Apple Arcade: Bleak Sword is sheer bloody class Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Apple Arcade: Bleak Sword is sheer bloody class Ouch. Feature by Christian Donlan Features Editor Updated on 3 Oct 2019 16 comments Apple Arcade's games are surprisingly good at suggesting there is still untapped potential in the iPhone's touchscreen. (Pun not intended but I'll take it.) Skate City turned a radial system of swipes into a whole bag of tricks, and now Bleak Sword is being widely cited as the game that redeems touchscreen sword-fighting. Honestly? It is brilliant: simple and thrilling and kinetic. What a game this is. The basics are very simple. Your pixel stickman works through moody chunks of monochrome forests and swamps taking on beasts that range from bats to skeletal horses, eating slugs to regain health and wearing any jewelry lying around to boost stats. Imagine, for a second, meeting this person while out for a walk: half a slug hanging out of the mouth, a nice set of bangles jangling on the wrist. This is beside the point, of course. Bleak Sword is all about combat. And what combat! Swipe to dodge, hold and then swipe for a light attack and then hold a bit longer and swipe for a heavy. Because this is three-dimensional space, the direction of your swiping is crucial. And because the enemies fight back, the true thrill of the system comes with tapping to block - and then tapping and swiping immediately to pull off an astonishingly satisfying counter. Watch on YouTube It works, in part, because of the sound: a schwing as metal rushes through air, followed by a crunch as it connects. And while enemy design is often simple, the animation is filled with skittering, tumbling, inching character. I think there is a hit-pause, but maybe it is just the adrenalin playing tricks. Either way, this is an oppressive game, a world you feel you've been dunked into. And it's wonderfully cruel. Die and you have one chance to get your loot and XP back, as long as you try again immediately. Mismanage your stamina - stamina is everything here, allowing you to attack and to block - and you're wide open. The first boss that came along terrified me with its sheer size, even though, if we are all being honest, it was probably smaller than my thumb. Bleak Sword is that special kind of game, one that has such force of character that it stops you from thinking about the various influences that helped piece it together. That control system! Expect clones. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More Features Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. 14 Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Feature What games get wrong about horses And what they could do about it. 34 Feature Shout out to all the Overwatch supports - where would we be without you? Merci. 55 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store