Okay so the console version of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift comes out in a few days for Japan and a month from now for America, in light of this fact I figured I’d make a thread for the discussion of it. Aksys games (the American publisher and translation team) recently posted an FAQ of what we can expect from the console version and it can be found here.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQh1EW3-tAI There are a few other trailers lurking around too.
Some general information:
What is BlazBlue: Continuum Shift?
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift is the second game in the BlazBlue series, it’s a 2d fighter with high resolution 2d sprites and the spiritual successor to "Guilty Gear". The gameplay looks like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiVz5...eature=related . Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of BlazBlue is the fourth attack button which is named "Drive", every character's Drive ability is unique to them and works entirely different to any of the other characters'. The drive system means that even with a much smaller cast then many other fighting games BlazBlue has more gameplay variation then most other fighters out there, no characters feel like clones of each other (Outside of story mode of course :smallamused:).
How are we for characters?
Old Characters: Spoiler (Images)
SpoilerRagna The Bloodedge
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...-bloodedge.jpg
A complete rush down character, most of his special moves consist of exotic ways to angrily throw yourself at the opponent. He regains a small amount of health every time he lands a Drive hit.
Character Theme: Rebellion
Boss Form: Black Onslaught
Versus Jin: Under Heaven Destruction
Versus Rachel: White Requiem
Versus Hazama: Nightmare Fiction
Jin Kisaragi
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...n-kisaragi.jpg
Jin is really your standard 2d fighter character, he can Hadoken, Shoryuken and Tatsumaki-Senpū. What sets Jin out from the rest of those characters though is that his Drive ability freezes opponents in ice giving him ample time to use a devastating combo. Also he now has a counter attack super.
Character Theme: Lust SIN
Versus Ragna: Under Heaven Destruction
Versus Noel: Imperial Code
Noel Vermillion
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...vermillion.jpg
Do not let appearances fool you, Noel is not very good at ranged combat, instead Noel uses those hand guns for Gun-Kata. Noel is a rush down character with fast hits and lowish damage, her Drive ability "Chain Revolver" places her into a state where she can do chaining combos.
Character Theme: Bullet Dance
Versus Jin: Imperial Code
Versus Tsubaki: Memory of Tears
Rachel Alucard
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...el-alucard.jpg
Rachel is quite a versatile character, she can put up arena traps in the form of lightning rods, she can summon a pumpkin projectile that she shoots at people and a frog called George XIII that zaps people. Her Drive ability lets her blow herself/the enemy/George XIII and the pumpkin around on wind. She was top tier but has subsequently been nerfed quite hard.
Character Theme: Queen of Rose
Versus Ragna: White Requiem
Carl Clover
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...arl-clover.jpg
Carl fights with himself and the puppet at the same time. Carl himself is weak however when he begins combo'ing attacks between himself and Nirvana (the puppet) he can be quite devastating. His Drive ability allows him to control Nirvana.
Character Theme: Marionette Purple
Bang Shishigami
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...shishigami.jpg
The man who fights in the name of love and justice... The one and only Bang Shishigami! Bang is an amazingly hammy and highly visible ninja, his Drive ability grants him attacks that automatically block some incoming moves and grant him a "seal" every time he lands the hit. When he has four seal's gathered he can unlock his incredibly manly super mode. Apart from that bang boasts a high health and high mobility with short range melee attacks due to the fact he fights basically unarmed.
Character Theme: Gale
Fu-Rin-Ka-Zan Theme: Beat a Nail With Your Hammer
Hakumen
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...bb-hakumen.jpg
Hakumen is an odd character. Rather then gaining Heat (What the game calls the 'Super' bar) the way the other characters do, instead his Heat gauge is split into 8 Magatamas that are used up by all his special moves, unlike the other characters he continually gains heat over time (in the form of Magatamas) from the very start of the fight. His Drive ability allows him to counter attack melee moves that strike him during it's activation period.
Character Theme: SUSANOOH
Arakune
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...bb-arakune.jpg
An annoying bastard that's very hard to hit. His Drive ability puts opponents in a curse state which allows him to continually throw bug projectiles at them.
Character Theme: Thin RED Line
Versus Litchi: Weak Executioner
Iron Tager
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...iron-tager.jpg
The game's grappler character, he has very low mobility but high health and hits for real soviet damage. His Drive ability allows him to magnetize opponents and pull them back into his range.
