Crazy Train

Even after Peace Walker has been stopped in its tracks, the story of Naked Snake continues. Albeit, at a snails pace. I've listened to over an hour worth of audio logs, which do give a nod to Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, but nothing amounting to the desired introduction to the series' titular hero or other characters of interest like Frank Jaeger (Grey Fox). On top of that, Kojima Productions' latest masterpiece took a turn towards creepy after the conclusion of the main narrative arc. I won't spoil it for you, in case you ever decide to experience this classic yourself (which I strongly recommend that you do), but the multiplayer-minded multi-person Love Box is now, for me, a crime scene. I'll restrict my discussion of Peace Walker from this point onwards, however I will reiterate that this portable powerhouse (as per the High Horse Audit) is a Game of the Year contender. Avoid at your own risk.



Now, let's talk crazy. BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger crazy. As there are only 12 selectable characters I've decided to specialise initially. I have selected Bang Shishigami as my character of choice, and I'm glad I did. Not only is he a self-important ninja, Bang also employs a variety of moves that clearly demonstrate how BlazBlue is different to the competition. Bang can place markers in the area around him which, when jumped into, propel you across the screen in the direction in which you jump. This has both offensive and defensive conotations, meaning you can escape from attacks, or dash towards your opponent. He has a limited amount of shuriken that you can throw at enemies; meaning that projectile attacks are a luxury, not a spammable defense. I'm yet to fully acquaint myself with the fundamentals, but so far the experience has been enjoyable, even if it is slightly convoluted.

Forget about the story with this 2D fighter. It is a mess. It's even presented in a way that is brutally difficult to follow. You can have a screen worth of text with exposition and dialogue, with no indication as to who is speaking. If you don't have the volume, you wouldn't have any idea who is talking. The fights however are a wonder to behold, with a beautiful blend of 3D backgrounds and high-definition sprites. Colours abound, and lights flashing across the screen; BlazBlue is the fighting game equivalent of a fireworks display. The sound however, particularly when playing with Bang, is grating, painful even. His exclamations are tongue-in-cheek ("Opening!"), but repeat add nauseum. I can't wait to play this against human competition though, as the AI seems more than happy to accept my guess work on its chin.



Finally, the sexual inuendo (if it can be called that) present in BlazBlue is blatant to the point of making me uncomfortable. With a character referred to in tutorials and select story sequences as "Boobie Lady", sometimes I felt like asking Taokaka to settle. You can't grab a woman like that, it's assault. A redundant observation given that this is a fighting game, but the context is different to that which I am used to seeing.



Enough about amorous cat people. What are you guys playing this weekend?