I always wondered if Blade of Darkness would end up on Gog. It's certainly a very worthy addition. In my opinion, BoD still has the best melee combat system I've ever encountered - something that is extremely impressive given the age of the game. Timing, footwork, hit detection for different body parts, and challenging, aggressive A.I. that keeps you on your toes and demands strategy over blind button mashing for success are the bullet-point highlights that make BoD extremely satisfying. Oh yeah, and it's still one of the only games (perhaps the *only* game) I've ever played with a "true" dodge mechanic - as in you actually duck underneath and around incoming blows instead of the lazy cop-out modern developers use of rolling around on the ground like a spaz. It's baffling to me that no one has managed to get dodging "right" in the years that have followed BoD.
There is a learning curve involved with learning how to properly move your character and time your attacks in a fluid rhythm alongside defensive maneuvers, but once you "get it," it is a truly remarkable game. In addition to the combat, the atmosphere is fantastic. What it lacks in story, BoD makes up for with it's lovingly crafted environments. Certainly one of my all-time favorite "hidden gems," and I hope that it finally gets some of the long over-due praise it deserves through its re-release on Gog.