 Title: BlazBlue: Calamity TriggerRelease Date: July 2, 2009
Genre: 2D Fighter
Rating: T for Teen
Platform: XBox 360
Publisher: Aksys Games
Developer: Arc System Works
Two-dimensional fighting games are one genre that I’m glad has survived the upgrades in video game technology. Excellent games like Guilty Gear XX and Street Fighter IV have proven that these fighters can hold their own against 3D fighters like the Tekken and Soul Calibur series.
Now, the developers behind Guilty Gear XX have made another 2D fighter, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, and while there are a couple of problems with the game, overall it is a solid entry in the 2D fighting genre.
To be honest, I couldn’t make much sense of the overarching plot of this game by playing it, but then again, fighting games are rarely dependent on plot to be enjoyable. According to Aksys Games’ website, however, BlazBlue’s plot takes place in the future, in the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi. The story revolves around Ragna the Bloodedge, a vaguely Inuyasha-looking character who is rebelling against The Librarium, an organization that regulates the use of Armagus (fusions of technology and magic). Ragna, who already has a huge bounty on his head, has gotten his hands on some powerful piece of Armagus called the Azure Grimoire, making him target number one for just about everybody in the city.
BlazBlue’s engine is very similar to Guilty Gear XX’s, so anyone familiar with that title should have very little trouble jumping right in. The action in this game is pretty straightforward – you’ve got the usual arsenal of special moves for each character, though there are some characters whose move lists seem too short for my tastes. In addition, you have a power gauge that regulates when you can use your super moves. You have a choice of 12 characters, which is sort of a disappointment after the large number seen in Guilty Gear XX, but there’s such an amazing diversity of fighting styles among the fighters, from speed demon to strategic combat that there’s still something for just about everyone here.
This game is also XBox Live compatible, giving you a nice pool of opponents to fight against online. Be warned, though – if you’re new to the game, prepare to get thrashed your first few times out, because the competition online is ridiculously good. Learn from them, though – even if you lose, you’ll get a good idea of what your favorite character is capable of.
While BlazBlue is a solid game, it’s not a perfect one. As I mentioned before, there aren’t as many characters as fighting game fans might be expecting, and as a result the game suffers from a comparative lack of depth, though the online competition keeps this from becoming too major a problem.
Depth issues aside, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is a solid fighting game and a welcome addition to any fighting game fan’s game library.
October 23, 2009
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