When first launching the Aksys' PlayStation 3 title, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, and indulging in the lengthy cut scene that prefaces the story mode, one might walk away more than a tad confused and wondering what that all meant … especially when you then dive into the stories of the 10 characters featured.

The word “esoteric” comes to mind.

There is a scientist conducting an experiment that might fly in the face of The Library (which comes across as the government that controls everything with a tight fist) and then certain radiations fly off the meter, something in space opens to reveal a somewhat formless monster that sends beams of energy toward the planet and everything is wiped out.

Somewhere along the line, once you dive into the characters, you get the idea that the stars are realigning and it could mean the end of the world as the people thereupon know it.

And then you get to meet the quirky characters and discover that the static images that served as the backdrop for the voice-over narratives that drove the story are merely the central pieces to what amounts to a side-scrolling, two-dimensional, button-mashing arcade-style fighter … and that is meant in a very good way.

You see, what BlazBlue brings to the table might be a storyline with a host of unusual characters (the vampire princess Rachel keeps popping to mind, with her pets that somehow balloon out and deliver attacks), each with a storyline that melds together to form a much more complete picture. On their own, the stories are obscure and perhaps a bit convoluted. But the more you play through, the more it all starts to make a bit of sense … in an odd way.

BlazBlue is not prototypical of the genre, to be certain. This is built for the next-gen console and graphically it takes advantage of what the PS3 is capable of rendering – gorgeous colors and screens awash with color all without noticeable stutters in the framerate. ARC System Works is the developer behind this title – a studio responsible for the Guilty Gear series

The disk sent for this review was for the PS3 test unit and online multiplayer was not available. But even though, there was a ton here to explore. This is a game that has several ways to play, from the offline versus and score attack, to online network. There is even an arcade setting that will enable players to go head-to-head with the computer AI with the 10 different featured characters. And yes, there are unlockables along the way that keeps the game fresh and drives players along.

At first blush, players might dive into a character in the story mode and wonder what the cut scene is about – it is that obscure. But then you meet other characters and the combat begins and there is little time for rumination about the story line. The fights are highly-polished affairs that used the hot buttons and the left analog stick. Even without a manual, the controls seemed intuitive enough to allow success early in the stories of the characters, but you really need to understand the character and the controls associated with each of their attacks to succeed down the line. And BlazBlue is not one of those games where you keep both feet on the ground and pound on your opponent until their health bar zeroes out; rather the attacks can be on the ground, using combinations of high and low attacks or you can go aerial and deliver some pretty devastating attacks as you drop down on your opponent. It is all about timing, and that means it is – in the larger sense – a reflexive exercise

While BlazBlue is a 2D fighter, drop any thoughts that it means this game looks old-school. In the basic sense, perhaps, but BlazBlue is graphically gorgeous, and the music that underscores the entire game is very well done. The voice work can be a tad hit and miss, especially when delivering some of the dialogue that seems to come straight from left field or the realm of Random.

Make no mistake about it, BlazBlue is a very well-crafted game. It has depth of play, which translates to replay value, and is a treat for the eyes and the ears. Guilty Gear fans would do well to check this out and anyone who wants to play a genuinely well-done 2D side-scrolling fighter will find this a treasure.

Gameplay: 9.0
There are a number of modes to play and the characters all play differently, which really adds to the depth of the game. The controls are very easy to understand and players should be able to jump in and go quickly.

Graphics: 8.8
It’s two-dimensional, but the graphics vividly leap from the screen. This is what a 2D side-scrolling fighter should look like. Some of the character animations were not as fluid as they might have been, and perhaps there are more cut scenes than most gamers might like, but the static screens with the narrative worked to give the game personality.

Sound: 8.5
The musical score is very good but the voice work stumbles a bit at time (like in the exchange between Rachel’s butler-type supporting character and the creature he chats with at the start of that level).

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 9.0
Esoteric or simply very imaginative – BlazBlue may blur the line between the two but manages to deliver a solid gaming experience that delivers a lot of gaming.

Multiplayer: 8.5
Online components were not able to be tested and the versus mode is what one would expect – fast paced and ‘in-your-face’ rewarding.

Overall: 8.9
Who would have thought a 2D side-scrolling fighter could look this amazing on a next-gen system. Well, obviously ARC did and they delivered with the heir apparent to the Guilty Gear franchise. BlazBlue is said to be tapped to take over from Guilty Gear but whether it does or not, this is still a game that any self-respecting console-fight fan should play.