Blade Symphony Review

"Nice to meet you. Now let's kill each other!" It's a rather unsettling way to greet someone, but in essence, that's exactly how Blade Symphony's frenzied duels to the death begin. This is murder of the most courteous sort. Bowing is optional, though the vast majority of opponents you cross swords with afford you this sign of respect before they try to slice you in twain in this multiplayer dueling fest. It yields a far more personal kind of combat encounter, which adds an air of excitement and unpredictability to a multiplayer experience that's a bit too frayed at the edges to fully enjoy.
Blade Symphony's take on the fighting genre focuses on skillful swordfights, placing a heavy emphasis on intense one-on-one duels. Multi-round battles play out in a third-person perspective that brings recent melee-centric brawlers like Chivalry and War of the Roses to mind, though the swordplay is far more fluid and elegant in this game's pressure-cooker matches. With a bevy of distinct acrobatic maneuvers and fancy flourishes to accompany their unique fighting styles, the four playable characters are nimble and capable of pulling off some badass attacks. Looking cool while you're whittling down an opponent's life gauge isn't everything though.