Blade Master (Arcade) CO-OP Playthrough / Masters of One Technique in Action!

ade Master (1991) by Irem is a fantasy beat 'em up built around one of the most classic clichés the genre has to offer. Two heroes with wonderfully "fantasy" names, Roy and Arnold, set out to rescue Princess Emina after she is kidnapped by the Dark King. Along the way they carve their way through countless monsters invading their beloved kingdom. Arnold's name is especially amusing, as it's impossible not to associate it with a certain Austrian actor. Overall, the story follows the familiar fantasy formula: someone kidnaps a princess, and that's all the excuse the heroes need to begin one long massacre. Visually, Blade Master is a decent-looking arcade game, although compared to many other beat 'em ups released around the same time, it remains fairly average. Enemy designs are enjoyable, and the fantasy world itself creates a pleasant atmosphere throughout the adventure. Unfortunately, the stages are very corridor-like, with little variety in their overall structure from beginning to end. Animation quality is acceptable, but it is heavily limited by the small number of movement animations available to both the heroes and their enemies. The soundtrack is probably one of the weaker aspects of the game. It quickly becomes repetitive, and for almost half of the adventure I genuinely thought I was listening to the same music over and over again. The opening tracks share such a similar mood and tempo that they blend together. While a few different themes eventually appear, none of them are memorable enough to leave a lasting impression. The sound effects aren't much better either. By the second stage, the repetitive combat sounds had already become tiring, something that really shouldn't happen in a beat 'em up where fighting is the main attraction. Overall, the audio presentation feels rather weak. Gameplay is about as basic as a beat 'em up can get. You have a standard attack, a jump, and a jumping finisher that releases energy projectiles to both sides before striking the ground. Beyond that, there is very little to master. The mechanic for finishing larger enemies actually feels more like a trap, as they almost always knock you away during the animation, causing unavoidable damage. Combat quickly becomes repetitive since there are no real combos to experiment with, leaving you to repeat the same attack over and over again. Every now and then, Arnold unexpectedly throws his sphere while Roy performs a sword thrust, but neither of us ever figured out what triggered these attacks. They simply happened on their own from time to time. The game also lacks running, dodging, or any other movement mechanics that could have made battles feel more dynamic. Collectibles are scattered throughout the stages, but most of them simply award points, adding very little to the gameplay itself. They're there, but they never become an important part of the experience. The fantasy world was probably our favorite aspect of the game. Even though the environments aren't particularly detailed, they still manage to create an enjoyable atmosphere that kept us interested in seeing the next location. Unfortunately, almost everything else left us disappointed. There are too few enemy types, combat animations are limited, available moves are scarce, and repetition sets in surprisingly early. The final stages also become noticeably difficult, with the last section providing a significant challenge. Would we recommend Blade Master? Unfortunately, no. There are simply too many better beat 'em ups available, including titles that are even older, such as the original Golden Axe. Despite its likeable fantasy setting, Blade Master never evolves beyond a very repetitive and mechanically shallow experience. In our opinion, it's a game that can easily be skipped in favor of stronger representatives of the genre. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- #BladeMaster #Arcade #BeatEmUp #Fantasy #Irem #Roy #Arnold #Playthrough #CoOp #RetroMatter "Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"