BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (Standard Edition)

"BlazBlue's online system puts titles like Street Fighter IV to shame, and the overall beauty of high-def 2D sprites put it at the top of the graphics department as well.  Dustin Chadwell, GamingAge.com
"It will take at least another year for the game's full depth to be discovered.  Hardcore Gamer Magazine
"Their work deserves attention -- and praise -- because it exceeds expectations and delivers a thoroughly well-thought out, pragmatic, and enjoyable online experience.  Richard Li, 1UP.com

IGN.com 9 of 10
BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is something of a dream game for me...Being a devoted follower of developer ARC System Works -- the folks behind the Guilty Gear series -- I was ecstatic when I first found out that BlazBlue was on the way. The oddly-named 2D fighter would serve as the (dare I say it) spiritual successor of the Guilty Gear franchise and preserve the developer's legacy for creating wildly imaginative, fast-paced fighting games with nice visuals. Although I was sad to hear that Guilty Gear might eventually bow out to the BlazBlue name, I was eager to get a fresh start. And now that BlazBlue is finally here, I couldn't be more pleased with the final product...BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is one of the most polished, fun fighting games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. Although the game will have a much more limited appeal than mainstream powerhouses like Street Fighter and Tekken, this gem of a fighter really needs to be played by anyone even remotely interested in fighting games. There's almost nothing about this game that rubs me the wrong way and ARC System Works has thought of every little detail a fighting game fan could want. As a side note, the initial run of BlazBlue was all limited edition, but eventually the standard edition will make its appearance on store shelves when the limited versions are sold out. But the overall package is still very much worth the investment...Honestly, there's no way I could describe everything I love about BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger because I would be writing a novella. All you need to know is that this has become one of my favorite fighters of all time and the level of polish and detail this 2D wonder has is amazing. The character designs are excellent, the fighting mechanics are top-notch and there are even extra animated scenes that feature chibi (super adorable) versions of the characters talking about the BlazBlue universe...I know BlazBlue is only targeting a certain type of fighting game fan, but I think the mechanics are cool enough to entertain anyone even remotely interested in the genre. I'm sure that once the community gets its hands on this game, the true test of balancing will begin and issues I might have missed might come to the surface. With that said, there's no escaping the fact that I had a blast playing BlazBlue and I encourage everyone to buy a copy. - Ryan Clements