Kingdom of Cards
Kingdom of Cards
Game
Game2024
Die by the Blade
Developer Grindstone, Triple Hill Interactive, Toko Midori Games
Vanquish your foes with a single strike in 1v1 weapon-based fighter Die by the Blade. Dive into a samuraipunk world and wield a range of traditional Japanese weapons to determine your moveset. Outwit your opponent in intense, tactical battles and master the art of the one-hit kill! From the Steam store page
126 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Oct 11, 2026 · last updated Oct 11, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
62
Fresh
73 positive · 44 negative
95% range 53–71%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 73 | 44 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 1 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Mixed
77 of 123 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
63% recommend · 75 yes, 45 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 120 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mixed (97 of 164 positive).
Players praise the game as a spiritual successor to Bushido Blade with tense one-hit-kill combat. [1][2][3] Many note the game feels unfinished, lacking content and polish, but see promise in active developer support. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize clunky controls, poor animations, and a slow unlock system. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
I desperately wanted this to revive the nostalgia of Bushido Blade but... DBTB it feels so lacklustre. Movements, animation fluidity and combat system is way too clunky for a fighting game made in 2024. It almost felt like playing a PS1 game with a modern-day graphics overlay. If this game was made as a solo project, it deserves props. Anything else and it is missing too much give it any lasting credit. It's …
- [14]
Just roll and strike Die by the Blade is lacking when it comes to the single player content, and I would wait until they add more and fix its current issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsKT83E8vKw - Singleplayer content is lacking: there’s only a practice, versus and challenges mode (which is basically last man standing aka endless versus battles). - The enemy AI needs work: even on the highest difficulty, you …
- [10]
Alright so here's the deal, going to try my best to give a fair review after 5.5ish hours of playing. I bought this game as a meme. I didn't take it too seriously or expect it to be a AAA fighting game. If you have that outlook on it, I think you will be able to really enjoy it for what it is. - Pros: Fun and engaging PvP combat. The stance switching requires strategy and reaction to execute and deal with from your …
- [11]
Die by the Blade left an exceptionally positive impression on me. An unusual fighting system sets this game apart from other standard fighting games. You literally have to strike a single but accurate hit to your opponent to win the round, which adds incredible tension and realism to the game. The game does not let you relax because you have to predict your opponent's next move. Mistakes in this game are not …
- [1]
Die By The Blade is a great Bushido Blade inspired game where you take down opponents in strategic one hit kill battles. There are some bugs especially around keyboard controls but the devs are very passionate and are aiming to push stuff out quickly. Medium skill floor and high skill ceiling Combo system takes a little time to get used to, but once you learn the game more you can do feints effectively and play mind …
Summarised from 34 of the 131 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Die by the Blade talk about engaging and strategic PvP combat with stance switching and feints; those who didn't talk about lacks single-player content and modes like arcade. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 126 · most liked firstI desperately wanted this to revive the nostalgia of Bushido Blade but... DBTB it feels so lacklustre. Movements, animation fluidity and combat system is way too clunky for a fighting game made in 2024. It almost felt like playing a PS1 game with a modern-day graphics overlay. If this game was made as a solo project, it deserves props. Anything else and it is missing too much give it any lasting credit. It's possible it could get better with dev support but currently - it dont cut it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just roll and strike Die by the Blade is lacking when it comes to the single player content, and I would wait until they add more and fix its current issues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsKT83E8vKw - Singleplayer content is lacking: there’s only a practice, versus and challenges mode (which is basically last man standing aka endless versus battles). - The enemy AI needs work: even on the highest difficulty, you can easily kill them by just doing a roll attack, as you can see in the…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Alright so here's the deal, going to try my best to give a fair review after 5.5ish hours of playing. I bought this game as a meme. I didn't take it too seriously or expect it to be a AAA fighting game. If you have that outlook on it, I think you will be able to really enjoy it for what it is. - Pros: Fun and engaging PvP combat. The stance switching requires strategy and reaction to execute and deal with from your opponent. The feinting works nicely on defensive opponents, and the spacing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was one of the people that supported them in Kick-Starter in 2020 and 4 years later I'm Sad this was the state with the release. I felt it was interesting when I first saw the concept idea but sadly the execution was bad and no smoothness in gameplay with parrying nor dodge. Content Wise it lacks a lot with only starting with 1 fighter and 1 type of sword and if you wanted to play with other characters You must level up in a weird system that feels like it does not suit the game at all.. I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was the only person on earth playing it. No multiplayer working. No single player. No arcade. Just PvAI 1v1 with 5 or 6 weapons and characters. Don't buy until this game is actually done
