Trading Tradition for Roguelite Action
I’ve played a few BlazBlue games in the past, with them usually coming across as a fighting game, in the same vein as Street Fighter II et al.
However, BlazBlue Entropy Effect X from 91Act is a departure from the norm. Yes, this time we make moves towards the roguelite action game genre, while still remaining in the overarching BlazBlue universe. So, I guess in this review I’ll be trying to find out if this diversion is a good one, or if they should they have stuck to virtual fisticuffs.
A Whiff of Dead Cells
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X provides a strange feeling of deja vu. You see, there is a hint, a whiff if you will, of Dead Cells about the way this game looks and moves. This is reinforced by the choice of including the Prisoner, the protagonist of Dead Cells, as one of the unlockable avatars you can acquire in the game.
As you can probably guess given the previous sentence, BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is basically a 2D side scrolling platform action game, and has an appealing hand drawn look to both the avatars we choose and the enemies that we fight. The backdrops are also well designed, and each level that we dive down to has its own look and enemies to fight, so you are constantly on your toes.
The real joy of the game is the way that the avatar of your choice responds to your inputs: the speed and acrobatic abilities make even the most ham fisted reviewer (hello there”!) look like a gaming god as they battle their way through. The moves that can be pulled off look great, and the bosses are also well designed and just a bit overwhelming, exactly as they should be.
Sound and Fury
Sound is also very well done, from the fantastic battle sound effects and perfectly judged music, through to the well acted voice overs that are in the between dive segments. The voice work as a default is in Japanese, and this suits the game perfectly. All in all, everything here is very good.
A Bonkers Tale of Amnesiacs and Scientists
But why are we putting ourselves through this, I hear you ask? Well, there is a story, and it is bonkers, so brace yourself.
We are an amnesiac, a plot point I’ve never seen used in a game before, and when we awaken, we are surrounded by a bunch of doctors. Not medical doctors, mind, but a bunch of scientists here to try to prevent the end of the world. Yes, The Lab, as the hub area is known, is researching the Sea of Possibility, home to Shards of Possibility: these can apparently avert the end of the world. The plan then is to dive into the sea, fight a load of enemies, grab the Shards and extract – what could be easier? Oh, and for a little bit of extra spice, we are the only being that dives into the Sea, so no pressure.
Mastering the Avatars
The gameplay is excellent. As mentioned above, the way that the fighting takes place is superb, with more than a hint of the Dead Cells influence: jumping, dashing, attacking, the way that you can chain attacks together is fluid and more importantly, fun.
However, our character can’t dive into the Sea of Possibility as they are, sadly, and so we have to utilise an avatar. Now, there are twelve different avatars to choose from, all with a different fighting style, and so this adds a good deal of replayability to the game. Your avatars get stronger the more you use them too, with abilities that can be carried over from run to run, so the roguelite box is also ticked.
And, as a final piece of information, you can also inherit traits from one avatar to another, allowing you to take a bog standard avatar and make them stronger before you ever set foot in the Sea of Possibility.
Choice and Consequence
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is always changing as well, and no two dives are the same. As you finish a level, you are presented with choices as to where to go next: from rest levels to recover HP to fights that can increase the maximum HP and MP, through to shops where we can spend the Exchange Points we accumulate.
All in all, a wide range of things to try out, and this goes on until finally we reach the boss of the level. Taking these hulking creatures down is always easier said than done, but should we manage it, we can then go to the next level down. Rinse and repeat, and then die. At the end of a run, you are given a score and the chance to choose an ability to keep hold of.
Of course, the enemies aren’t just going to lay down and die, and of course, we all need help sometimes, and here is where the multiplayer system comes in. Now, don’t think you’ll be wandering around with a buddy from the start of the game. Oh no, you have to earn the ability to team up by completing a few solo dives. Once you have the option unlocked, I can report that the co-op (both online and couch flavours) works really well.
A High-Octane Fusion
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is a very good game, with a massive amount of content to go at. Each run is different, the number of avatars to unlock and master adds to the longevity a lot, and for the most part, there is a fast, fluid and furious game to be found here.
With Game Pass play from the outset, it’s a bit of a no brainer to be honest. If you like a roguelite or a BlazBlue game, this is a great fusion of the two.
Important Links
Stylish Roguelite Action – BlazBlue Entropy Effect X Is Now On Xbox And Game Pass – https://www.thexboxhub.com/stylish-roguelite-action-blazblue-entropy-effect-x-is-now-on-xbox-and-game-pass/
Download from the Xbox Store, through Game Pass – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/blazblue-entropy-effect-x/9N8H4RRSRV2S/0010
