The Elder Scrolls: Blades takes the beloved fantasy universe of The Elder Scrolls and distills it into a mobile experience that blends dungeon crawling with city-building mechanics. Developed by Bethesda Game Studios, Blades promises the deep lore, immersive world-building, and strategic gameplay fans have come to expect from the franchise. However, translating such a grand experience to mobile devices comes with its challenges, and while Blades certainly offers some exciting gameplay, it also features a number of shortcomings.The core gameplay in Blades revolves around two main elements: dungeon crawling and city management. Players build and upgrade their own town, which can be customized and expanded with various structures. The combat is a blend of first-person dungeon exploration and tactical action. The dungeon sections are fairly simple, with players moving through corridors, slaying enemies, and collecting loot. While the combat mechanics are fun initially, they tend to become repetitive as the game progresses.The town-building aspect is a significant part of the game’s progression. Players manage resources, construct buildings, and train heroes to defend the city. This mechanic requires strategic planning, as each structure offers different benefits. However, the game’s reliance on microtransactions and energy systems is a major downside. You will quickly find that to progress efficiently, you need to either wait for resources to regenerate or spend real money to speed things up.The visuals in Blades are stunning, with beautifully crafted environments that are reminiscent of the iconic Elder Scrolls aesthetic. The dungeon layouts, enemies, and town buildings are detailed, and the character models are high-quality for a mobile game. The voice acting is solid, though the narrative is less immersive than what we see in main Elder Scrolls games.Despite the visuals and enjoyable dungeon exploration, the reliance on grinding and in-app purchases limits the game’s appeal in the long term. Fans of the Elder Scrolls series might find Blades appealing at first, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that the game’s progression is heavily tied to its freemium model, which can lead to frustration.In summary, The Elder Scrolls: Blades offers an engaging experience for mobile players who enjoy dungeon crawlers and city-building. However, the game's reliance on microtransactions and slow progression can detract from the overall experience. While it may satisfy casual players or fans of the franchise for short bursts, it doesn’t quite live up to the grandeur of the main Elder Scrolls titles.