June 26, 2009 - BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is something of a dream game for me. Being a devoted follower of developer ARC System Works -- the folks behind the Guilty Gear series -- I was ecstatic when I first found out that BlazBlue was on the way. The oddly-named 2D fighter would serve as the (dare I say it) spiritual successor of the Guilty Gear franchise and preserve the developer's legacy for creating wildly imaginative, fast-paced fighting games with nice visuals. Although I was sad to hear that Guilty Gear might eventually bow out to the BlazBlue name, I was eager to get a fresh start. And now that BlazBlue is finally here, I couldn't be more pleased with the final product. BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is one of the most polished, fun fighting games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Although the game will have a much more limited appeal than mainstream powerhouses like Street Fighter and Tekken, this gem of a fighter really needs to be played by anyone even remotely interested in fighting games. There's almost nothing about this game that rubs me the wrong way and ARC System Works has thought of every little detail a fighting game fan could want. As a side note, the initial run of BlazBlue was all limited edition, but eventually the standard edition will make its appearance on store shelves when the limited versions are sold out. But the overall package is still very much worth the investment. BlazBlue has it all: awesome characters, stunning backgrounds, sweet music, tons of unlockables and -- most importantly -- enjoyable fighting. Like the 2D fighters before it, BlazBlue pits two characters against each other in a battle that takes place on a 2D plane. Anyone even partially familiar with Guilty Gear will feel right at home when playing BlazBlue, as the game not only borrows heavily from Guilty Gear's aesthetics but also feels very much like the "evolution" of the Guilty Gear franchise. While certain fighting games (such as Street Fighter and Soulcalibur) emphasize ground combat and more pointed, precise inputs, BlazBlue places tremendous stress on fast action and dashing, as well as plenty of aerial combat. Unless you're controlling a slow character (I'm looking at you, Tager), be prepared to play this game at a dizzying pace.
One of the things I love most about BlazBlue is how straight-forward the basic fighting engine is. Yes, there is depth to be found and the advanced techniques can be intimidating, but at its core, BlazBlue only has four buttons to learn. Attacks A, B, C and D. The "D" stands for "Drive," which is a special, character-specific attack that is -- essentially -- the "easy way to look cool." Attacks A, B and C are just normal attacks of increasing strength. Besides these simple attacks, you use the D-pad (or an arcade stick) to move around, duck, jump, and block. That's all there is to it. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg in BB Land. BlazBlue also features a host of advanced techniques that ARC System Works fans should have come to expect. By pressing back on the D-pad and holding A and B (The attacks, not the 360 buttons!), your character will put up a Barrier, which is a more effective way of protecting your fighter. You can also hit A, B and C together during a move to Rapid Cancel, which stops the animation of your current attack and allows your fighter to execute another move immediately. This sort of technique drains your Heat gauge though, which is the BlazBlue equivalent of a Power/Super/Tension gauge. Besides cancels, the Heat gauge also governs your Distortion Drives (super attacks) and Astral Finishers (a flashy instant kill), to name a few. As you can see, there's plenty to learn in BlazBlue, but that's what experimenting in the Training mode is for. If this looks like it's too much to handle, it's really not. BlazBlue is actually very beginner friendly, as basic combos can be executed just by hitting A, B and C in order. The Drive attack is a great way to perform a special move without any effort, and blocking soon becomes second nature. These are all one-button-press techniques, so I suspect that even beginners will have something to enjoy when they first start. Even when players do move on to bigger, better special moves, all the directional inputs are familiar: circle from down to forward on the D-pad, circle from back to forward on the D-pad, etc.
These responsive mechanics are complemented by a veritable sea of other gameplay elements that make BlazBlue such a fun experience. No fighting game is complete without a great cast of characters and once again the designers at ARC System Works have given us a memorable roster. Yes, these characters borrow heavily from their Guilty Gear predecessors, but they've been given a life of their own thanks to their very distinct personalities and their unique Drive attacks. Positioned as the poster children of the BlazBlue universe, Ragna, Jin and Noel are arguably the game's star characters. The strangely adversarial relationship between Ragna and Jin echoes the classic tension between Guilty Gear's Sol and Ky. This time, however, the roles have been seriously reversed, as I'd say that Ragna (the successor to Sol) is the hero and Jin is the "villain." I love these characters and how fun they are. From the distinguished vampire girl Rachel to the over-excited ninja Bang, there's just too much personality for one disc.
This online functionality is made even sweeter when you realize that you can save match replays and watch them in the Replay Theater I mentioned above. Replays can be viewed at normal speed, sped up, or frame-by-frame, which is a great option for the hardest of the hardcore that want to study a troubling loss (or startling victory). The only problem with these replays is that you can't rewind them once you start -- you have to boot them up again. A minor complaint, but a complaint nonetheless. The only other real issue I can call out in regards to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is the game's limited appeal. Although I personally think everyone should give this game a go, I know that the zany character designs and speedy combat might not suit everyone's tastes. For me, I was right at home the moment I landed on the main menu. For others, they might see the giant, disproportionate Tager and question the game's (lack of) logic.
