BlazBlue: Continuum Shift

An excellent fighter for both fighting amateurs and steeled veterans. The numerous tutorials, challenges, and inclusion of the Beginner's Mode will help newcomers, while the deep fighting system will keep fighting fans busy.

It's only let down by a lack of fresh blood, but in terms of where the hammer falls, it still bangs the nail in cleanly. [Issue#102, p.117]

If you loved the original there is enough here to replace your copy of the first game, and if you passed the first time around there has never been a better time to dive in.

New characters, stages, modes, and story are just some of the reasons why BlazBlue fans should consider dropping the money on this "sequel."

While it may initially feel wildly different than other stables in the genre, the combat system of Blazblue: Continuum Shift quickly reveals itself to be logical, intuitive and in possesion of enormous depth. The mix of 2D fighters and 3D backgrounds is a little jarring, but otherwise Blazblue is a rock-solid fighter that plays as well as the household names.

Though there aren't that many new characters, they're a worthy addition to the lineup. Many of the new ideas and modes outside of the core gameplay fall flat - Tutorial is a great idea with some presentation issues - but the refinements to the combat ensure that BlazBlue is the slickest hyper-kinetic 2D fighter this side of Marvel vs. Capcom 3. And yes, the music is still awesome.

Contiinum Shift is what BlazBlue had to be since its release: well balanced, equipped with a full scale roster and with an enhanced move set. Unfortunately there's a lot of deja vu in playing the game that can't figure this second iteration as one of the best fight games of this gen.

A decent fighter with some truly unique and funny characters. Great visuals, good sounds, REALLY cheezy voice acting, but I think it's just weird writing and not the voice actors. Fighting mechanic is solid and work very well. Story mode is also pretty fun, but could have used a bit more depth for some of the side characters. The BlazBlue universe seems well thought out and deep enough to compete against other, already established, franchises. Overall: A very good fighter that just barely falls short of greatness. Perhaps a bit more depth and some longer cut-scenes.

Not a bad game! I played the first one with a slightly jaded mentality, but I went into this one with an open mind... and it turned out well! If you are tired of the way fighting games have been for several years, this is a refreshing twist. You will have to forget some of the stuff you learned from previous fighting games, as this game punished those who rely on cheap tactics.