BlazBlue is an HD 2D Fighting Game by Arc System Works, makers of the critically lauded Guilty Gear series. BlazBlue is the spiritual successor to Guilty Gear, sharing its ideals of crazy characters, crazy attacks, gorgeous graphics, and an amazingly deep and fun fighting experience.
Official Websites:
http://blazblue.jp/index.html
http://www.aksysgames.com/blazblue/
For more BlazBlue forum discussion:
http://www.dustloop.com/forums/
http://forums.shoryuken.com/showthread.php?t=147989
Release Date:
USA/CAN - June 30, 2009
JPN - June 25, 2009
PAL - March 3, 2010
Platforms: 360, PS3
Price: $59.99 US, $69.99 CAN, ￥7,140 JPN
Developer: ARC System Works
Publisher: Aksys Games
ESRB Rating: T for Teen - Animated Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence (CERO B)
Region Free?: PS3 version is region-free. XBOX360 version is NOT totally region-free. A JPN copy will play on a NA system in full English and vice-versa. In fact, the JPN and NA versions are identical. However, PAL 360 systems cannot play either a JPN or NA copy.
Prior to the events of BlazBlue, humanity was on the verge of extinction from the "Black Beast", a creature of Darkness. The world was saved by six heroes who wielded magic. They helped humanity create "Armagus", a fusion of magic and technology, to defeat the Beast.
After the war, the Novus Orbis Librarium Armagus (the Library for short) was created to govern the world with the use of Armagus. A great deal of dissent was caused by the Library, partly due to Armagus' use in nearly every facet of society, and the widening socioeconomic gap between those who could and couldn't use Armagus. This dissent would eventually form years later into The Ikaruga Civil War, when the Ikaruga Union openly rebelled against the Library. After the war, the Library imposed a harsher rule on the world, punishing any rebellion against the Library with the death penalty.
On December A.D. 2199, several years after the Ikaruga Civil War, a branch of the Library was utterly destroyed by an SS-class traitor named "Ragna the Bloodedge" also known as "The God of Death", in an attempt to destroy the entire Library. The Novus Orbis Librarium Armagus, hoping to stop him, immediately put the largest bounty ever for anyone who could capture him. Interestingly, Ragna possessed a powerful form of Armagus known as the "Azure Grimoire", also known as the BlazBlue. This led to the Librarium, as well as the Ikaruga Union and other fighters, to be after not just his bounty, but also his grimoire.
The almighty force managing the "Operation", in order to obtain absolute power over the world, is this man who has rebelled against the "Novus Orbis Librarium Armagus". Known as the "God of Death", a bounty for his elimination has been placed in all the regions populated with branches of the Librarium. Ragna is said to be a reincarnation of the Black Beast, and also possesses the Azure Grimoire, a powerful form of Armagus, thus leading others to be after not just his bounty, but his grimoire as well. He is also said to be "blood brothers" with Jin, although he refuses to forgive him for the way he made the inside of his left arm, which currently appears to be mechanical instead of having the usual bones inside it. In game, his tactics revolve around using his power and large sword to keep pressure on his opponents. His Drive Ability is known as Soul Eater, which is used to absorb the opponents life.
From a prestigious family, this man is a retainer of the Librarium's Kisaragi house. His class is Major. In the past, he had a distinguished military record during the "Ikaruga Civil War" that broke out, and was promoted to the position of Division Commander at an exceptionally young age. He is always cool and calm, though he is a deeply jealous, ambitious, and possessive person, with little care for others. He treats other people like a nuisance, with the exception of Ragna, who is said to be his "blood brother". His Drive Ability is known as Frost Bite, which specializes in freezing opponents.
Because of her outstanding combat ability and suitable operation evaluations, she was selected to be Jin Kisaragi's direct subordinate in her youth. The two were acquaintances in the Military Academy, though Noel thought Jin was extremely weak. However, on a certain mission handed down from the Librarium, her preconceptions were changed. During the Ikaruga Civil War, she was found amidst the burning fields of Ikaruga, where she was rescued, after which she was adopted by her parents of the Vermillion family. Her Drive Ability is known as Chain Revolver, which specializes in chain linking her combos together.
A blood-sucking vampire who is the head of the Alucard family, as the head of the family an enormous castle and a servant have been handed down to her from previous generations. She carries a cat-shaped umbrella called Nago and fights using a chubby, red bat familiar called Gii. She slipped out of her castle in search of fun because she hates to be bored. She also seems to be constantly following Ragna around, which irritates him and causes him to tell her to go home. Her Drive Ability is Sylphide, which allows her to manipulate wind.
