Frills are nonexistent in both the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game. Neither offers up any multiplayer modes of play. Both are pretty much equally bad when it comes to video and audio quality. Graphics have been dialed back too close to original Xbox levels possibly because of the large numbers of troops onscreen simultaneously. So the game moves quite well on both platforms but isn't much to look at on either.
Visual design isn't spectacular either largely because of a flat color palette that makes it tough to tell different types of troops apart and to read the minimap (which is also too tiny to use properly even on a 54" HDTV). Audio effects are of similar quality, with lots of tinny bombast involving swords smashing together and horses galloping. The only major difference between the two platforms seemed to be stability; the 360 game locked up on a number of occasions while the PS3 game ran without a hitch.
Even with such a solid, action-first squad-combat idea, Bladestorm comes off as only half-finished. Both the new gameplay concepts and the European setting need to be fleshed out more to really pick up on the promise shown here.
Score: 5/10
