Originally released in 1991 for the NEC PC-9801 and FM Towns, it was later ported to the Super NES and PC Engine CD-ROM² in the mid 1990s, including an expanded re-release titled Brandish Renewal.

Brandish: The Dark Revenant turns the game's female antagonist Dela Delon (known as Alexis in the English version) into an optional alternate player character.

The Essence, losing control, transformed the King into a hideous monster and sank the entire kingdom of Vittoria, including the great tower, under the ground.

One day, a swordsman named Ares is pursued by his nemesis, the sorceress Dela Delon who seeks revenge for his slaying of her master.

The PC Engine version was published by NEC and features CD quality music as well as vocal dialogue and narration.

Due to Nintendo of America's policies at that time, the game was regionally censored in its depiction of Dela's revealing costume and the plot was considerably altered.

They criticized the "practically nonexistent" sound effects and repetitive music, and complained that the way the automap does not rotate along with the scenery is confusing, but concluded that the game's long length and addictive maze-crawling make it worthwhile.

[2] The English version of Brandish: The Dark Revenant was universally well received in the West upon its delayed release for a Metacritic score of 81%.

[27] 1995's audio drama CD Drama Brandish Gaiden (CDドラマ ブランディッシュ外伝) features voice acting by Yasunori Matsumoto (Ares), Kikuko Inoue (Dela), Junko Iwao, Yūko Mizutani, Kyōko Hikami, Yūko Miyamura, Minoru Inaba, Ryōtarō Okiayu, Yuri Amano, Kaori, Jūrōta Kosugi and Masako Katsuki (the cast is different from in the game's PC Engine CD-ROM² version).

Dela also makes an appearance as a support character in Falcom's Ys vs. Trails in the Sky (2010),[28] and her costume was added to Rachel's wardrobe in Dead or Alive 5 Last Round.