BLACKSHARD from Bromio and Redlock Studio is a first-person exploration game where you explore the Labyrinth as you try to unravel its mysteries. Check out our BLACKSHARD review!

 

BLACKSHARD from Bromio and Redlock Studio is a first-person exploration game where you explore the Labyrinth as you try to unravel its mysteries. It’s a visual, narrative experience that takes you through a dreamlike world of liminal spaces. You’ll be able to locate shards of memories from those who have taken on this journey before you, and you’ll need to decide if you’re going to be the one who goes with the flow… or the one who chooses a different path. Who knows, you might be able to use unspeakable powers to transform the Labyrinth.

I waited for a time that cannot be told. The Labyrinth is a dull, sterile and ordered space. It is the embodiment of time and causality. The harbinger of the Tyranny of Fate. I played my part. I watched over the Labyrinth. I resisted the whispers. I did not intervene. I did not count the unclean numbers. But the Sign promises. It offers.

 

After the intro cutscene ends, you’ll be given control of your character with the left analog stick as you begin to walk forward. Since the game is played from a first-person perspective, you’ll be using the right analog stick to move the camera around you as needed. You can run by pressing the L2 button, which will slightly increase your speed. If you want to move at a faster pace, you’ll need to sprint by pressing the R2 button after you begin to run.

Yes, it’s certainly an odd choice, but it sorta works since there’s no combat in this one and all you need to worry about is getting from point A to point B as you pay attention to the world around you. You can interact by pressing the Triangle button. This is how you’ll be able to activate the structures that will serve as checkpoints from which you can quickly respawn by pressing down on the D-Pad. Oh, and you can also zoom a couple of times by pressing in on the right analog stick!

Trophy-wise, this release features a full trophy list with a Platinum trophy waiting for you at the end of it all. The list is split into 4 Bronze trophies, 9 Silver trophies, and 7 Gold trophies for you to work on. What will you need to do in order to add a new Platinum trophy to your collection? Along with traveling 42,195 kilometers, there are trophies for freeing fragments of the Sign, as well as some tied to the ending that you get. The other trophies take us into spoiler territory, so I won’t be mentioning them here.

BLACKSHARD is a first-person exploration game where you explore the Labyrinth as you try to unravel its mysteries. It’s a visual, narrative experience that takes you through a dreamlike world of liminal spaces. You’ll be able to locate shards of memories from those who have taken on this journey before you, and you’ll need to decide if you’re going to be the one who goes with the flow… or the one who chooses a different path. Who knows, you might be able to use unspeakable powers to transform the Labyrinth.

Disclaimer
This BLACKSHARD review is based on a PlayStation 5 copy provided by Bromio.