A young lycanthrope of the Kaka tribe who live in the lower class part of Kagutsuchi. Her coat is equipped with massive paw-like hands that include long, retractable claws. She wants to get back the sky above her village that was sealed off with an enormous plate by humans who came to the land and started building a big city. She left her village in search of someone called Ragna after she heard that you could gain a lot of money for defeating him. Her Drive Ability is known as Dancing Edge: Reckless Kitty, which specializes at dashing at high speeds with a slash attack.
Originally the leader of a battle unit which revolved around physical combat, he was forced to withdraw from the front lines after sustaining a mortal wound in the Ikaruga Civil War. He was brought back from the brink of death at the hands of the scientist "Kokonoe" and revived as a cyborg, and is currently assigned to a combat unit under the direct control of Kokonoe. He seems to be pursuing Ragna, though his goals are entirely unclear. He is also shown to be working with Litchi Faye Ling, and apparently also knows about Arakune. His Drive Ability is Volttech Battler, which specializes in using electricity and magnetism so he can grab his enemies.
A doctor in the oriental part of Kagutsuchi. Apparently, she is vital to the town because of her profession and her knack for sensing others' needs. She is a subordinate of the scientist Kokonoe alongside Tager, and is currently chasing after Arakune, determined to put an end to his life if neither she nor her fellow subordinates of Kokonoe can change him back to normal. Her Drive Ability is Mantenbou, which manipulates her staff into attacking opponents by itself.
Once a man named Han who worked alongside Tager and Litchi, Arakune is an occult being that is constantly seeking knowledge. Its body consists of a mask-like face and an amorphous black and red body, which houses innumerable insects. Currently, it lives under the streets of Kagutsuchi. Because it needs to absorb large amounts of life force to continue its existence, it frequently attacks those of the Kaka tribe and humans alike. It also keeps a diary that it writes what has gone on during its life. Recently, it has sensed the presence of a being with unheard levels of life force, which has caused it to stir - namely, a certain "God of Death" posessing the Azure Grimoire. Its Drive Ability is Crimson, which curses the opponent to where several flying insects will attack him/her.
A ninja-turned superhero, Bang has dedicated his life to exterminating evil and overturning injustice wherever he goes. The scar on his face was given to him by Jin, whom he would like to get back at for that exact fact. His Drive Ability is Burning Heart, which places emblems for every fire punch he lands on his opponent. When four of them are replaced, he can then use his Distortion Drive, "Fuurinkazan", which gives him enhanced speed and strength, although he cannot block.
A young boy wearing a top hat who fights using a large mechanical maid puppet named Nirvana, an Ark-Enemy unit whom he refers to as his sister. He was once a student at the Military Academy alongside Jin and Noel, but he mysteriously dropped out while the other two graduated. Then, having heard of the bounty on Ragna's head, Carl decided to become a vigilante and go after his bounty on his own, with help from Nirvana. His Drive Ability is Auto Maton, which controls Nirvana.
(Boss) A samurai-like cyborg/robot who resembles Justice from Guilty Gear. Haku-Men was one of the six heroes who battled against and defeated the Black Beast. Afterwards, he was locked away in the area where the Sheol Gate was located beneath the grounds of the area. Haku-Men follows a code of honor, and says that his sword will purify the world of sin and vanquish that which is evil. Unlike every other character, Haku-Men does not possess a standard Heat Gauge. It is instead replaced by a unique gauge that gradually stores up to eight orbs, which are then used in varying amounts for his specials and Distortion Drives. His Drive ability, Zanshin, involves counter attacks.
(Boss) A Mecha Musume who lives at the Sheol Gate. Her name is pronounced as Nu. She is an Ark-Enemy unit with a personality that is split between a stoic battle android programmed to terminate hostile subjects and a sweet, pure, and innocent girl (the latter of which takes over when she's around Ragna). v -13- also seems to have a crush on Ragna the Bloodedge - which explains why she acts so strange when she's around him. Her Drive ability, Sword Summoner, revolves around attacking opponents with sword-like projectiles.
