Many fans of the genre awaited the arrival of Guilty Gear on the next-generation hardware, but Arc System Works decided otherwise, and instead the next incarnation of the Guilty Gear was born BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. A year has passed since the release of the game on arcade machines, and now, finally, she reached up to the consoles.
When just has information on the character in the game - and the first publicly presented Ragna and Jin - admirers of Arc System Works were surprised: both characters were extremely similar to Sol and Kai from the Guilty Gear series on the same studio. And, really, if judged solely on design, many heroes and heroines BlazBlue have their obvious "twins" in Guilty Gear. However, if we refer to the style of the game for them, comparing these in most cases would be inappropriate. And although the characters in BlazBlue a dozen in all (for example, in the same Guilty Gear Accent Core are 23, and in the console version of Street Fighter IV - 25), the choice may seem meager - all because the local fighters are very different from each other in terms of mechanics of combat. With regard to balance, on the whole he is pretty good, especially for the initial installation the game. Although some benefit is still received with good characters zoningom such as v-13, Arakoon and Rachel.
Mechanics itself is very similar to Guilty Gear, Many techniques have come from there. But without changes and innovations, of course, too, was not. Let us examine them in detail, because we all know that the best two-dimensional fighting game - not that that beautiful others, and one whose battle system is better thought out.
 | |  | From the local landscape is extremely difficult to look away. | | For an abundance of effects sometimes difficult to discern his character. We'll have to get used to. |
Interesting finding is the Guard Libra, a special scale, which, in effect, serves as Guard Gauge from other 2D-fighting games. Guard Libra - a kind of a pendulum or, if desired, scales: when one character is blocked, the indicator of the scale shifts in his direction, and when he reaches the end, the unit is broken and the character at a time will be defenseless. Barrier, analog Faultless Defense of Guilty Gear, with a separate scale just below the line of life. Barrier allows for blocking an opponent to push away, not to obtain damages through the block from superudary and does not change the scale of Guard Libra. In this Barrier is directly related to Burst - the last defender's argument: he throws an opponent to the other end of the screen, and works even when the opponent has already struck a block and strikes. However, after using Burst is no longer possible to rely on the Barrier, and the character gets about half as much damage - these effects last until the end of the round.At the bottom of the screen is the scale of Heat. It is filled with time in the commission of various attacking or defensive action and could be spent on Distortion Drive, particularly the strong reception of such usually one or two at the character. In addition, the scale of Heat can be spent on Rapid Cancel, cancels the final animation any impact. And finally, Astral Finish also uses this scale - a blow to instantly kill an opponent, but, of course, there are a number of conditions and restrictions: it must be the last round, the outcome of which determines the winner, the opponent has to be one-fifth (or less) line of life and your scale Heat is full.
 | Secret! |
In order for the Arcade mode to fight with Unlimited-Ragna version, you need to go through this mode without losing a single round, at least ten times Distortion Drive'om finish the round. The level of complexity and number of rounds in a fight do not matter. If the conditions clash with Unlimited Ragna become the eleventh. Regardless of the outcome of the final splash screen is not shown, but change the music during the final credits. For the victory over Unlimited Ragna given a trophy Welcome to Azure Nightmare. Its the same can be obtained by other means, until the end of pass mode Score Attack.
 | |  | Blue-black background indicates that someone has decided to use the Distortion Drive. | | But the presence of red-black background, says that someone has already sung a song: from Astral Finish is no salvation. |
In BlazBlue uses four control buttons. Of these, three are responsible for the attacks of various degrees of force, and the fourth assigned by the Drive, which varies from character to character. Drive - this is actually the main feature of the character. For example, selecting Charles, by pressing the "drive" you can control his puppet, and playing for Litchi - sixth. Taking Hakumena get interceptions, as did Rachel and commanded the wind. Besides the standard options for strikes «A», «B» and "C", each character has three basic attack - they are executed by pressing the direction "forward" and a button.
_thumbnail_w246.w247.jpg "BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger") | |  | Over the past with the release BlazBlue time was painted a lot of fanart and most popular of all the characters used, of course, Taokaka and Rachel.Among the host of papers and come across such that in no way inferior to the original illustrations. |
With regard to travel, then Blazblue offers a standard for 2D-fighting game set a new school: jump forward / backward, jump, double jump, superpryzhok and jerk in the air. All these techniques give great scope for the construction of an attacking game.
In general, the mechanics BlazBlue advocates attacking style: options for an attack very much, but for the passive action game immediately punished. If for some time you will not embark on some sort of attacks, will receive a Negative Penalty, and all the inflicted damage to you immediately multiplied by two. Get rid of this status can only be starting to play more actively.
The plot in the fighting game is not the most important, but the authors found BlazBlue surprise here. Listen. Sometime in the world come to the creatures of darkness and put humanity on its knees. But the world was saved by six characters, they have helped people create Armagus, the synthesis of magic and technology. After the war, to control the world by force Armagus was founded Novus Orbis Librarium (NOL), which eventually led to the stratification of society into those who could use Armagus, and those who could not. Conflict between sectors of society soon escalated into a civil war in which the NOL persevered, but entered as a proactive measure the death penalty for insubordination. And suddenly, after a few years after the Civil War, one of the branches of the Novus Orbis Librarium was destroyed in one day. This was done by Ragna, the protagonist of the game. Hoping to stop the terrorist NOL appoints his head a fabulous reward. It is believed that Ragna has Armagus incredible force, whose name is Azure Grimoire, or BlazBlue. And now, NOL, resistance and other forces are ready to go at all, just to get it.
