An Action Roguelite Done Right: A BlazBlue Entropy Effect Review

By Al

Players: 1 (Local) 2-14 (Online)
Platforms: PC

There seem to be no shortage of action roguelite games these days, as we've covered quite a few of them recently here at A-to-J. While they all feature similar gameplay, the good ones have elements that set them apart from other games in the genre. Enter BlazBlue Entropy Effect, a game that includes characters from the popular BlazBlue series. This game is developed and published by Chinese studio 91Act, and was recently made available in a 1.0 version following an earlier Steam Early Access release. It's this full release version that we're going to be looking at today, so let's just dive right into it!

He's such a cute little guy!

Mai became my main character.

The story of BlazBlue Entropy Effect is so confusing that I'm pretty sure I'll get a lot of points wrong if I try to explain it. This is mainly due to the piecemeal fashion it's told to players, but also because the story is arguably far beyond what is needed for a game of this genre. Making matters worse is the fact that I know very little regarding BlazBlue itself, so I can't even tell you how, or even if, this game connects to the main series. You play as a rather cute ACER Robot who I don't think has a name. You're tasked with taking various avatars into a VR simulation called ACE. I believe that this simulation is meant to prepare for some sort of retaking of the planet that has been infected by the titular Entropy Effect. Along the way your ACER Robot discovers that there might be more than meets the eye to the entire ACE project, and you'll also come across video logs that show what transpired before the game began. While there's more that I can discuss here, it will probably make this section of the review far too long. What matters is that the facility you're in seems solely focused on the ACR training and it's this ACE VR setting where the action takes place. It's also where the BlazBlue characters are, and you're able to play as favorites of the series like Ragna the Bloodedge, Jin Kisaragi, Noel Vermillion, Mai Natsume, Hakumen, Taokaka, and more. There are a total of ten characters in the game at the time of writing, but I believe there are plans to bring more in over time. Each of these characters might have their own stories within the greater BlazBlue universe, but they are more of a means to an end here. The ten characters serve mostly to help your ACER Robot complete tasks set forth by his bosses in the within the ACE training. Simply put, they are only avatars as far as I can tell. I tried to look up where the game falls in the greater plotline, and only managed to confuse myself even further. Though it's my understanding that this is a non-canon side game, BlazBlue proper has lore so complex that I bet fans can easily work this into the main series if they so desire. I guess what I'm getting at here is that the story is rather confusing, and very hard to follow whether or not you already know anything about BlazBlue. While I do find the game's story very intriguing, I found myself wishing that it told a story apart from the BlazBlue series. While I guess that's exactly what it's doing, I mean that this game might've benefitted from creating ACE avatars from scratch. I'll circle back around the last point later, but I think it's time to move on in the review.

Noel was second favorite though.

The combat here is great.

The BlazBlue series is mostly composed of fighting games. There are some other genres tackled in other spin-off titles, but the average fan will probably only be familiar with the 2D fighting games. As mentioned at the top of the review, BlazBlue Entropy Effect forgoes the fighting game genre, and goes the action roguelite route. While the game puts you into the shoes of the ACER Robot first, the game doesn't really start until your first ACE training session. You first run starts by selecting unlocking a single character. This is actually a very important choice as it takes a long while to unlock them all. While I still haven't managed to do so myself, I have unlocked all the characters that best suit my play style. That's actually what's most important, as you're going to want to pick characters that you think can get you far. You can learn a bit about each character before you unlock them, and you'll want to pay attention to things like Noel's use of long-range weapons, Jin's more technical attacks, Es' slower but stronger blade, Mai's quick combos, and anything else that could potentially help or hinder you in playing the game. Once you choose a character, you enter several areas that are broken up into smaller sets of rooms. Each room typically has an elemental theme to it when you choose it, and this theme determines what upgrades are offered to you once you clear it. There are dozens of upgrades in game, so while I can't cover them all, I'll try to mention a few important ones. Some upgrades can add bonus attacks to your normal moves, such as launching fire when you dash, stunning enemies with lightning whenever you use a special skill, or even leaving a status effect like poison on enemies following a combo. Nearly all of these upgrades can be leveled up if you pick up more of the same, and they can also be replaced if you decide one isn't working for you. Other upgrades also exist that affect how your character plays. These upgrades usually come in the form of new special moves or combos, but can also be upgrades that make the game noticeably easier. My personal favorites are the ones that increase the i-frames when you jump or dash. Basically doing either of those gives you a second of invincibility, and you can upgrade that so it lasts a half-second or two longer. In between some rooms are event areas where you can gamble your life bar for a buff or two, spend points you've acquired for items and stat upgrades, and lots more. It all might sound a bit complicated laid out like this, but it makes for a well-rounded system that allows you to boost nearly every aspect of your character.