For more detailed descriptions and even more advanced techniques:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps3/game/958720.html
There are weak, medium, heavy, and drive attacks. Drive attacks are powerful, flashy moves. Standard blocks and throws (medium+heavy) can be performed. Your character can walk, dash, jump, air dash, backstep, or high jump. You can press any basic attack button in the air after being hit for a recovery.
BlazBlue's fighting system is very offensive oriented. While guarding is still available and the barrier system adds to your defensive toolkit, each defensive measure has a corresponding gauge that prevents abuse (turtling). Do NOT confuse "offensive oriented" for "button mashing". Because of the amount of tools and strategies available in the game, it's unlikely that button mashers will win many rounds.
Don't feel too intimidated by the number of possible moves in this game. The majority of them are actually quite easy to execute, and it's more about learning when you should use them.
Health Bar - Self explanatory. If you get hurt, it goes down. If it disappears, you lose.
Heat Gauge - The "super" meter of BlazBlue. It's used to perform Distortion Drives, Rapid Cancels, Counter Assaults, Astral Heat, and some special moves.
Barrier Gauge - Decreases when you use the Barrier technique to defend. When it depletes to zero, you enter a "Danger" condition in which you take 50% more damage.
Guard Libra - As each opponent guards, this gauge will shift left and right. If the Guard Libra fills up completely on one side, that player will be stunned temporarily. Avoid being punished by attacking offensively and knowing when to use Barrier!
Distortion Drive - BlazBlue's "Super" move. Uses 50% of the heat gauge. Opponents cannot use Barrier Burst during a Distortion Drive.
Astral Heat - Insta-kill move. Uses 100% of the heat gauge. The move can only be used when the opponent is at <20% health on the last round of the match.
Rapid Cancel - Similar to Guilty Gear's Roman Cancel. Uses 50% of the heat gauge. Lets you interrupt an attack animation to extend your combos and keep the pressure on your opponent.
Throw Escape - Use the throw buttons while your opponent is attempting to throw you to avoid the throw and the damage.
Barrier - By pressing back and weak+medium, your character defends using a protective shield. Uses Barrier Guage. Can be used to defend against air moves that would otherwise be unblockable, eliminates chip damage, and barriers don't count against the guard libra. However there is greater pushback and it takes slightly longer to recover from than a normal block.
Ukemi - In BlazBlue, an opponent can still hit you while you're on the ground. To avoid an attack while on the ground, tap a direction on the joystick and A, B, or C to perform an Ukemi (or Wakeup) to dodge and get back on your feet.
Barrier Burst - By pressing all attack buttons at once, you can interrupt your opponent's combo. Depletes Barrier Gauge to zero and you will enter a "danger" condition and take 50% more damage for a brief period. Cannot be used during Distortion Drives.
Instant Guard - By guarding just before an attack, your character will flash white to show that they have done an instant guard. With an instant guard, you recover more quickly and the hit back effect is halved. Instant Barriers can also be done with similar results.
Counter Assault - After blocking an opponent's attack, press forward weak+medium to attack back. Uses 50% of the Heat Gauge
Astral Finishes: All characters now have Astral Finishes in the console release, versus the 3 available AF's in the arcade release (Ragna, Rachel, V-13-).
Story Mode: The console release of BlazBlue includes a fully-fleshed out 30 hour long Story Mode that tells the tales of each character. The story is told using large character drawings and full voice acting.
Online Mutiplayer: BlazBlue will have online multiplayer, rumored to be using GGPO inspired netcode. Currently, BlazBlue's feature set for online is superior to any other fighter. You can set the room name, lobby capacity, # of spectators, rotation type, number of rounds, round time, astral heat, easy specials, voice chat, skill level, and connection quality.
Easy Specials: Similar to Capcom vs SNK 2 EO, beginners can use the right-analog stick to perform special moves. This can be turned off.
Dual Audio: Japanese and English voices are available for both regions.
Training mode: Pretty much a standard at this point, the console release has it.
New Art: New opening, new backgrounds, and new colors for characters.
PSP Remote Play: The PS3 version of the the game supports remote play. The game is fully playable using the PSP since a second analog stick and extra shoulders buttons are not required.
Achievements/Trophies:
http://www.xbox360achievements.org/g.../achievements/
http://www.ps3trophies.org/game/blazblue/trophies/
Shamelessly taken from NeoGaf: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365359
So is anyone excited for it to come out? I freaking can't wait! It's coming out on both 360 and PS3 on 6/30. If you pre-order, you get the limited edition at no extra costs.
