Home

 › 

Articles

 › 

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Review for Xbox 360

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Review for Xbox 360

Still Blazing!

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger was one of the best fighting games of the past year and is a contender for the best newcomer to the fighting genre this console generation. Capitalizing on its success, BlazBlue has come out with a quickie follow-up to last year’s BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger. Part sequel, and part expansion pack, BlazBlue: Continuum Shift can be a bit of a challenge to navigate at first if you are a longtime fan. Still, this title packs plenty of features, and at a reduced price, is well worth picking up no matter what your experience is with the franchise.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift screenshot

The story mode in BlazBlue: Continuum Shift is the part of the game that is most like a sequel. It follows the exploits of all of the main characters after the events of the original BlazBlue. As the massive explosions triggered by the final scene in BlazBlue hang in the minds of the world, Ragna the Bloodedge faces a new challenge posed by a force other than the Librarium. Like Calamity Trigger, the story is told through character-specific arcs, each with branching paths and unlockable endings. The new story mode has at least twenty hours of solid, story-driven play time, and though the different arcs can be confusing to put together (I contemplated making a chart to keep all the plot points straight), the experience overall is satisfying and provides a nice dénouement to the Calamity Trigger story while leaving an opening for new sequels.

The new story is the hallmark of Continuum Shift and is clearly the area where most of the effort with this follow-up went. Like the first game, the story mode is fully voiced in both English and Japanese and features plenty of dialogue. However, I did feel that the large amount of plot in the game hinders its playability. Characters in the story mode would occasionally spend ten to fifteen minutes just talking about story events, which can become quite cumbersome as there are no cinema scenes (stoic character replications simply change their facial expression to react to dialogue), and simply mashing buttons for long periods of time to get through long stretches of dialogue can get really boring.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift screenshot

Still, despite the dialogue-heavy plot, the story mode feels fleshed out and even sees the return of the “Miss Litchi” bonus modes. However, once you are finished with the story mode, there is plenty more to discover in Continuum Shift. The Legion mode from Calamity Trigger portable has been re-made for Continuum Shift and allows players to experience a survival-style mode that uses a board game format to advance the action. The overall format is reminiscent of the story mode in Final Fantasy: Dissidia and features different paths players can take to complete the mode.

Another new mode in Continuum Shift is the Challenge mode. This mode is designed only for the most hardcore BlazBlue player and features 300 challenges that require you to master every facet of your selected character, including combos, drive moves, and counters for success. Because the challenge mode is so intense, it is a mode that has limited appeal. Even though I have played both the console and handheld versions of Calamity Trigger, I felt unprepared for the Challenge mode at first.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift screenshot

However, the good news is that there is an expansive tutorial mode included with the game. Although this might not sound like a big deal, both of the original Calamity Trigger games omitted the tutorial modes, and the only way to learn how to master the battle system was to either spend a lot of time experimenting with button combinations or by watching a DVD that was bundled with the special edition of the game.

BlazBlue: Continuum Shift screenshot

The tutorial mode in Continuum Shift is in-depth and explains everything from basic drive attacks to the game’s improved counterattack system. Although the tutorial is quite lengthy, if you want to learn the ins and outs of BlazBlue’s battle system (as well as pick up on some strategy), it is a must.

If you are still not 100% confident in your abilities after going through the tutorial, there is also an all-new Beginner mode in the game. The Beginner mode doesn’t actually change the game, but simplifies the inputs so complex combos and drive defense moves are easier to perform. This simplified user interface makes the learning curve a lot easier to manage and can be switched on (or off) at any point in the game by pulling up the in-game options menu.

Aside from all these new features, there are several familiar aspects of the gameplay. The visuals (save for a few new locations) are identical to those in Calamity Trigger and feature the same immaculately detailed hand-drawn pixel look. Although there are a few new environments, all of the recurring characters feature the same design and look as they did previously. The audio in the game is also the same, with all of the voice actors from Calamity Trigger reprising their roles for Continuum Shift. The music features plenty of similar score elements, though there may be some new themes and arrangements in the mix with older music.

These improvements and additions to the gameplay make BlazBlue: Continuum Shift a great jumping-off point for new players, but the addition of the hardcore-only Challenge mode gives this game some much-needed balance. If you are a BlazBlue fan, there is more than enough new content here to keep you happy. However, the real treat here is if you have never picked up a BlazBlue game, the new tutorial and Beginner modes make this one of the most accessible fighting games I’ve played in recent years. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift is a great fighting game, and though it does have a lot in common with its predecessor, there are enough new elements to merit a re-purchase. If you haven’t played BlazBlue, Continuum Shift is an absolute steal at $40.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.5 Graphics
The pixel-based art is largely unchanged from Calamity Trigger, but still looks great. 4.3 Control
The controls are identical to the previous entry in the series, save for the Beginner mode controls. 4.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
BlazBlue’s soundtrack is just as awesome as ever. There are a few new arrangements in Continuum Shift, but most of the tunes are the same. 4.1 Play Value
The forty-plus hour new story mode, plus the new bonus modes and characters give fans a lot to play with. Beginner mode makes it easy for newcomers to jump right into BlazBlue. 4.2 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • A brand new story: Following the events of the acclaimed Calamity Trigger story, this new chapter introduces twenty-eight individual stories, voiced in both Japanese and English. BlazBlue: Continuum Shift offers twice the story content of its predecessor.
  • Seven new characters: Experience new characters including the sinister Hazama, the deadly Lambda, brutally efficient Tsubaki, and the ungodly power of Noel evolution, Mu.
  • Fifteen new stages: Featuring more of the gorgeous, detailed 3D backgrounds that give BlazBlue its unique style, the total battle arena count now stands at a massive twenty-nine!

  • To top