For today's fighting games online mode - a relatively new thing, but it is actually mandatory. Arc System Work managed to make a great online mode. Prior to BlazBlue best option for XBLA and PSN was Street Fighter IV, and the quality of the connection BlazBlue in no way inferior, and the number of options is far superior. In Street Fighter IV, for example, you can create a room just for two players in BlazBlue maintained rooms for up to six people. The only thing that mars the overall picture - is the lack of a European release - for the Old World game has not even declared. So that European players have not yet so much and have to play mostly with American and Asian countries, with which communication is worse, and even a few time zones interfere.
In addition to the usual Arcade, Versus and Training, in the console version of the game mode was added Story Mode. The developers took the time to create it, all done at a very high level. Was taken as a basis for similar treatment from Guilty Gear, where to fight proposed in between the dialogue. Branching storylines were implemented already, but the forks themselves were not so much. In BlazBlue creators turned to its fullest: an unusually many branches, with the "bends" the way of plot now depend not only on the victory or defeat in the match, but even from the way that you have won. Besides, now available choices of action during the dialogue - although, unfortunately, not all heroes. Nevertheless, in order to pass the Story Mode for any one character to one hundred percent have pereprohodit it more than once or twice. Well, that does not always have to start from scratch - the developers made it possible to save after every battle.
 | |  | Selection screen characters very similar to the screen for selecting an earlier version of Guilty Gear. | | Without words it is clear that girls are something not to share, and let things drift is clearly not going to. |
With regard to the visual side, we can say that in the Arc System Works decided not to go on the way Street Fighter IV and Battle Fantasia, refused to use 3D-models, and drew the usual for 2D-fighting game sprites, and even in high definition. By the way, they look noticeably better than in the same King of Fighters XII, which is to console, meanwhile, have not even had time to get there. The entire animation is done on a very high level. Backgrounds are a mix of three-dimensional landscapes and inhabitants of the sprite game world. Very successful finding it seemed to us an arena made with effect sepia (in this case the characters can be selected in their appropriate coloring), it looks very stylish. Shock and accompanied by all sorts of colorful superpriemy effects that look is definitely very cool, but somewhat distracting at first game. However, with time to get used to the riot of colors.
Responsible for the music itself Daisuke Isivatari (Guilty Gear fans know how it's great, the rest will take our word for it), almost the entire soundtrack written by him. In style it is very close to the Guilty Gear, so if you like heavy guitar gash there, and it certainly will BlazBlue music for the soul.
In the U.S., in addition to the standard box has been released yet and the Limited Edition set. Besides the game itself, it contains a soundtrack on two CDs (in addition to original compositions, there are a few remixes from Oh No) and a specially prepared jointly with the portal IGN.com disc (Blu-ray for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 for DVD). In order to create the best players were invited to such a famous fighting game portals like www.dustloop.com and www.shoryuken.com. With their help, footage was recorded with a detailed analysis of the combat system the game, as well as analysis of all the characters - their features, game strategies and combos. In addition, players have recorded some demonstration fights among themselves, and these records have also come on a bonus disc - along with the trailers and even a glossary of terms used in the video. And some online stores, subject to pre-order, included in the Limited Edition also artbuk or energy drink Mana Energy Potion with appropriate packaging design.
Summarizing, we can say that the game definitely failed. What awaited fans of the genre from the embodiment of Guilty Gear on the next-generation consoles, they got BlazBlue.Newcomers will also be much easier to start from scratch than to try to understand the next incarnation of a long past evolution of the "old" fighting game. Most likely, this is the cunning of Arc System Works: to attract new fans, not frightening old.
The subsequent fate of the game depends, first of all, the popularity of the Japanese arcades. At this point, after a year, BlazBlue is one of the most popular arcade games - along with Tekken 6 and MSG: Gundam VS Gundam NEXT. So it is safe to expect if not the second part, at least, the expansion from perekroennym balance, new characters and maybe a few changes in mechanics. Fortunately, such amendments, part of Arc System Works has a great experience.
| Cross-survey |
Alexander Ustinov
Zam. Ed. DVD Editor
The best "is not old school"-D fighting game at the moment. Complex, beautiful, diverse (surprisingly, Story Mode has been very well-researched and interesting), so even with the excellent network code. Recommended as a hardened fighter, and those who are particularly seriously delves into the genre.
Alexander Antonov
Editor of DVD
BlazBlue - is not only the embodiment of concepts and ideas Guilty Gear series on next-generation consoles, but also one of the best 2D-fighting game to date. That there is only one thing that the Japanese arcade halls of the fourth part of the legendary Street Fighter series is inferior to the popularity BlazBlue!
Denis «SpaceMan» Nikishin
Director of ninja
BlazBlue - high-quality successor to Guilty Gear, which has, among other qualities, inherited from his noble ancestors, also successfully implemented an online mode that genre is very important. Many fans of 2D-fighting games have already announced their transition from GG and Street Fighter IV for the novelty of ArcSys.
Yuri Lewandowski
The operator of the Death Star
The man has never seen the series Guilty Gear, and distant from the world of 2D-fighting games, first look at BlazBlue, falls, or freak out or a perfect misunderstanding. But for any reaction you can not deny that we face is the most beautiful and one of the most thoughtful 2D-fighting game of all still alive.
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