Character Theme: MOTOR HEAD
Litchi Faye-Ling
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...-faye-ling.jpg
Litchi is one of those "two stance" characters who has different moves depending on what stance shes in. Her two stances are Rod in Hand and Rod Placed and her Drive ability allows her to switch between the two and also fling the rod as a projectile as you go.
Character Theme: Oriental Flower
Versus Arakune: Weak Executioner
Taokaka
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...bb-taokaka.jpg
Taokaka is primarily a rush down character, she uses her claws as her primary weapon and her Drive ability can launch her around the screen in unpredictable patterns.
Character Theme: Catus Carnival
Nu-13
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...4th/bb-v13.jpg
Nu-13 is not present in this game she is instead replaced by Lambda-11. Nu-13's Drive ability summons sword projectiles to attack the enemy. She served as the final boss of the first game.
Character Theme: Awakening The Chaos (This version also has her arcade/story mode introduction song tacked on at the start).
All of the original characters minus Nu-13 are back, though some of them have undergone a lot of changes. We also gain:
New Characters: Spoiler [Images]
SpoilerHazama
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...-HazaCSArt.png
Has a short range but uses his Drive ability Ouroboros to compensate. Is also a smooth criminal.
Character theme: Gluttony Fang
Versus Ragna: Nightmare Fiction
Boss Form: Endless Despair
Tsubaki
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...x-TsuCSArt.png
Can spend time charging herself to make certain moves more powerful. Has some easy to use Multi-hit specials that can be made stronger if she expends a charge level.
Character theme: Condemnation Wings
Versus Noel: Memory of Tears
Lambda-11
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...ambdaCSArt.png
Replaces Nu-13 and has the same general attack style but with rebalanced move properties. She will instead show up as Nu-13 if you pick her unlimited form however she does not retain any of Nu’s special dialogue lines.
Character theme: Awakening The Chaos (Same as Nu's)
Spoiler (I don’t think this actually counts a spoiler anymore but I spoilered it out of politeness anyway). [Console Only]
SpoilerMu-12
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...px-MuCSArt.png
Poor Noel =(.
From what we can see she sets up turret like objects which she can then use to bounce lasers or explode as bombs, she is unlocked when you finish the true ending of story mode and is legal in ranked online matches so she’s designed to be a normally balanced character.
Gameplay video can be found here but the player is using “Beginner Mode” and is unfamiliar with the character so the video will not be very indicative of Mu's actual abilities.
Character theme: Sword of Doom
Makoto [Console + DLC only]
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...-MakoCSArt.png
Makoto will become available as DLC apparently in august, we don’t know much more then this yet except that she is apparently a short range rush down character and her Drive is called “impact”.
UPDATE: We now have a gameplay video of her-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA3B7GfhjWA
Character theme: Alexandrite
Platinum The Trinity [Console + DLC only]
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a.../5mh3jajpg.png
Platinum is a magic girl! :smalleek: Definitely the cutest of the six heroes, it will be interesting to see how her gameplay turns out.
Character theme:Mahou Shoj-Active Angel
Valkenhayn Hellsing [Console + DLC only]
http://i860.photobucket.com/albums/a...29wspqbjpg.png
Valkenhayn appears to be a werewolf and most like an 'expy' of Slayer from guilty gear, apart from that he's also Rachel's butler and one of the six heroes.
Character theme: Howling Moon
With the three DLC characters the roster goes up to 18.
On top of new characters the general gameplay has been overhauled from the first game giving us a new HUD, new burst system and *shudder* a new announcer.
Apart from that the console version has the return of all the Gameplay modes from the first game with the addition of three new modes: Challenge, Tutorial and Legion. It also includes an all new story mode with the English voice actors and cinematics.
As far as DLC goes apart from new characters there will also be the option to unlock the characters “Unlimited” forms via DLC if you don’t feel like doing it the old fashioned way and replacement announcer voices (you will want this one).
There is some kind of beginner mode that can be turned on in the console version which seems to streamline the controls though the details are quite fuzzy right now.
The US console version of the game will retail for $40 US and be available for both Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. The Japanese release date is July 1st and the American release date is July 27th.
================================================== =======
With all that said, is anyone else excited for this game? Anybody play the arcade version? Thoughts/Opinions on the game?
I mained Noel in the first game and my plan is to main her again in this game, I used Hakumen as my secondary but with all these funky new characters around we’ll have to see if I stick with him or replace him with someone else. I didn’t get a chance to play this in any arcades so I’m really looking forward to the console release even though the American version will be about another month.