Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light

Worth Playing

What I really enjoyed was the crafting system because we could craft the item whenever we wanted, even on the world map, thus reducing the need of going back to town to buy healing items or new equipment.

RPG Fan

Given a little time to handle the learning curve, I found the greatest enjoyment in actually playing the game instead of pondering the prose, and isn’t that the point of a handheld title?

eToychest

The voice acting is wooden, save points can be infrequent, and while load times themselves aren’t overly long, the game accesses the disc pretty frequently.

Just RPG

The quality of the voice work ranges from good to poor, with the main character being one of the worst and most annoying.

Into Liquid Sky

If you like an average RPG tale with some fun combat and great Crafting, Blade Dancer is worth your time. The RPG genre isn't overly deep on the PSP and this title certainly fills a hole for JRPG fans.

PSM Magazine

While Blade Dancer is a very fun, solid title, if you're not a true fan of the genre, it's not going to change your mind. [Aug 2006, p.86]

Digital Entertainment News

The item-creation system and battle system are laudable, but Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light falls on its own sword when it comes to delivering interesting characters or an intriguing storyline; as a result, the game falls short of must-have status.

ZTGameDomain

The crafting and battle system alone are worth the price of admission and the multi-player really seals the deal. While the storyline and character development are certainly below average Blade Dancer is still worth picking up if you are a huge fan of the genre.

GameZone

Blade Dancer doesn’t stray from the tired formula of classic Japanese role-playing games when it comes to the storytelling and cast of characters.

Cheat Code Central

There is no co-op mode but you will get a few good hours out of this mode, as well as few interesting goodies.

GameSpot

Blade Dancer plays by the book as far as the narrative goes, but an interesting crafting mechanic and an adaptive battle system with real-time elements help set it apart.

Games Master UK

Decent and entertaining, but you've seen it all before. [Oct 2006, p.84]

Deeko

The combat system is one of the finest I've seen in ages, but the rest of Blade Dancer is nothing shy of mediocre.

IGN

Blade Dancer suffers from an odd mixture of first-rate and mediocre elements. Fans of the genre will definitely appreciate the combat system and weapon-crafting features, but newcomers won't have the patience to stick with the bland story and ho-hum characters.

Game Chronicles

If you have played RPG's in the past then you will know exactly what to expect out of this game. The game will not captivate you like some RPG's.

Gaming Horizon

The goal of the game seems to be that you level up to the point that you can walk through a new area without dying in the middle, and this isn’t enjoyable in the slightest.

Gaming Nexus

NIS tried hard with this new game built specifically for the PSP, but design flaws and a weak story hold back what could have been a good game.

GameSpy

A worthwhile romp for RPG lovers that don't mind the hackneyed story and characters. The backtracking and endless travel are a chore, but once you get all four characters on board, the combat and crafting systems make it almost worth it.

AceGamez

If the rest of the game was half as well thought out and interesting as the crafting and combat systems, then Blade Dance: Linage of Light would easily be the best role-playing game for the PSP - but after a while it gets tedious, and neither the crafting nor the combat can save the experience from sinking into mediocrity.

Eurogamer

That's really Blade Dancer in a nutshell: a decent combat system and an interesting crafting mechanic, but in terms of the rest of the game, Hitmaker doesn't really cut it.

Official Playstation 2 Magazine UK

Great to look at and a thrill to explore, but its plodding, turn-based fights are enough to put off all but the most patient of RPGers. [Nov 2006, p.100]

RewiredMind

The ability to build your own weapons and suchlike with things that you’ve found is a nice inclusion which – while limited – works out to be cheaper than going to ye olde item shoppe to pick up a new blade every time your favourite one decides that it’s going to break.

Yahoo! Games

It's not a game that hums with careful design or thoughtful implementation. Nevertheless, if you can cope with its many flaws it'll reward you with a lengthy and addictive experience.

TotalPlayStation

For as decent as the battle system and item crafting parts of the game are, they simply can't hold up the entirely mediocre or cliche other bits. The game is solid, yes, but I was hoping the first console-level RPG would be a little more, well, engaging.

Game Informer

At its best, Blade Dancer offers familiarity, along with a half-hearted attempt at multiplayer. [Aug 2006, p.93]

Game Revolution

The battle system whips along, only to have its toes stomped by the boring crafting system. In the end Blade Dancer: Lineage of Light has a fine sense of rhythm, but two left feet.

Playstation Official Magazine UK

RPGs can be emotional, sadly this one is all about raging dispair. [Mar 2007, p.111]

VGPub

For all that it does right with its combat engine and Lunar system, Blade Dancer does something wrong. Playing the game frequently feels like you're taking two steps forward and one back and you'll get the sense that you're not really going anywhere.

Play UK

A completely forgettable experience. [Issue 145, p.86]

Games Radar (in-house)

Spend a couple of hours coping with the plodding narrative and oppressive gameplay and you'll swear off RPGs for life.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

Cheesy plot, horrible dialogue and translation, bland graphics, and standard RPG cliches circa 1995 as far as the eye can see. [Aug 2006, p.81]

Electronic Gaming Monthly

With its forgettable characters, interminable load times, and mind-numbingly dull battles, Blade Dancer assaults players with such profound mediocrity that only the most tenacious questers will make it beyond the first few hours. [Aug 2006, p.93]

games(TM)

Blade Dancer is an RPG lacking in character, soul, and most importantly, entertainment. Not recommended. [Oct 2006, p.129]