Released: June 30th, 2009
Developer: Arc System Works
Publisher: Aksys Games
Genre: Fighting
BlazBlue...one of the top anticipated, multiplatform, 2D fighters of this summer. At first, you'll look at it, and give it a blank stare. It's pretty odd compared to most fighters. It's very very anime in it's style. It may take a little bit to get used to the characters and how things work.As for the story...I have no idea what the hell is going on. I'm not even going to lie, I don't care about the story. The story mode is far too boring. It's told through text and pictures of characters. You can't tell whats going on. I was playing as Taokaka and fought Rachel-Alucard. I guess she flung me into the air or pushed me, or something. I have no idea. Why didn't they fully animate it or something? I'm not even sure an actual story exists. I mean, if you're that into it, there is a backstory in the instruction manual, but it's poorly represented in the game. Even after I beat story mode with 2 characters...I have no idea what's going on.
With that said, there aren't any other flaws. The game is just great to play. Gameplay wise, it's very smooth, very fast. BlazBlue is very flashy with awesome colors. The characters react right away. You have the choice of a weak fast attack, a medium attack, a strong slow attack, grabs, or your special move. Each character has their own style of special moves. For exmaple, Litchi has a stick. With it, she can throw it on the ground, stand on it, jump from it, use it for melee attacks, and when it's stuck in the ground, she can perform all kinds of different moves. Carl-Clover's special move, is his android sister will attack in certain ways. So really, it's like playing 2 different characters (think Ice Climbers, only when the android is hurt, it doesn't hurt you).All these can be combined and make many combos. Air combat can be done too. All characters (except Iron Tager) can jump twice in the air and ome characters can even jump 3 times. When you're push down to the ground (or knocked on your back in the air) you just hit a button to pop back up. So no matter where you are, or what you do (in air or on the side of the screen or whatever) there is always a way to attack, and a way to defend.
The game even has a way to poop on those people who do nothing but defend. They wait for the timer to run out to win. This game doesn't allow you to do that. If you guard too much, this little ball on the top of your screen will start to glow. Make it fully bright, and your character will get murdered by your opponent.The game is full of options. There are many difficulties (so you don't get to that weird spot where the computers are too hard or too easy). Training mode is wonderful. You can customize....everything. EVERYTHING. Just for a tiny example, you can control what the computer does, how tough he is, how much heat he has (explain heat later), record yourself dancing, everything. It even saves it for you the next time you go into training mode.
Along with all the training greatness, the brightest part of the game are the characters. Each one is completely different from all the other ones. They're very very unique. There's a total of 12 characters. Some people have complained this number is too small, but isn't it better to have 12 totally awesome characters rather than 495 clone characters? Everyone will find somebody they will enjoy. They're very detailed and have straight forward personalities, and will interact with each other as they fight. I mean, specifically. For example, if Taokaka fights Litchi, she'll comment on her moves and call her "Boobie Lady" Tao doesn't do this to any other character.
Not much to say about the background and music. They're pretty cool, but nothing too memorable. When you start a battle (outside of arcade and story mode) you can choose which level and what music plays. It can also be set to auto (doing the one that matches your character) or random. Again, tons of specific options to choose from.
Along with the basic attacks and the special move...there's super special moves. At the bottom of your screen is this bar. When you attack, or get hit, this bar (heat) slowly fills up, When it reaches 50, characters can do a "distortion drive" These attacks are super hardcore and do a bunch of damage. The background changes and everything. If you fill the heat bar to 100%, and your enemy has 25% health or lower, you can do an astral move. These attacks are basically a kick in the teeth to your enemy. They're already doomed to begin with, you just make it so much sweeter.
Now, not everyone character has their astral move. Only 3 of them do. To unlock it, you have to beat arcade move with that character. With the characters who already have it, if you beat the arcade mode, you get the boss version, or "unlimited" version of that character. If you beat story mode with different people, you unlock more music.Aside from this, the online play is where it's at. There's 2 main modes. One is ranked play. This is where you level up and it's more of a professional field. There's a set of ranks, and people are fcking srs bsns. The more you fight and win, the higher up in rank you go. In player mode, there are rooms. You make a room, and people can join, and you duke it out arcade style. You can rank up in this mode, but the xp is really really low. This mode is for fun mainly. You can set rules whether unlimited characters can play, if easy specials are allowed (the 2nd joystick can be mapped to use moves) and such.
The online isn't very kind to newbs. You get kicked out of games if you're lower level and such. It's tough starting out, but you'll catch on. You'll get better, beat other newbs, then get respect and start to rightfully pwn people.
This game isn't for everyone. Some people will find it too weird, or too hard to learn, or prefer 3D fighters or such. However, I would recommending just checking it out. You never know. It took me a while to get into it.+ Unique Characters
+ Lots of customizations
+ Active Online
+ Good Online system
+ More or less balanced
- More or less balanced
- Newbs are picked on
- Hard to get into
- Story is lacking
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger gets a 4.3.
360 version also gets a 4.3
