Game Reviews
En Garde! Have Fun Storming the Castle
- Format
- 5 / 5
- Platform
- Steam · 3 hrs
- 5 out of 5. Only three hours on record, and it earned every star.
- Deep, satisfying swordplay built around parrying and using the room against your enemies.
- Gorgeous art, a flamenco soundtrack and genuinely funny writing.
- It's short: four episodes. That's the main downside, and it's a good problem to have.
I titled my Steam review "Have Fun Storming The Castle!", and if you know where that line comes from, you already know whether you'll like this game. En Garde! is what you'd get if someone took the sword fights from The Princess Bride and built a game around them, then remembered to make the combat actually good.
It's short. I finished it in about three hours. I'd have happily paid for three more.
What it is
You play Adalia de Volador, a masked swashbuckler making trouble for the local authorities in a sunny, painterly version of Spain. Four episodes, lots of guards, and a lot of furniture you can use against them.
The combat is the star. It's built on precise parries and quick movement, and it has some of that Sekiro feeling where getting the timing right makes you feel unstoppable. But it isn't only about the sword. You kick enemies down stairs, throw buckets at their heads, drop chandeliers, and generally cause as much theatrical chaos as you can.
What worked
It rewards style. The game wants you to fight like you're in a movie, and it gives you the tools to do it. Every encounter turns into a little set piece if you let it.
The mood. Flamenco guitar, warm painted art and voice acting that's charming without being too much. The writing is witty and lands the drama too.
It runs well. It's Steam Deck verified, and the stylized art keeps performance steady on modest hardware.
Try this
Stop reaching for the sword first. Look at what's around you. The stairs, the barrels and the hanging stuff overhead are usually the fastest way through a crowd.
And yes, you can pet the chickens. What more do you need?
What didn't
The length. Four episodes, four or five hours for the main story, maybe twelve to fifteen if you chase everything and the arena mode. It never overstays its welcome, but you'll want more.
Small stuff. Some keybinding limits, a few animation rough edges, and a learning curve before all the combat options click. None of it got in my way for long.
Who it's for
Action fans who want something that isn't another grim dark epic. People who quote The Princess Bride. Anyone who's ever wanted to dramatically kick someone down a flight of stairs.
It's not for you if you want a 40-hour adventure, if you're a pure button masher (though the difficulty options help), or if theatrical flair isn't your thing.
Worth it?
Absolutely. It knows exactly what it wants to be and pulls it off. If you like your combat with some bravado and a sense of humor, this is a great weekend game. For something with the same short-and-perfect energy in a totally different genre, Inscryption is the other one I tell people to just go buy.