BlazBlue: Central Fiction is the latest entry in the series from Arc System Works. This sequel continues the story presented in BlazBlue Chrono Phantasma Extend and introduces a number of new features, characters and gameplay modes.
If you haven’t played any of the past BlazBlue games, then you should have no trouble jumping straight into BlazBlue: Central Fiction as it stands out on its own. While the story is continued from the previous game, Central Fiction has plenty of new content to make the newcomers learn the history as well as master the gameplay mechanics.
The game features a content rich Tutorial mode that explains the gameplay mechanics in detail. The tutorial is designed for newcomers to fighting games while also including the option for those who know the basics of a fighting game to learn the advanced combat mechanics featured in BlazBlue:Central Fiction. If you have trouble trying to understand the gameplay or how certain mechanics are executed, the tutorial can be a great help in this regard.
I don’t really consider myself a hardcore fighting games player but when it comes to BlazBlue: Central Fiction, I didn’t really face any difficulty in understanding the mechanics that were the highlight of the game. The in-game tutorials, as explained earlier, go through each and every one the mechanics in detail explaining their execution. If we are stuck, we can also play a sample of them in action which helps in clearing the confusion regarding some of the button execution.
We all have friends that might try to play fighting games with us but they usually end up playing them badly and in a way that makes the fight dull and boring, after all, how can they compete with our awesome skills. BlazBlue: Central Fiction has a different fighting mode called ‘Stylish’ whose purpose is to mitigate this issue. Basically if you suck at fighting games, you can pick this ‘Stylish’ mode and then start a flurry of cool looking combos with simple button presses. There is a downside to the specials executed in this mode, which is that they tend to do less damage than normal. This can be rectified by executing any special move manually with button inputs, which is a nice little addition to have in this gameplay mode.
Like any Fighting game, it is the content that determines if the game is worth picking up or not. The notorious Street Fighter V was criticized for its lack of content and gameplay modes at launch, and rightly so. The same doesn’t apply to BlazBlue: Central Fiction as it is choke full of content. Aside from the story mode, the game also features various versus and arcade modes that should keep the player busy once they are done with the story. There is also network mode for online battles if you prefer to challenge your skills worldwide.
The story mode of the game is continued from the previous game however if you are worried about missing out on the story, then you can also utilize the option to view a recap of the first 3 games. The recap does a great job in reminiscing the story from the past games and should take a decent chunk of time, majority of which will be spent in reading the story events leading to Central Fiction. We highly recommend to not skip it as it is crucial in understanding some of the story elements and mythologies presented in the game. The story loses its touch if we choose to ignore this recap and head into it without any prior knowledge of the past games.
Speaking of the characters, there are around 35 playable characters with their own unique style and action. If you play through the story mode, you might have a better understanding of their motive and backstory so it is recommended to play the story first, before you start with any other mode. That said, the game does a great job of balancing each character and making sure they have their unique traits so that the player is able to pick the one that fits their fighting style.
BlazBlue: Central Fiction is a worthy conclusion to the Ragna the Bloodedge saga and it carries one of the best story mode in any fighting game. The gameplay is highly addictive with its flurry of combos and special moves while the characters, of which there are a lot, all have likable personalities and unique traits that makes them stand out among others.
BlazBlue: Central Fiction is available now for the PS4 and PS3. It was developed by Arc System Works and published by Aksys Games. This review covers the PS4 version of the game.
BlazBlue: Central Fiction Review (PS4)
Summary
BlazBlue: Central Fiction is the final chapter in the Ragna the Bloodedge saga and it provides a fitting end to the story. The gameplay excels in its fast paced combat and the visuals never cease to amaze with their gorgeously drawn sprites. The game is well tailored for newcomers and fans alike.
