do so, it actually enhances the gameplay, in my opinion, and of course, provides for a much more intense workout. Many users have requested the developer incorporate Vive trackers for kicks, which would be awesome, but there are no firm plans yet.
Core and Balance 5/10
Like any virtual fighting game, you’ll need to practice your core and balance skills by activating them whenever you swing and chop.
It’s more of an issue when playing fighting games, but since you’re usually using punches, it’s more likely that you’ll be hitting harder than usual. So, if you’re not used to doing so, you might want to practice some basic abdominal exercises before starting.
Time Perception 6/10
It’s definitely fun to play, but we’ve had some issues with crashing to the desktop. Hopefully, they won’t be an issue for you.
Sandbox games don’t have any goals or storylines to keep players interested, so they tend to be less enjoyable to play for longer periods than games with objectives or storylines. However, because of their popularity, many people enjoy playing them nonetheless.
Replayability 7/10
The core gameplay here isn’t bad, but there’s nothing really special about it yet. It’s just a sandboxed version of the original title.
You can start out with nothing but your fists, but you’ll quickly find yourself needing a weapon. Fortunately, everything is available right off the bat, so you won’t feel any sense of accomplishment when you unlock better gear or discover new items. The only thing missing is procedural generation, but if that ever comes to pass, then the game really could be great.
Final Verdict
It’s brutal, heavy, and mind-numbingly satisfying. Blade And Sorcery: The Nomad captures the best-in-class, physics-driven gameplay from its PC counterpart and successfully distills it for Oculus Quest.
It’s a messy and deadly playground where endless entertainment awaits you. However, it’s also true that “Nomad” is still far from being ready for prime time. What’s there right now just doesn’t feel like a real game yet. And what others could and should do with this groundwork is something we’re going to see in the future.
You’ll have loads of laughs slicing your way through Blade and Sorcery, but its greatest days are yet to come!
This game is available on Oculus Quest 2.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.