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has zero substance. Please list it as early access because this is NOT finished.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So let's look past the game's appearence for a minute. The combat is ok, but struggles to communicate properly through animation. But what really really bothers me is the unlockable content. You start with one character and one sword. No choices to make. And it takes FOREVER to get to lvl 2. So if you wanted to boot this game up and play with friends with a bunch of characters, you can't seemingly. If you wanted to try someone else, that's gonna take a really long time. And for what? Combat…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely zero single player arcade mode and it does not connect to play online with Steam Deck.... DOA
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →dead game, servers off
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There are katanas and cuttable limbs. Thats all I need to have fun 👺
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun, but game is dead. unlucky.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Die By The Blade is a great Bushido Blade inspired game where you take down opponents in strategic one hit kill battles. There are some bugs especially around keyboard controls but the devs are very passionate and are aiming to push stuff out quickly. Medium skill floor and high skill ceiling Combo system takes a little time to get used to, but once you learn the game more you can do feints effectively and play mind games with your opponent The dismemberment system is badass, but needs…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Keep the updates and patches coming! not bad at all on steam deck (medium graphic settings recommended) UPDATES AFTER 18 HOURS: I still REALLY like this game. Takes time in the training lobby/ challenges to get your skills up, but once you have found a weapon you like and get the feel for the system, its nothing but fun. Cleaning up input system for the combos or 'sequences' helped ALOT with combat feel and cant wait for more updates and patches to the new special moves. The community is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game feels rushed,graphics and animations are sub par and controls are not tight at all. Backed this on kickstarter and regret it so much. Waste of money.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Played all day yesterday, really enjoyed it, but honestly I think it would have been best to put it in the EA oven before an official release as there are several problems that are noticeable just within the first hour of play. What I liked: -Game runs super smoothly overall both from a performance and network* perspective. *(I'll touch on the network side of things again below) -Different maps you fight in are gorgeous -Feels really good to hit a finisher -Camera really gives you the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good idea, but got bored in less than 20 mins. Needs more modes and multiplayer.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →played 5 hours with a buddy just the demo which is 2 characters 2 weapons and 1 map only. the game is really fun and combat is pretty satisfying once you figure out its nuances and quirks. we are planning to play just the demo even more.baught the game just to leave the review really. the catch is it's the 1v1 fighter and it's only fun to play against other people. you will not get into it playing against ai. trust me, there is more than meets the eye once you play a few hours against a human…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you're looking for a new 1v1 game to put hours in, this game will definitely scratch that competitive itch. Frankly, this game should've been released as an Early Access title. If you're looking for a complete game, this game is not even close to being finished. But despite that- the replayability, strategy, and mastery that you experience from playing now is pretty damn good. This is even more promising by the fact that the developers are very self aware of what the current state of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love the game so far. It is truly great. However, there are a few much needed QoL features that I'd like to see added to the game asap: 1. The camera cuts away MUCH too quickly after someone is killed during a round. You have no ability to appreciate how graphic it is because the milisecond their arm comes off, the screen goes black. It's very annoying. 2. There is a notification that pops up every other second when you're offline saying that it can't get your player stats. Okay, I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Needed a Bushido blade type fighting game in the modern era and we got one. Like most games released these days, it's still a work in progress, but one that is definitely worth it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has great potential, I wonder when it's going to be released... oh. Oh no.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →not worth it by any means the concept is super cool but poorly made. get it back in the workshop for the love of god
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its Bushido Blade. I dont care how much work it needs. Theyve got ppl on the dev team that has excellent taste in gaming. The final product of this is going to be better than Bushido Blade ever was. Satisfied customer. This is literally what I remember from Bushido Blade.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While the game released in a worrisome state, the dev team is very obviously committed to their game and have made rapid yet thought out changes with community feedback, most notably being the revamp of the combo system that will make it to online play if it receives positively as well as swift balancing of the problematic dodge roll attacks and roll spam. If you are interested in this game, I suggest you hop onboard and join the discord because this game will only grow and continue to develop…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This would be really good if For Honor didn't already exist
