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BlazBlue Continuum Shift Extend

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    BlazBlue Continuum Shift Extend

    Instead releasing Extend as a DLC like happened with Continuum Shift II, ArcSys decided that it needs a full retail release.

    Extended has unlocked by default all DLC characters (Makoto, Valkenhayn, Platinum), Mu (originally unlocked by completing the story mode) and a new character, Relius.
    There are two new single player modes, Abyss (introduced in the portable versions of BBCS2) and Unlimitedmars.
    In Abyss mode you chose a character and start a journey to the deepest part of Kagutsuchi City, gaining money and experience points.

    Money and experience points are a game-wide "currency": money is either used in Abyss to upgrade you character with special skills or in Gallery mode to open up extra artwork, optional announcers, additional colour sets and so on; experience points are simply gathered and they automatically unlock things in the Gallery.
    Both do not have any connection to online games, being them ranked or friend matches.

    In portable BBCS2 I wasn't particularly keen on this approach as you had to buy skills in Abyss mode to stand a chance (and even with a powered up character it was hard to keep track of an upgraded AI opponent) and the same currency was used in the Gallery to unlock extras, something I was much more interested in. I really hope that online modes give EXP and money too, because I don't plan to spend too much time playing solo.

    Unfortunately I wasn't able to test online because I wasn't able to find any opponent in ranked and they kicked me out in player mode the moment I entered a room. I'm using my Japanese PSN account and I was level 8 there and to my surprise I had to start back to level 1, though I must point out that I've never installed BBCS2 for my Japanese copy.
    Hopefully an US BBCSE will recognize an US BBCS2 profile without resetting level and PSR.

    Also BBCSE does not recognize previous savegames and if there isn't some hidden import option this is bad. I cannot hide I want to see the extra story scenarios included in BBCSE (when the US version is out) and in portable BBCS2 they were locked until the player completed certain characters' story mode. Please, ArcSys and AkSys, do not make me read through endless walls of texts. Please. I don't care about trophies (yes, there's a new set with new icons as well), but having to go through most characters storylines once again is just torture.

    Other than that, it's a rebalanced BBCS with a sightly different user interface and a new announcer. Standard announcer is Carl's VA and how can a Japanese VA pronounce Japanese names as if they were English names? Really, "Raguna da Bloodeyes" is understandable, "Ma-ko-to(4sec pause) Na-na-ya" is simply not. I don't say it's bad but some Japanese names are just pronounced awkwardly.
    There's the option for US voiceovers but that won't change the announcer...in the portable BBCS2 you could unlock the additional announcers through experience and money, I hope it's the same here.

    Relius Clover, the new character, uses a "doll" name Ignis, like Carl; but unlike Carl's Nirvana, Ignis is not always present on the battlefield and when present she always follows Relius around and there no "active" status where she consumes meter: doll meter is only consumed when attacking.
    Relius is on the slow, can dash and comboing necessitates use of his own attacks and Ignis. Ignis is also Relius' zoning tool, and all of his Drives aren't particularly powerful but set up opponents for combos.
    He has a pretty rad Astral that changes from character to character:



    I fully approve Litchi's version.

    When Unlimited, all characters have a new Drive that reuses existing sprites...tested Haku-men's new super Hotaru on Mu when playing arcade mode.
    More to follow after the first online matches (I hope!).

    #2
    think this is one update to far i was a big blazblue fan but having to put money down on the dlc characters then having to pay retail price which only has one new character and a few new game modes seems a bit much to me

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      #3
      I bought Makoto twice, that's about it. I just want to stay up to date so buying this is obligatory. BlazBlue is one of the new generation of fighters that I actually respect and have fun playing. I don't care for the game modes but do care for character changes and general balancing. Hakumen looks set to be a beast, after being dulled quite a bit in CS2.

      If you were just playing casually though yeah I see what you mean, best not to spend money on DLC though.

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        #4
        didnt get into the series, but trying again with the Vita version of this, if I get into it I'll get PS3 retail, but the current ?50 for it is too much...(imo of course!)

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          #5
          I were finally able to play online. Though connections were somewhat slow, there was no huge latency, except for the opening scene before the match.
          Previously I played Relius' arcade mode (offline) and tested out a couple of other offline modes and gained enough experience to get to level 5; to my surprise this level carries on to online matches, making, IMO, the level indication almost completely useless, as playing against the AI (which really likes to spam moves and behave in a very linear way) does not prepare for good human players.
          Levels gained online transfer to offline games, but no money gained.
          Characters for ranked matches are chosen when starting an online session, like BBCS2.
          The post-match recap has been modified, including how PSR is handled:



          I don't really know what the "20something" flag means...in fact, I'm sure only of what "AHsomething" means (Astral Finish), if someone could translate...

          The Unlimitedmars mode is just like Score Attack, only played entirely against Unlimiteds with you limited character.
          Abyss mode plays a little different than BBCS2, with several stages of increasing depth. They also revamped skills and apparently there are character-specific improvements on some special moves.

          Random thoughts on character balancing:
          Tao is fast. And has a lot more offensive options than before. Berserker Barrage (whatever her slashing Drive is called) is now probably invicible, or probably is just the startup. Unfortunately I've never met too many Tao players but this is probably gonna change.
          Tager got delayable Sledgehammers but right now these are hurting more than anything else. Fully charging a Sledgehammer will make Tager travel longer, but this takes time and in the three matches I've played Tager has been highly vulnerable to Lambda's B and C Act Parser IIs. A fully charged Sledgehammer however lets Tager to reach Lambda even with a j-backdash, negating some of her zoning ability. Can't wait to see how good Tager players do.
          Hazama has less time to confirm chains.
          Haku-men received some great changes. First, 4C is chargeable and while I suspect it will have the same effect as Tager's delayable Sledgehammers on inexperienced players, a fully charged 4C makes Haku-men move a good portion of the screen and has a huge hitstun. Renka (236B) now bounces on screen limits on the second hit and can be followed up with tons of attacks (Gurenn, Demoic Leg, 5 and 4C.
          Lambda is essentially unchanged, probably less damage dampening on her combos.

          Comment


            #6
            You can hold down C now to get the spikes out instead of mashing the button 8 times.

            Hakumen can also do stuff off of throws like in CS1 - like the 214A which you can do stuff out of too.

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