Doomblade goes free on the Epic Games Store this Thursday, April 23, and you should claim it. This is a real Metroidvania with a hook most games in the genre don’t have — you attack by launching yourself through enemies like a living projectile. It’s normally $14.99 and has “Very Positive” Steam reviews. Grab it between April 23 and April 30 and it’s yours to keep forever.
What Is Doomblade?
Doomblade is a 2D action Metroidvania from Muro Studios, published by Iceberg Interactive. You play as Gloom Girl, who discovers Doomblade — a sentient weapon trapped underground for ages. Together, you fight through interconnected worlds hunting down the Dread Lords who imprisoned it.
The game released on PC in May 2023, and it picked up a third-place finish in The Game Development Championship’s Action category. Not a household name, but it earned its spot.
The Core Mechanic: Attack-as-Movement
Here’s what makes Doomblade different from every other Metroidvania: you don’t swing a sword or shoot a gun. You become the weapon. Gloom Girl rides Doomblade through the air, launching herself at enemies to attack. The blade acts as both your primary weapon and your movement system.
This sounds weird on paper but clicks fast in practice. GodisaGeek called the locomotion “wonderful” with “loads of cool abilities to unlock.” GamingTrend praised the “fantastic combat, lore, and art direction.” Once you chain kills together — launching from enemy to enemy without touching the ground — it feels like a momentum puzzle wrapped in combat.
The tradeoff: backtracking and navigation can get confusing. Several reviews noted the map design isn’t as intuitive as genre leaders like Hollow Knight. Fast travel in particular drew criticism.
How Long Is It?
According to HowLongToBeat data from player reports:
- Main story: ~11 hours
- Main + extras: ~13 hours
- Completionist: ~17 hours
That’s solid for a free pickup. Not a 2-hour curiosity — this is a real game with a full campaign.
Steam Reviews: Very Positive
269 user reviews on Steam with 83% positive (Very Positive rating). Metacritic user reviews are similarly warm, with one user calling it “a joy from start to finish” and praising how “gameplay, level design, and art design blend together seamlessly.”
The dissenting reviews focus on two things: controls that feel imprecise during platforming sections that demand precision, and randomized enemy placement in certain battles that introduces an unwelcome luck factor. Fair criticisms. This isn’t a flawless game.
But at $0? Those complaints shrink fast.
Art and Atmosphere
Doomblade commits to a grimdark aesthetic that works. Every creature and environment looks ugly or disturbing by design — and I mean that as a compliment. The soundtrack kicks into heavy metal during combat encounters, which fits the vibe perfectly. If you’re tired of pastel-colored indie games where nothing threatens you, Doomblade is the antidote.
System Requirements
Lightweight. Minimum specs are modest:
- OS: Windows 7 or later
- Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 or equivalent
- Storage: 5 GB available space
Should run fine on most PCs from the last 8 years, including budget laptops with dedicated GPUs.
Verdict: Claim It
A well-reviewed Metroidvania with a genuinely unique movement-comombat system, 11+ hours of content, and a grimdark aesthetic that stands out. It’s not Hollow Knight — the map navigation gets frustrating and some combat encounters lean too hard on randomness. But the core loop of chaining aerial kills through enemies feels unlike anything else in the genre.
$14.99 normally. Free April 23–30 on the Epic Games Store. That’s an easy claim.
Don’t forget to grab The Stone of Madness too — it’s free until April 23 when Doomblade takes over. And if you’re building out your free game library, check our best free Steam games ranked by hours of fun or our latest free games this week roundup for more pickups.