Enemies in BlazBlue Entropy Effect come in many varieties, and are unique to each of the areas they are located in. Though quite the unique bunch, it's probably these enemies that stand out the most when compared to the BlazBlue characters. I think great care was put into modifying the BlazBlue models so that they wouldn't stand out too much within the game, but seeing them fight wolves, samurai, tree people, sandworms, and so on, can be a little jarring at times. Back to stages, some of them have hazards you have to avoid, and there is even a way for your current character to succumb to the Entropy over time. Each character has a set HP and SP. HP refers to the life they have available to them, and the SP is used to pull off special moves and combos. Watching your life bar is most important though, as SP will actually refill over time. While your life can be upgraded through various means, it's not uncommon to see it drained after a handful of bad encounters. You can recover life by using your limited healing items, or by visiting a rest space in between rooms. This makes things a bit complicated if you're near death though, as you must clear a room of all enemies if you wish to be able to leave it. While this does mean you can't simply speed your way through touch sections, it is a normal mechanic seem in other roguelites. I didn't mention it earlier in my discussion of upgrades, but you're actually given two or more options regarding where you want to go after you clear a room. These can be the special spaces like rest, exchange, and so on, or they can be more the aforementioned elemental-themed rooms. Since there will always be more elements than room options, you'll often be forced to take on rooms that won't help your current character build. In rooms like this you can forego getting an upgrade for getting more points. These points are also received from defeating enemies, and can be exchanged for things like more HP, more SP, extra healing items, the removal of debuffs, or even direct healing. While there is probably a set number of rooms you must go through to complete an area in full, I never really bothered to count in any of my runs. All I can tell you is that you'll often get an event/rest/exchange combo right before an area's boss. This is a roguelite of course, so that means you often have one of two (and sometimes more) bosses to take on. These sometimes ended a run prematurely for me, as I feel that some bosses are inherently more difficult to beat than others. This difficulty spike may be irksome if you're knee-deep in a long run, but I appreciated the challenge it offered.

Some character upgrades.

Fire elemental upgrades.

This is a roguelike, so that means each run you play will be different than the one that came before it. There are several options that change how any run will play out. First off are the difficulty options. I love that the game caters to players of all skills, as you can make the game quite a bit easier if you're having trouble by altering damage taken and some starting stats, or set it to an even harder difficulty if you think the game isn't punishing enough. I went for the easier options early on, but I found myself gradually returning to the standard settings once I got a firm grasp on the gameplay. Next up are the permanent upgrades you can unlock by talking to the Octopus Robot near your main spawning location. There you can increase base HP, as well as unlock various modules that grant permanent buffs. There's a limited amount of these that you can equip at any one time, but you can definitely tilt the scales in your favor if you choose the right ones. Lastly, there's the game's Legacy System. Besides the upgrades that you unlock permanently, or those you changed through the difficulty settings, each run sees you start as the base form of the character you're choosing. Naturally this wouldn't make for much of a roguelite, snice nothing notable is carried over, so you're allowed to equip two "Legacy" versions of characters for each run. The Legacy character roster is made up of character builds you've previously used in ACE training. Basically each time you end a run, either by finishing it or by dying, you're given the option to save that particular version of the character you were building. This snapshot of the character keeps some of the upgrades you've earned, and bestows them on whoever you set them with on the next run. You're also able to add them in any combination, with no limitations beyond the number of Legacies chosen. If you want Mai to get the skills you got from runs of Es and Ragnar, you can easily do that by selecting their Legacies, or vice versa. This system is far too complicated to explain in a few sentences, but it makes for a system that is so customizable that I almost want to say that the character build options are endless. Though I think BlazBlue Entropy Effect gets nearly all of its gameplay elements correct, it's the Legacy System that I feel sets this game apart from most others I've played.