Closing CommentsHonestly, there's no way I could describe everything I love about BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger because I would be writing a novella. All you need to know is that this has become one of my favorite fighters of all time and the level of polish and detail this 2D wonder has is amazing. The character designs are excellent, the fighting mechanics are top-notch and there are even extra animated scenes that feature chibi (super adorable) versions of the characters talking about the BlazBlue universe.
I know BlazBlue is only targeting a certain type of fighting game fan, but I think the mechanics are cool enough to entertain anyone even remotely interested in the genre. I'm sure that once the community gets its hands on this game, the true test of balancing will begin and issues I might have missed might come to the surface. With that said, there's no escaping the fact that I had a blast playing BlazBlue and I encourage everyone to buy a copy.
It's something of a dream game for me, you see.
One of the things I love most about BlazBlue is how straight-forward the basic fighting engine is. Yes, there is depth to be found and the advanced techniques can be intimidating, but at its core, BlazBlue only has four buttons to learn. Attacks A, B, C and D. The "D" stands for "Drive," which is a special, character-specific attack that is -- essentially -- the "easy way to look cool." Attacks A, B and C are just normal attacks of increasing strength. Besides these simple attacks, you use the D-pad (or an arcade stick) to move around, duck, jump, and block. That's all there is to it. Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg in BB Land. BlazBlue also features a host of advanced techniques that ARC System Works fans should have come to expect. By pressing back on the D-pad and holding A and B (The attacks, not the 360 buttons!), your character will put up a Barrier, which is a more effective way of protecting your fighter. You can also hit A, B and C together during a move to Rapid Cancel, which stops the animation of your current attack and allows your fighter to execute another move immediately. This sort of technique drains your Heat gauge though, which is the BlazBlue equivalent of a Power/Super/Tension gauge. Besides cancels, the Heat gauge also governs your Distortion Drives (super attacks) and Astral Finishers (a flashy instant kill), to name a few. As you can see, there's plenty to learn in BlazBlue, but that's what experimenting in the Training mode is for. If this looks like it's too much to handle, it's really not. BlazBlue is actually very beginner friendly, as basic combos can be executed just by hitting A, B and C in order. The Drive attack is a great way to perform a special move without any effort, and blocking soon becomes second nature. These are all one-button-press techniques, so I suspect that even beginners will have something to enjoy when they first start. Even when players do move on to bigger, better special moves, all the directional inputs are familiar: circle from down to forward on the D-pad, circle from back to forward on the D-pad, etc.
These responsive mechanics are complemented by a veritable sea of other gameplay elements that make BlazBlue such a fun experience. No fighting game is complete without a great cast of characters and once again the designers at ARC System Works have given us a memorable roster. Yes, these characters borrow heavily from their Guilty Gear predecessors, but they've been given a life of their own thanks to their very distinct personalities and their unique Drive attacks. Positioned as the poster children of the BlazBlue universe, Ragna, Jin and Noel are arguably the game's star characters. The strangely adversarial relationship between Ragna and Jin echoes the classic tension between Guilty Gear's Sol and Ky. This time, however, the roles have been seriously reversed, as I'd say that Ragna (the successor to Sol) is the hero and Jin is the "villain." I love these characters and how fun they are. From the distinguished vampire girl Rachel to the over-excited ninja Bang, there's just too much personality for one disc.
This online functionality is made even sweeter when you realize that you can save match replays and watch them in the Replay Theater I mentioned above. Replays can be viewed at normal speed, sped up, or frame-by-frame, which is a great option for the hardest of the hardcore that want to study a troubling loss (or startling victory). The only problem with these replays is that you can't rewind them once you start -- you have to boot them up again. A minor complaint, but a complaint nonetheless. The only other real issue I can call out in regards to BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is the game's limited appeal. Although I personally think everyone should give this game a go, I know that the zany character designs and speedy combat might not suit everyone's tastes. For me, I was right at home the moment I landed on the main menu. For others, they might see the giant, disproportionate Tager and question the game's (lack of) logic.
Closing CommentsHonestly, there's no way I could describe everything I love about BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger because I would be writing a novella. All you need to know is that this has become one of my favorite fighters of all time and the level of polish and detail this 2D wonder has is amazing. The character designs are excellent, the fighting mechanics are top-notch and there are even extra animated scenes that feature chibi (super adorable) versions of the characters talking about the BlazBlue universe.
I know BlazBlue is only targeting a certain type of fighting game fan, but I think the mechanics are cool enough to entertain anyone even remotely interested in the genre. I'm sure that once the community gets its hands on this game, the true test of balancing will begin and issues I might have missed might come to the surface. With that said, there's no escaping the fact that I had a blast playing BlazBlue and I encourage everyone to buy a copy.
It's something of a dream game for me, you see.
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