X-Blades
X-Blades (not to be confused with X Blade) is a Hack and Slash Panty Fighter Action Adventure game about the wielder of the titular weapons, Ayumi. Ayumi is a treasure hunter, always on the move and from one of her journeys she bought an artefact along. Said artefact has an equal, which she finds in the dimly lit shop of an old trader, who promptly gets plunged into the darkness when Ayumi accidentially combines the two parts. After killing the now summoned demons, she finds out that the two parts are a map to an ancient temple full of treasure along with a godly artefact (and monsters). Needless to say, Ayumi heads out immediatly.
This is where the player jumps in. Taking control of Ayumi and her two swords which can also shoot and takes on hordes of enemies, finds various small artifacts to boost Ayumi's powers and generally escape from death traps. Along the way she meets a guy named Jay who then and when helps her in battle. His forte is light magic, which is either a blessing or not for the by now cursed Ayumi. What happens to him depends on your choice of magic.
X-Blades was developed in 2009 by the Russian developer Gaijin Entertainment based on the game Oni Blade, to which it is mostly an update in terms of graphics and gameplay. Blades of Time, also made by Gaijin Entertainment is something of a spiritual successor with the inclusion of a Time Control mechanic.
- Action Adventure: Running around exploring old temple ruins while killing near limitless hordes of monsters definitely counts.
- Action Girl: Ayumi, oh so much.
- And Your Reward Is Clothes: Clothes that actually do something. They either heal her much faster or protect her much better.
- An Ice Person: Ayumi can learn ice spells (among other elements).
- Animesque: Ayumi, beginning with her name and ending with her huge eyes, nice face, nice body and skimpy clothing. The FMV scenes up the ante a bit as well by looking decidedly more drawn.
- Bad End: Choose any darkness spell and you will get this. It's particularly mean since dark spells are very powerful.
- Bare Your Midriff: Since her initial dress is more or less a bikini with a sword holster, this happens.
- Big Bad: Guess who.
- Black Magic: Powerful, but corrupts.
- Cleavage Window: Even the less revealing clothes use this.
- The Corruption: It tries to take over Ayumi but can give her more power as well.
- Curse: The Enlightened One warns Ayumi to not touch the dark artifact. She does it anyway. This is the result.
- Dark Is Evil: The aptly named Dark One.
- Darkskinned Blonde: Ayumi is somewhat tanned.
- Death Trap: If it wasn't for Jay, Ayumi would be swiss cheese.
- Dual-Wielding: Ayumi, wielding two truely massive blades.
- Elite Mooks: Summoners, and most of the bigger enemies.
- Fire, Ice, Lightning: Available spell types are light, darkness, various support types and these three.
- Flaming Sword: Arguably the best of the sword enchantements.
- Global Currency: Souls.
- Girlish Pigtails: Three of them for Ayumi.
- Golden Ending: Available by refusing to buy darkness spells.
- Good Is Not Nice: The Enlightened One is a total Jerkass.
- Good Old Fisticuffs: Jay fights this way.
- Hack and Slash: Goes without saying. You'd lose count on how many monsters you killed after the third stage if the game wouldn't tell you.
- Hair of Gold: Subverted, Ayumi can be somewhat bitchy at times.
- Healing Factor: The standard one where Ayumi stands still and slowly heals herself. It is accelerated a lot when she cleared a level.
- Heroes Prefer Swords: Ayumi prefers two. Jay however fights barefisted.
- Impossibly Cool Weapon: The X-Blades.
- Jiggle Physics: Ayumi at even the slightest movement.
- Light Is Not Good: Or at least not always helpful.
- Male Gaze: Ayumi has a very nice rear.
- Marked Change: When the curse attempts to take over Ayumi, this happens with glowing runes.
- Mix-and-Match Weapon: Gun Blades.
- Mooks: More than you could possibly count.
- Nice Guy: Jay rescues Ayumi, then suggests to lift her curse, before even really knowing her name.
- Panty Fighter: Ayumi isn't clad in much more.
- Playing with Fire: Fireballs, swords on fire and more.
- RPG Elements: You increase Ayumi's powers by buying spells with souls and finding items. Healing her actually costs souls, not "rage".
- Shock and Awe: Lightning skills are quite effective against spiders later on.
- Stripperiffic: Ayumi's initial outfit is a small white bikini top, an equally-sized thong and what might appear to be trousers cut down and outfitted with small armour plates and... that's it.
- Summon Magic: Enemies summon enemies. You however cannot.
- Swiss Army Weapon: The X-Blades are guns and swords in one.
- Thong of Shielding: Ayumi seems to think this is appropriate wear. Considering most other characters who are guys don't wear much more either, it's probably a typical fashion.
- Weapon of Choice: Literally. According to the backstory, Ayumi's swords are an artifact that forms a weapon based on what the wielder's personality is like.
- White Magic: Weak but useful against those weak to it, where it hits really hard.
- X Marks the Hero: Played with, by Ayumi taking an X pose with her blades on one of the covers.