New BlazBlue slated to uppercut your console

Aksys Games announced today that it%26rsquo;s bringing an arcade sequel to the well-received 2D fighter Blazblue home to Xbox 360 and PS3. Developed by Guilty Gear vets ARC System Works, Blazblue: Continuum Shift promises three new characters, new gameplay modes, and a host of new moves and stages.

Alongside your standard tutorial and character-specific challenge modes is a beginner mode %26ndash; which our pride will no doubt keep us from trying %26ndash; as well as Legion Mode. This feature, introduced in the PSP version of Blazblue, enables players to %26ldquo;take over Kagutsuchi%26rdquo; by defeating enemy armies. If it takes its cues from the PSP version, this means you%26rsquo;ll be savagely bludgeoning opposing fighters until they decide that joining you is preferable to being beaten to death. As you conquer enemy strongholds you%26rsquo;ll color in an area map, because coloring = compelling gameplay. Especially if it involves extreme bodily harm.

The first Blazblue appeared in a crowded market but shone because of its strategic depth and unique feature-set. The question facing the sequel is whether it adds enough to the original formula to warrant another purchase. We%26rsquo;ll discover the answer (and figure out what the hell a ?-12 is) sometime this summer.

Mar 19, 2010