I'm really not into Fighters, but Blazblue is too good to pass up.

10th Aug 2009 | 1,815 views 

What I don't like about the Fighter genre is that in many cases, you can spend countless hours learning ridiculous combos and still get beat by some spasmic monkey, capable of mashing four buttons altogether.  Blazblue gets this and adresses it almost immediately.  Which is what I love most about it.

Story: I'm pretty sure the majority of people who buy fighters don't expect a plot.  That's why it bothers me when people are complaining about how bad the story in Blazblue is.  As a fighter, the story itself is quite original, and can even be thrilling at times.  Each characters have their own personality and connections to one another that really brings out the shine of the plot.  Playing through each story mode is really just staring at the same story with different outlooks.  However, each story mode can branch depending on the choices you make or whether you win a match or not.  Completing each character's story to 100% is definitely tedious, but why would you be doing that if the story is boring?  ;)

Gameplay: Blazblue functions as your typical fighter. (Though I guess I wouldn't really know.) There's your weak attack (A), your "mid" attack (B), and your strong attack (C).  What makes it different is that the fourth button (D), unleashes a special "Drive" attack that is unique to each of the 12 characters.  That simply means there are 12 completely different fighting styles in the game, and button-mashing won't make you a master.  Battles are quick-paced and you'll be on the edge of your seat very often, if you're into it.  There are special attacks to be pulled off called Distortion Drives, that can turn the tide in any battle.  And under special circumstances, characters can pull off Astral Heats which will immediately snag victory.  And of course you can't forget the many, yet simple lines of defense at your disposal.  Though I've come up with a rather lengthy list of mechanics, any newcomer to the game, or genre in my case, shouldn't feel too overwhelmed.  Of course, there are the characters that are quite complicated to use and can take weeks of practice to become competent.  But Blazblue awards your dedication by making you a terribly powerful adversary in battle.  Any Carl Clover mainer is aware of this. 

Design: Arc System really put a lot of effort into making this game gorgeous.  From the characters to their emblems, everything is very well-designed. Backgrounds for battles are full of personality and watching an Astral Finish is stunning.  Even the menus are beautifully done.   

Extras: Teach Me, Ms. Litchi.  Nuff said.

Overall: Blazblue is the kind of game that is accessible to newbies, yet strict for the hardcore.  There are multiple modes to play, and even more extras to unlock.  Even though there are only 12 characters, there's bound to be one that suits your style.  I could recommend this game to pretty much anyone who'd be willing to try a fighter.  I myself wasn't too interested at first, but after looking into more gameplay, I decided to give it a shot.  And I've been enjoying all the game has to offer.  To be honest, had they wanted to, the people Arc System could've made this beauty into an RPG.  But, of course, this genre works too.