– Advertisement –
Anime/Manga is an unusual but well-loved genre/art form. Its OTT nature and crazy characters are adored the world over. However, I’m not the biggest fan, and I admit that I don’t always understand the finer points of each franchise. As such, when I was given JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R to review, I didn’t know much about it. I understand the original was released in 2014 and this iteration adjusts the gameplay tempo while incorporating Part 6 Anime voice actors. As such, fans of the original and the Anime series will love what they see while being familiar with the action.
Developed by CyberConnect2 Co., Ltd and published by Bandai Namco, this is a fast-paced fighting title. Like many of its peers, the gameplay crosses many modes and allows for competitive tournaments with friends and random players. What’s more, there are a vast amount of characters to select, many powerful moves to perform, and the artwork is distinctive, colourful, and unbelievably striking. Sadly, though, I can’t say how close it is to its TV series counterpart, or indeed how much it has moved on from its predecessor. As such, I will review it solely on this experience and the action that unfolds.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R confused the hell out of me.
I guess one major downside of being unfamiliar with each franchise is how easy it is to lose yourself in the crazy action. Consequently, I spent much of my time scratching my head while randomly selecting which character I liked the look of most. Subsequently, I’m not entirely sure I got the best out of each mode, nor am I sure which fighter is the greatest. But I had fun nonetheless.
With many options to choose from, you are truly spoilt for choice. The main area of focus is the All-Star Battle Mode. Here you can fight new characters with the roster from the original game. This gives you a whopping 50 characters to choose from, and the developers have done their best to incorporate every JoJo arc. What’s more, you can enjoy seeing different characters from each story fighting in each universe.
Furthermore, the All-Star Battle mode spices things up with a range of special conditions and various settings to enjoy. Accordingly, fans of the original will experience a fresh approach to this updated title. As a newbie to the series, I loved the challenge that this posed. Instead of being a simple fighting game, you had to focus on different methods if you wished to win.
Challenging fights and online fun
The All-Star battles push you much harder than many of its peers. Not only are you awarded gold for your victory, but there are special missions to complete, special rules such as continuous health refills, and an array of difficulty settings to overcome. If you can somehow get through all of that, you will complete each panel and eventually, you will fight a boss battle. With 8 parts to overcome and unique themes for each one, you won’t tire of what you see.
However, this is only one part of the game. Alongside this, you’ll enjoy an arcade mode, online mode, versus, practice, and a gallery. Each of these options incorporates slick and tough fighting at its core. You’ll love dodging, blocking, and attacking your opponents as you fill your power bar and unleash almighty special attacks. The blend of “standard” combat and unusual magical powers was interesting to experience. Consequently, veterans of the genre will enjoy the devastating combination of each approach as they vie to be considered the best JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R player.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R looks incredible.
Even if you don’t follow the franchise, you’ll love how fantastic JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R looks. The character models, backdrops, and animations are unbelievably striking. I was amazed by how great the game looked and how flawless the action was. Furthermore, though I rarely comprehended what was going on, I couldn’t help but admire the brilliant artistry. If you are a fan of this Anime series, you will adore every battle and the detailed backdrops that you experience.
On top of this, the wonderful audio is in keeping with the theme and the art style. With original voice acting and no dubbed scenes, this is as authentic as it gets. Moreover, the Asian-inspired soundtrack adds to the energy and authenticity. I loved the eccentric character’s screams, the loud and obnoxious sound effects, and the impossible-to-understand voice overs. Subsequently, it added to the confusing nature of the game, but it didn’t matter. I adored the madness as the gameplay benefited considerably.
Practice makes perfect.
Thanks to a fantastic tutorial and the inclusion of a practice mode, you’ll have the fundamentals mastered in moments. Furthermore, the well-laid-out setup and responsive controls make this an absolute pleasure to play. Yes, there is a distinct element of button bashing, but I cared not. It was fantastic to lace together ungodly combos, even if I barely knew what I was doing. I can imagine veterans will adore the levels of complexities that were otherwise lost on this relatively inexperienced player.
With 50 characters to pick from, plenty of modes to select from, and a massive All-Star Battle option, this will keep you busy. The main mode alone has 100+ battles of varying styles and difficulties. What’s more, the online mode is fantastic if not a little brutal. The community is passionate about both the genre and the theme and consequently, they love to kick your ass. Therefore, if you love to be tested, then this is the game for you.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is an excellent but unusual experience.
You could argue that a veteran of the genre should have reviewed this. However, my unique viewpoint will align with many gamers. Though I love the genre, my lack of understanding of the JoJo series will be shared by many. Fortunately, though, if you can accept the madness of the story, you’ll enjoy a loud and unusual title that will tick many boxes. It is for these reasons that I recommend you buy it here! Will you be able to defeat every fighter you encounter? Pick your champion, fight your opponent, and complete every special task demanded of you.
