PlayStation 3 Critic Reviews

While the journey may be fraught with peril, one cannot help but marvel at how solid the Black Knight Sword feels overall. The gameplay and the dark fantasy themes complement each other very well. The black knight will travel through burning villages to a desert mutated by missile testing, to a monstrous carnival, to a deprived wonderland and will never miss a beat.

A few minor control issues aside, the gameplay is incredibly tight. It's not the most challenging platformer you'll ever play, but if you have any sense of curiosity, you'll want to keep playing just the see what the creative people at Grasshopper Manufacture and Digital Reality have come up with next.

For $10, Black Knight Sword delivers a mostly good and entirely creepy experience.

Black Knight Sword is a little masterpiece by Grasshopper Manufacture.

Black Knight Sword is quite an enjoyable and unique platformer that is worth a try - it's short but memorable.

Fans of action side-scrollers will get a kick out of BKS. I just wished the game felt more polished, especially with its controls, but even though the game isn't as memorable as some other side-scrolling classics such as Castlevania, I think it's definitely worth checking out if you have some extra money in your pockets.

Despite the mechanical and control issues, the apparent cheapness of some of the many deaths, and a few poor decisions, the game does have at least some appeal.

All things considered, Black Knight Sword is truly a one-of-a-kind experience thanks to its imaginative art direction, soundtrack, narrative and overall concept. For $9.99, those qualities might be enough to warrant a purchase.

Black Knight Sword is a memorable game – but not because of its gameplay. Its art style and incredibly creepy atmosphere elevate it above mediocrity, even though its difficulty and awkward controls are certain to frustrate. Overcoming the title's trials and tribulations makes for a satisfying experience, but don't expect your dreams to ever be the same again.

Appropriately priced at $9.99, Black Knight Sword isn't a big threat to your wallet, but it's also not the easiest game to push on your friends. Regardless, this is another capable outing from two great studios that just happen to think alike.