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really cool game! Like bushido blade, one hit kill, with a 2024 twist.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Refunded after playing 50 mins, totally useless game to put an effort, learning combos etc. because the game is TOTALLY dead, 15 min of searching online player, and 0 result. The fighting system is interesting but not exiting! There are a lot of other games that I can spend my time instead of this unfinished and dead born game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoy this game! It can be quite punishing, but that's what a one-hit-kill fighting game is. If you miss your timing for an attack or parry, block the wrong direction, or fall for a feint, you are dead. Thankfully matches are five lives, so you aren't thrown to the lobby after a single mistake. Practice is essential for mastery, and you should definitely practice sequences from both sides of the screen if you struggle in fights. The tournaments are also extremely fun. It's great to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As someone with passion for competetive games and PvP, DbTB feels like refreshing entry to the genre. Seeing leaderboards constantly changing and people getting higher and higher ranks just makes me wanna play more and more to keep with the leaderboard. Get good, or die tryin. Simple as that.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →worst game. not connecting server....lost my money more graphics and more hitten shots not availible.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A poor impersonation of Bushido Blade that fails to deliver on almost every aspect. Refunded.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ITS FUN BUT COULD USE MORE CHARACTERS AND CONENT AND A GAME MODE THAT LETS U LOSE LIMPS BUT STILL CAN FIGHT TILL U LOSE YOUR HEAD
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game has a lot of work that still needs done. I feel that the combo inputs are EXTREMELY cumbersome on the Steam Deck and other controllers. I would not even attempt this game with KB and M. I looked at the commands and such and it just seems weird the way you work the combos with any device. I don't know if there is a lag to the input or what but when I try to flow a combo it just seems sluggish. Learning the combos is key to great duels otherwise you will just end up with a dodge/roll and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →While the game looks visually impressive, it's not worth the money. The lack of penalties for spamming long weapon attacks makes this class incredibly overpowered. When using a katana against opponents wielding a naginata or odachi, you're at a significant disadvantage. Parrying pushes both you and your opponent back, preventing you from reaching them with your weapon. This often results in frustrating scenarios where you block an opponent's attack, counterattack, but miss due to the distance,…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jesus. What a goofy game. Unbalanced. Janky. And, the strategy right now is to dodge and poke until their animation is slower than your poke. These devs really should've taken a page out of Hellish Quart's book and made something more interesting. No one should buy this game in it's current state.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Most realistic fighting game out there, you die in 1 hit.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Orcs Must Die! By The Blade - what a nostalgic feeling: really fun, good combat, limbs to play with - what else would you recommend ant from a good VR game?! #vrgames @teravisiongames.bsky.social
positive · AI labelView post →Hey, keep it up and you will find your groove. Don't let the haters get you down. You can make a great duel game!!!! You're working hard. Keep it up!!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Would recommend to fighting games fans! You will need to remap the attacks to the triggers or to the bumpers for online play, but this game is LOADS of fun for the price it is at. I am looking forward to getting in to online play, then I can see this game being fun for years! LOW SPEC too, you wont need a beefy pc to play it...My ONLY gripe is: for a swordfighting game, it is NOT based around the THRUST,PARRY,RIPOSTE dynamic, but it is a fun game anyway.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pros: I really loved the fights, animations and overal gameplay Incredible environments! Fair price Cons: Needs minor tweaks Some balancing issues In overall when I take a look at the game I definitely recommend it. For 20e, this game is really nice. Looks great, gameplay is cool and it helps me relax after hard day at work. Looking forwart to play more.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's my first one hit kill game and I was really looking forward to try it. I like intense, strategic battles and it really requires patience and focus to win the battle. I've just started playing the game but I enjoyed it so far. The game has quite steep learning curve and it certainly needs some tweaks and improvements but developers seems dedicated to the project so I believe that there will be more tweaks and content in the upcoming updates. I will certainly play more in upcoming days.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty fun game, really hard but fun
