Bleach: Soul Resurrección Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

System: PS3
Dev: SCEI
Pub: NIS
Release: August 2, 2011
Players: 1
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence

Though the single-player content is certainly compelling, I couldn't help feeling that this game was sorely missing a multiplayer versus component. Pretty much every anime-inspired game ever has had a two-player brawling mode, and it really baffles me why a game that is so focused on single-player button-mashing couldn't at least have tacked on a multiplayer mode. The battle system is there, and the game feels incomplete without a way to play against local friends.

Bleach: Soul Resurrección Screenshot

Visually, Bleach: Soul Resurrección looks pretty good. Character models are very detailed, and animations are smooth. The only issue is that some of the environments look barren at times. Though the world of Hueco Mundo is supposed to be a barren wasteland, I would have like to see more than just the same old rock or statue dotting the landscape. Sound in the game is also something of a mixed bag. While the voices in Japanese and English sound great, the background tunes are very repetitive and are incredibly low-quality. This is another area where my experience with other anime games may color my judgment, as I've come to expect high-quality music in my games. But unfortunately, Bleach: Soul Resurrección does not deliver in this regard.

I don't know whether the instant nostalgia this game made me feel for the Naruto series (specifically the Sony-exclusive Ultimate Ninja series) serves this game for better or worse. On the one hand, there is plenty of crossover between Naruto and Bleach, and having a familiar-feeling battle system and format certainly helped me jump into the action quickly. But on the other hand, I would have really liked to have seen Bleach's first effort on the PS3 to have been something truly unique. Though Bleach: Soul Resurrección is undoubtedly a fun game, it does not live up to its potential, and could have been much better overall. Still, if you've been waiting years to play a Bleach game on something that's not a portable, you'll have plenty of fun with Soul Resurrección.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Senior Contributing Writer

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.4

Graphics
Character models look great, but levels are a bit too sparse.

4.0

Control
Controls are simple and easy to learn, especially if you've played the Naruto series.

2.4

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Voiceovers sound great, but music is very low-quality.

2.9

Play Value
Both the story mode and the mission mode are fun, but the lack of a brawling-focused multiplayer mode hurts play value big-time.

3.5

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

A Massive Free-Roaming Cel-Shaded Action/Adventure - The incredibly popular anime and manga franchise comes to PS3 as an action-packed free-roaming adventure with silky smooth animations, beautiful anime-inspired cel-shaded visuals, impressive enemies, and breathtaking special effects.

First Console Game for the Huge Anime Mega-Franchise - With over 65 million copies of the manga sold and over 1 million in US DVD sales, Bleach is one of the most popular anime series in the world, and Soul Resurrección marks the IP's first console game.

21 Playable Characters in the Mission Mode - Bleach fans will certainly not be left wanting more, since the game has much more to offer!

Customizable Character Leveling System - Unlock status enhancements and add special abilities through a customized "Character Map" for each playable character.