[11/15/06] Bleach 3 : Heat the soul

[L.S.D]

Game: Bleach 3: Heat The Soul

System: PSP

 

PSP do not have many fighting games. We do have fighting games from Capcom (Darkstalkers,

Street fghter series), Def Jam and Tekken. However, we do have another fighting game which is made

by 8Ring and published by SONY, which is the Bleach: Heat the Soul series.

This is a review on the 3rd installation of the series.

 

Graphics:

After 3 installations, you would have think that the graphics in the series will improve, right?

You are DEAD wrong. It seems that 8Ring is content with the graphics in the game and NOT MUCH

changes has been made since the 1st series. Not that the graphics is bad but improvements would be nice.

Pure laziness IMO. We are still seeing the same cel-shaded graphics, jagged edges, same old stages (with

some extras). The only addition that I managed to notice is the improvement on the shadows and some

minor changes (example is the trail of your powers executed) Not much to brag about here.

 

Graphics: 7/10 (pure laziness of 8Ring)

 

Controls:

let see, we have one button for weak slash, one button for strong slash, one button for jump,

one button for reisatsu (or Ki) and the shoulder button for Striker (helper ala KOF). Control are

quite responsive, but it is helped by the simple control in the game. You only need the up, down,

left and right movement corresponding with the correct buttons. No qcf notation, or down-forward

or down-back movement (except for up-forward for jumping). No complaint here.

 

Controls: 8/10 (responsive and simple control)

 

Sound:

The music in this game is mundane. I can't even recall one memorable bgm from this game.

And much of it are recycled from the previous installations. And we still get the usual sound effect

and cries and the sword swinging sound. The speechs are done nicely here. It seems that they

are from the same voice actors from the anime series. Pretty good stuff.

 

Sound: 8/10

 

Gameplay:

After 2 installations, you would think that there will be a big improvement to the 3rd one, isn't it?

Well, yes and no. First of all, there are no story mode in the game. Well, actually there is but it is

called Mission mode. In this mode, you will enact out all the fights in the anime series with certain

condition. For example, the battle between Ichigo and Zaraki Kenpachi. You will need to execute the

Striker, which is Zangeku at the moment, to help in the battle while Kenpachi is in Super Armour mode

(he didn't flinch from your attack, just like the anime!) This is a nice addition IMO. And your reward for

compelting each battle is a short snippets taken directly from the anime. Of course you will not understand

it since all is in Japanese with no subtitles This is the only fine point of the game.

Another new mode is the Soul Road mode. it is basically identical to Soulcaibur Mission mode where you

wonder around the map with a partner of your choosing. Basically you will enter battle with conditions

attached to it. The main objective is to raise your partner trust in you by winning matches. Doing this will

unlocked costumes for the partners which you can used during battle.

Oh, and we have more characters now. Basically every characters thyat we know of, even the

non-combatants like Nanao and Nemu. There are some omissions like Tousen and Unohana. Unohana

is an understanable omission since she did not fight in the anime, but Tousen? A big WTF omission as

we have his deputy in the game! And despite the huge roster here, the gameplay is ...LAME! Except for

Bankai Byakuya, Bankai Renji, Kurotsuchi Mayuri and Komamura (we get to control his huge ass Bankai!),

the rest of the cast play almost identically. Their combos are all perform almost identical which can always

be X,X,X,O,Square, Super power.... Pretty boring after a while. Would have wish they have more variety

in term of character fighting techniques. With mundane combos to perform, this almost kill the game and

a lot of people prefer the NDS Bleach which has inferior graphics but superior fighting system and combos.

If this is the first Bleach, it would be forgiven but this is the 3rd in the series. A tweak in the fighting system

would have been great and refreshing.

 

Gameplay: 6.5/10

 

Graphics : 7/10

Controls : 8/10

Sound : 8/10

Gameplay: 6.5/10

 

Overall: 7.3/10

This game should have been the first Bleach game on PSP. It would have gotten great review for it, but

with 3rd release, buyers can see that 8Ring has been lazy and only add more characters, few stages,

add a few clips from the anime and that's it. This is what I called a half-assed effort. Definetly not worth

the money for you to buy f you already have the previous 2 installations. Strictly for die hard Bleach fans.

Rent it first before commiting yourself to buy it.

[Wizard]

This game should have been the first Bleach game on PSP. It would have gotten great review for it, but

with 3rd release, buyers can see that 8Ring has been lazy and only add more characters, few stages,

add a few clips from the anime and that's it. This is what I called a half-assed effort. Definetly not worth

the money for you to buy f you already have the previous 2 installations. Strictly for die hard Bleach fans.

Rent it first befor commting yourself to buy it.

FUNNY, THAT'S HOW SOME(ALOT) OF PEOPLE SEE CAPCOM FOR!

[L.S.D]

But i would say Capcom has been doing great to PSP by releasing great conversion of old games. Megaman Powered up and Ghouls N ghosts are just the few example. Seems like they learn the error of their old ways

[Wizard]

I meant overall.

[Lucandrake]

Hey!! Lost planet owns you.

[L.S.D]

Another thing that i forget...this game is full of sexual innuendos.

Nemu has a super move where she practically perform oral sex on the opponent, come out with a satisfying smile and the opponent's crouch explodes! She also use her *ahem* below parts ala Shermie to throw the opponent. Mayuri has a throw move where he picks up the opponent by the leg and proceed to poke their buttholes with his sword...SEVERAL TIMES. Matsumoto has a winpose where she stroke the hilt of her sword as if she is stroking...u know. Also, sometimes she will pose while superimposing her already huge breasts as if asking you "is my breasts big enough?"