Before we leave talk of gameplay, I want to talk about how one finishes a run, and a bit more about the core gameplay loop. Each run culminates in you taking on a unique area called Omega. I'm not sure what this area is meant to represent, but it's a place where the game suddenly becomes a Metroidvania. You're given various health and item pickups throughout, you have a map you can access from terminals, and you must traverse a maze-like series of rooms, making your way to the final boss at the end. These areas are probably the single most difficulty part of the game due to the fact that most rooms in Omega are extremely tiny and don't offer a lot of space to maneuver. You also don't have the luxury of taking a break or healing between groups of enemies. While my first time in the Omega ended rather quickly, I did discover a tactic that worked for me. I will admit that said tactic is rather cheap, but it works. In short, I simply ran through each and every area, jumping and shooting in every direction I could, carving the fastest path to the boss portal at the end. Though it wouldn't take long for a string of enemies to be following me on my journey, I just keep moving instead of fighting. I'm not sure if the game was meant to be played this way, but I can testify that it meant that I never failed a run in this area again. Either way, it's a lot of work to get to that final boss, so let's talk about those encounters a bit. I don't want to spoil the reveal, nor do I truly know the importance of their placement quite yet, but Omega sees you face yet more BlazBlue characters outside of the ones you can play as. I briefly mentioned the bosses earlier, and I have to remind you that they're all rather generic, even if they do look cool and impressive. While none of the regular bosses are from the greater BlazBlue series as far as I could tell, the ones you find in omega are exclusively other BlazBlue characters as far as I can tell. This random addition at the end helped to remind me as to the odd state of this game. While I've only covered the ACE VR part of the game, you do spend a lot of time as your ACER Robot avatar. These sections are odd, and pretty much exist only to drive plot forward, or to spend the credits you earn from the main game on upgrades to the characters, or even to your ACER Robot themselves. This odd split made me wonder if there was a time when this game didn't have the BlazBlue license, and what it would be like if it stayed an original project. I have no idea if it ever existed as that at all during its development, but the BlazBlue trappings seem so thin that I'd imagine it had to be at some point. Once again I don't want to make it seem like this game is doing anything wrong, but things like the Omega section made me feel like I was playing several different games hastily stapled together. They all might be great games in and of themselves, but the differences between them can be hard to ignore sometimes.

A clip from the dark story.

The difficulty options.

Even though I repeatedly raved about the gameplay mechanics and customization, I have to say that it's the visuals where BlazBlue Entropy Effect really shine. Simply put, this is one of the most beautiful games I've played in recent memory. Everything about it looks amazing, and I'm surprised that it ran without a hitch on my computer setup. I'm not sure if it's just optimized well for PC, but I didn't experience a single issue with the game during my review period, and I don't exactly have the most optimal computer build out there. I can go on and on about the graphics, but I want to point out the awesome character models and great lighting in particular. Though part of me wonders if the game is using resized/reformatted models from the fighting games, I must say that all of the game's characters have extremely smooth animations. Each move blends perfectly into the next, and their fast and furious attacks never ceased to amaze me. Then there's the game's lighting. While there aren't many different areas to explore within the ACE training, they each have their own unique look and feel. The darkened city streets, and the Sakura areas look like they're ripped straight from a dystopian world not unlike what the game is set in. Then there are other areas like the outdoor gardens that look bright and colorful. Even the darkest places are lit beautifully, and show off an attention to detail I wasn't expecting to find. The only small slight I can give the game is the fact that the enemies mostly don't look like anything you'd find within the BlazBlue series, but all of their designs were so neat that I stopped caring after a while. Even more impressive than the enemy designs are the bosses themselves. Each is large, imposing, and feature animation that rivals that found in the BlazBlue characters. I want to point out the Defiling Eye in particular, as I think he's the most impressive boss of all, complete with all sorts of eldritch horror greatness. There is literally nothing I can find to complain about when it comes to graphics, and while it may be argued that they aren't exactly perfect, they're very close to it as far as I'm concerned.

