BlazBlue [PS3]: Solid Fighting Game, Furry & Cosplay Fodder
Monday, November 23, 2009 at 5:45PM 
There is something to be said about a 2-D, hand-drawn sprite fighting game. Even more can be said if it is well made with accepted oddness to boot. In this age of first-person shooters and 3-dimensional sandbox games, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger holds true to the core values of what makes a great fighting game. Unfortunately, it holds on to a lot of the weird elements that turned fighting game fans off ten years ago.
I remember getting into Street Fighter III: Third Strike, Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and namely Guilty Gear XX years ago. This came as a result of having friends deep within the competitive fighting game culture as well as my cherished memories of playing any and all fighting games in the arcade. Barring rhythm games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, fighting games are still one of the few reasons why having two [or more] people face-off in person is still a necessity and a fine art in the gaming community.
Before I gush about how phenomenal BlazBlue is and supply a litany of reasons as to why you should own this new-age throwback to a relic, let us talk about why you should not buy the game. BlazBlue is completely weird just on a basis of how it is structured. The otaku and japanophiles of the world will love this game's story, but the average person will find every fighter's storyline quite indecipherable. During the beginning of matches, characters are talking over each other making an already silly-looking exchange become that much more bewildering.
While we're on the subject BlazBlue's characters, the wardrobe designs are absolutely bizarre and outrageous. However, the comical designs of the game seem to be even-handed. You won't find just women looking ridiculous in BlazBlue, but the men in this game are dressed just as emo and in some cases over-sexualized as well. I mean come on! There is a Zangief-type character named Iron who has muscles on top of other muscles to fight with his rocket fingers.
BlazBlue is not the most accessible game. Playing the single-player Arcade Mode to get use to the well-crafted and Street Fighter-esque fighting system is where most, if not all, button mashers will find a boundless amount of enjoyment. Since BlazBlue's release, the online community seems to be at a skill level that may turn the average person off. The online play is seamless and has minimal frame drops for those who are tired of playing with their friends or by themselves.
The Story Mode of BlazBlue is categorically unique. As stated earlier, if you like stories that are just as spasmodic and eccentric as say *insert Miyazaki film here* then you have a lot to enjoy. Sometimes almost too much to enjoy. Blazblue's Story Mode gives me hope that fighting game writing 'can be better'. There is evidence that so much time went into the animated movies, the localized dialogue, to the point where the makers [ARC System Works] spilled the Story Mode over into the Arcade Mode. Arcade Mode is essentially, "Story Mode-lite".
With all the freakish and jarring elements of BlazBlue, there is really a lot of depth to the game. Beyond its true-to-life anime art-style that harkens back to the Guilty Gear series, the game's mechanics remind me of how it felt to pick Ryu for the first time. BlazBlue is one of the few fighters, that actually 'feels good' to play. The characters, though ridiculous and really what fighting game [at this point] does not have a line-up of freaks, have their own personality and move-set that feels balanced. Through the anime-style, boob-jiggling, cosplay-homage, is a game that is worth being in any fighting game fans collection.
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger Limited Edition is the best way to go if you are interested in getting further into an anime-centric fighting game. The soundtrack has songs produced by one of my favorite beat makers, Oh No, and the art book will have both furries and cosplayers alike designing their best diggs for the next convention. Be warned, BlazBlue is not for gamers looking for logical character backgrounds and intelligible witty lines. It is just a weird looking, pretty game, but with fun and depth infused.
I give BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger...
The "I'm Yelling Whilst Cosplaying" Award
Reader Comments (7)
"2D games are still great, even in this age of 3D. They have a classical and nostalgic feel to it. Even though the graphics are not impressive the games themselves are simple and fun.
David Sparks
Game Podunk"
I'd disagree with the graphics not being 'impressive'. The graphical fidelity of Blazblue is reliant on its art style. When I look at how well the 3D art in say any of the last three Mortal Kombat games...I weep a little. On the inside.
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games like this inspired people to do cosplays, and why not the design of the characters are awesome, specially Noel Vermillion, this blond girl wake up the interest of girls and boys, in Japan is so common see cosplayer in the streets in a normal day, I hear that they can say their names, allegedly could lose their jobs only for assist to these events.
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