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, and a great implementation for a ranked online mode. It needs UI improvement and some vast streamlining like a single tap to queue the next rank match and loadout saving so your character is ready to go. Also keep adding weapons and an unranked mode with other weapons not balanced at all. Great job! Just had a fight where we parried back and forth for a while, it grew in tension in the best way. I really do enjoy this game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →everything feels clanki. there is no need for a dodge or a roll if the main thing is parry. the stance feels weird. the attacks are everything but cool to land (same with the finisher). nothing much, i waited for many months for a game that feels empty. maybe in a year or two i'll come back, but the game as it is now it's not fun nor cool to play.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I can confidently say that Die by the Blade has provided one of the most fun experiences streaming a game (Alienware Twitch Channel) I've had in a long time. The combat is exhilarating, focusing on short bursts of intensity that make it perfect for smack-talking sessions with friends. It's a game that knows exactly what it's about—sword duels that demand timing and patience, where a single strike can be your end. While speaking with the devs, they made it clear that the intention is to make it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So far it's really fun game. I am not big fan of fighter games but this one is interesting because it's single kill match. I like unlockables and character / weapon customization. I did also few rounds with AI which is suprisely challenging on hardest difficulty so definitely very good for practice before you go to fight online oponents. Game supports DLSS which is always nice to have. Tournaments are fun but first you need to unlock it. What I would like to add to the game is the option for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Intense, fast, difficult, but so satisfying when you get it right. Bushido Blade nostalgia got me hooked up on this and I can say I wasn't disappointed. My only wish is to see this game played on a proffesional tournament some day
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wow! i waited 4 years for this? damn man. this feels like a early access mess how the hell did they get to "full release"??????
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is terrible just don't buy it this game feels like its still in alpha stage i played the demo and thought maybe it would improve but this is terrible
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →block feel clunky, dodge as well. sometimes your sword will pass trough them for no apparent reason. "Ultimates" are good looking but dumb as f* since there is no counter exept to run away .
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the better fight games I have played. Blades are very sharp so heads and limbs fly easily spraying blood all over kill bill style. Its a one hit win or loose, but it is more than just rock paper scissors. You learn opponent tricks and react to it. It is fun online, but tutorial is a must. Because the combat system is new, learned skills from other games doesn't apply. Learn some combos, blocks, parry and other tricks to surprise your opponent. Plan your next strike. Eventually they all…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Orcs Must Die: By The Blade Review—A promising VR rebuild that struggles to fully deliver - thevrrealm.com/reviews/orcs... #OrcsMustDie #VR #MetaQuest @teravisiongames.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →🚨IT’S OFFICIAL🚨 Orcs Must Die: By The Blade has been crowned MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF 2026 at The VR Verse Awards! We’re absolutely blown away by the love! Catch the full VR Verse episode here tinyurl.com/mr2u2dxb Wishlist or Pre-order now, and save 10% when doing so! tinyurl.com/bderubtu
neutral · AI labelView post →paid 30€ or so on kickstarter game did not get released for like 4 years after the promised date after all that time, i got no interest in playing it anymore, so i pretty much got scammed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Haven’t played too in-depth yet, but the game is very fun so far. It is very reminiscent of Bushido Blade. I recommend it for anyone who is into that
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →only has one playable game mode really, and has a very repetitive combat system you will forget after you get board with it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Honestly a good game for its price, you can have hours of fun with friends, and even online if you are brave enough. A good idea that is decently executed, but lacking some polish in certain areas, probably due to stretching themselves too thin trying to hit previous gen consoles as well. Some people complain about the one-hit-kill system, but that is kind of what the game is about, unforgiving combat with a high skill ceiling. And if that is your main criticism, that is like ordering food…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Had been eyeing the game for a while, and after seeing there was a new update that addressed some of my concerns after seeing some of the reviews that came out straight after launch I dived in. Now this is the first time I've ever played a one-slash-kill fighting game (although I'm an avid player of MK titles as that's how we resolve issues with my sister :D), to my knowledge there's also very few games like this! Overall I've enjoyed my experience: - played around 3.9 hours so far - explored…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →- Cool concept - Runs smoothly - Nice visuals - Ranked PVP - So far no issues I've ran into ^^
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! The combat is intense and challenging. The art style is a mix of cyberpunk and samurai. This game is something special.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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