The review praises the Esperia Blade for its stunning alien design, exceptional agility, and improved maneuverability, but criticizes its weapon system due to separate firing pipes and mismatched projectile speeds that hinder combat effectiveness. Despite recent buffs and strong survivability, the lack of weapon customization and balancing keeps the Blade from reaching its full potential as a top-tier light fighter in Star Citizen.
The video provides an in-depth review of the Esperia Blade, a visually striking alien ship in Star Citizen, known for its Vandal design. The reviewer highlights that the ship will receive a completely new look in the upcoming Squadron 42, making it an exciting prospect for current owners. Recent patches have buffed various aspects of the Blade, including improvements to its nose, body, vital parts, and significantly enhanced maneuverability, especially in pitch and yaw. However, a previous bug allowing weapon customization was fixed, reverting the ship to its stock weapons, which the reviewer still finds impressive despite the limitation.
During combat testing, the reviewer points out the ship’s main drawback: two separate weapon pipes that complicate aiming and reduce efficiency compared to ships like the Gladius or Arrow. The Blade’s weapons, consisting of two size three and two size two guns, have incredibly high projectile speeds (up to 1,600 m/s), which are powerful but challenging to manage due to differing speeds between weapons. This discrepancy forces players to struggle with targeting and combining weapon pips effectively, making it difficult to land consistent hits despite the ship’s agility and firepower.
Against various opponents, including cutters, light fighters like the Mustang, and the Hornet, the Blade demonstrates strong survivability and offensive capabilities. Its maneuverability allows it to evade attacks easily, while its weapons can quickly break shields and cause significant damage when pips are aligned. However, the difficulty in managing the two separate weapon pipes remains a persistent issue, often leading to missed shots and frustration during combat. Despite this, the ship’s unique alien design and improved Multi-Function Displays (MFDs) add to its appeal.
The reviewer concludes that while the Blade is one of the best ships in the game in terms of agility and design, its weapon system holds it back from reaching its full potential. The inability to customize weapons and the mismatch in projectile speeds create a significant tactical disadvantage. They suggest that if the ship’s weapons were standardized in speed or allowed for better customization, the Blade would be a top-tier choice for players, both aesthetically and functionally, especially given its high price tag of 7.8 million in-game credits.
In summary, the Esperia Blade is a deadly and agile ship with a stunning design and excellent maneuverability, but it is not unstoppable due to its weapon limitations. The recent buffs have improved its performance, yet the weapon imbalance and lack of customization prevent it from competing on equal footing with other popular light fighters. The reviewer hopes that future updates will address these issues, making the Blade a more viable and beloved choice among Star Citizen pilots. They encourage viewers to share their thoughts and look forward to further developments.