A little irritating, but it adds a spicy flavor to combat beyond simply rapid mouse clicking a foe to death. Attacks also seem to follow basic rules of physics. You can see your swings bounce off an opponent's weapon or shield, spraying sparks into the air. A solid blow can disarm your target, sending weapons, shields and even limbs flying. Where blows land is closely tracked in dealing the appropriate damage effects.
Sound effects are concise and to the point.
Different surfaces have appropriate footfall effects depending not only on material but also location. A wooden floor will have a different sound than a wooden bridge. While the sounds of spurting blood were a little comical, the effect added a bit of gratification to a successful attack, adding just the right touch as you watched the body slowly realize what it was missing before slumping to the ground. Visually, Blade of Darkness really shines. Between combat situations, I often found myself just taking in the sights.