Continuing the streak of amazing things in BlazBlue Entropy Effect, I'm going to talk about sound next. I was so impressed by the music here that I had to pick up the game's soundtrack so I could add it to my video game playlists. There isn't a single weak track in the bunch, and the game skillfully moves from blood-pumping extremes in the ACE training areas, to more subdued vibes when you're traversing through the research facility as the ACER Robot. It's not just music though, as the sound effects and voice acting are top notch too. Sound effects are just spot on perfect, and we also have an English dub for the game. I often complain about independent releases foregoing voice acting to their detriment, so it's refreshing to see a game include it for once. Some of the performances bring the world to life, and this is especially important since a lot of the dialogue goes to literal robots. I honestly think that the story wouldn't be nearly as compelling as it is if players were forced to read it all in silence. Even though I called it an English dub earlier, it's worth mentioning that while the BlazBlue characters are fully voiced too, they retain their original Japanese voice acting. I'm fairly certain that this is due to the developers simply using the already-existing assets from the fighting game, but it was a slight let-down that they weren't freshly dubbed as well. Even though I don't think that they'd be better off with English-speaking voice actors, I have to admit that it's a bit immersion-breaking that they're the only ones not speaking in the same language as the rest of the cast. This is a rather small point to make though, and I only do so for the sake of being thorough. Outside of that small gripe, the sound is as near perfection as the graphics are.

Some point exchange options.

The final Omega area.

The fact that BlazBlue Entropy Effect offers new infinite replayability, and sports the low price of just $19.99, is just wild to me. There is more than enough content to justify twice that price, though I guess a low price means that more players will be willing to pick it up. Also, the total cost of the game might technically change in the future if we continue to get more DLC down the line. All that aside, there's a lot of game here for fans of the roguelite genre to enjoy, and maybe even some extra lore for BlazBlue enthusiasts to pick through. Perhaps it's because I was never the biggest fan of the BlazBlue series, but I quickly realized that I enjoyed the game most when I didn't think about the characters ever existing outside of this game. I just put the idea in my head that this is their first appearance anywhere, and I found that I was enjoying the game a lot more. I'd imagine longtime fans of the BlazBlue series might have more issues with the game than I did, but I didn't really find total enjoyment until I stopped wondering things like: "How does this all tie into those fighting games again?", and just started enjoying the game for what it is. Thankfully what it is happens to be an excellent action game that has tons of customization options, awesome graphics, amazing music, and a story that's great in its own right, even if it doesn't have anything to do with BlazBlue proper. There's even an entire multiplayer mechanic that felt too overwhelming for me to try out in time for this review, but it seems to be lots of fun from the little I've seen about it online. There's a big game for you players of all types to enjoy here, and I can't wait to see what they add to it as time goes on.

Just one of the amazing bosses.

Me trying to understand the story.

I think it's fairly obvious that I whole-heartedly recommend BlazBlue Entropy Effect. It's a must-buy for fans of the roguelite genre, and I even feel that it's a great entry point for newcomers too. Its difficulty options and customization make it very accessible, and it's a game you can play for hours and hours on end if you let the gameplay loop take you over. The only people I think might have issue with the game would possibly be BlazBlue fans, but I think even the most hardcore can find enjoyment here as long as they're not expecting the next chapter in Ragna's storyline. Pick this one up now, and thank me later. As for me, I have another ACE training session all queued up and ready to go! See you there!

Check Out BlazBlue Entropy Effect on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2273430/BlazBlue_Entropy_Effect/

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Story: A-
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A+
Music/Sound: A
Value: A+

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A great 2D roguelike that adds a lot of unique elements to the expected formula.
+ Though this doesn't seem to completely tie-in with the greater BlazBlue lore, it does offer a compelling story of its own.
+ The sheer amount of customization options and random elements mean that it'll be quite a while before you see everything the game has to offer.
+ Each of the game's ten characters play very differently from each other, and all offer their own pros and cons.
+ The action is fast, smooth, and intense. This could just be an amazing action platformer if it didn't have the roguelike elements.
+ The music and graphics are simply amazing.
+ The Legacy system offers a creative way to keep building on the best character builds for you.

Cons:
- There are some difficulty spikes that can make some areas/bosses feel far harder than others.
- Even though it's almost expected of the BlazBlue series, the story is a rather complicated mess.
- The randomness of what areas will come next can end some runs before they really get started.
- It takes a LONG time to unlock every playable character, so players will have to choose wisely early on.
- Though it can be fun to play outside of your comfort zone, some runs seems determined to not give you the upgrades you usually use.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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I guess Harambe lived in this universe.

#BBEE