Blade

About

Blade is a turn-based RPG from 1997 that layers tactical structure over dungeon crawling. Played on Amiga from an isometric view, it splits each round into strict player and enemy phases. Characters spend action points to move and attack, though combat itself is basic, just pick a target in range and let the game handle the rest. You choose from eight preset heroes each with fixed classes, no creation involved. Gold manages your gear and bank balance, but progression hinges more on positioning and phase timing than deep mechanics. The game’s mythos about a demon-forged sword and four heroes feels standard, but its rigid turn design does stand out. It borrows X-COM’s phase-based pacing but simplifies execution, making it feel more like an RPG with tactical trappings than a true strategy title. Combat’s auto-attack system and limited customization keep it brisk, if shallow. Released near the end of the Amiga era, it’s a forgotten example of how 90s RPGs experimented with hybrid mechanics before genre lines hardened.