EVO, the premier fighting game tournament, revealed its lineup for 2019 in a live stream yesterday. This lineup will have nine games, as has been the case of late, and will see the return of Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition, which should have been expected as this has been the case for the last three years straight.

More interesting is the rest of the lineup—Mortal Kombat 11 will be a part of the lineup, as will Dragon Ball FighterZ and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. SoulCalibur 6 gets a peek in as well, as does Tekken 7. On the more niche side, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, Samurai Showdown, and Under Night In Birth have all been confirmed for the stage as well.

Are you noticing what’s missing? For the first time in years, Super Smash Bros. Melee will not be a part of the main lineup. For years, it has continued to be showcased at the event, even alongside Super Smash Bros. 4. However, this year, it has finally been retired in favor of Ultimate, which suggests that there is a push to make Ultimate the successor to it all around.

For those of you who are curious, Street Fighter 5, Dragon Ball FighterZ, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be the Sunday games this year.

Dr. Breen – Half Life 2

When the Combine came down to take earth, it was the diplomacy of Dr. Breen that ensured that the human race would survive, if as a slave race to the aliens. Or were his intentions so noble? The unsettling tone and persona of Dr. Breen and his convenient appointment to Earth’s Administrator by the Combine really lean into suggesting that the good doctor screwed you and all of humanity for his own, selfish ends of ruling earth, even if it is as a defacto leader.

EVO 2018 saw a boat-load of big announcements, including the arrival of Cooler to Dragon Ball FighterZ. Arc System Works had a whole lot more to discuss, including the announcement of its Arc Revo World Tour, which you can see the trailer for below.

The Arc Revo World Tour is essentially a tournament with over $100,000 in prizes, and takes place from Fall 2018 to Fall 2019. Featured games include Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, BlazBlue: Central Fiction and BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, with qualifying tournaments to be held around the world.

But that’s not all. Arc System Works CEO Minoru Kidooka revealed that Guilty Gear director Daisuke Ishiwatari was unable to attend the event because he was “working really, really hard right now at the office on something Guilty Gear“. This could be interpreted in different ways, like new Guilty Gear content, possibly for Guilty Gear Xrd, or even a brand new game. At this point, it’s hard to say.

Regardless, Arc System Works does have new content coming to BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle, not to mention a beta for Dragon Ball FighterZ on the Switch, so there’s plenty to be excited for. What do you hope for the future of Guilty Gear? Let us know below.

To celebrate the Evolution Championship Series (aka EVO) 2018, a special weekend has been announced for some very big fighting games on Steam. Six games are available to play for free until August 6th, 10 AM PST, while also being discounted until the same time for those who wish to purchase them permanently instead.

The games in question include Capcom’s Street Fighter 5: Arcade Edition, NetherRealm Studios’ Injustice 2 and Bandai Namco’s Tekken 7. Arc System Works’ Dragon Ball FighterZ, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle and Guilty Gear Xrd – Revelator – are also free. Given that BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is a fairly recent release and critically acclaimed, this is your chance to try the game out and see if it’s for you.

Purchasing any of the above games in question will see save progress transfer over as well. EVO 2018 starts today and ends on August 5th. Though exhibition matches will be held for the upcoming Soulcalibur 6 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, pools for games like Injustice 2, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U are the main attraction. The finals, taking place on August 5th, will include these games as well.

The core of the crossover lies in the game’s story mode, which is called Episode Mode, and which sees characters from these four disparate universes come together, forced into an alternate dimension by some AI that wants to pit them against one another, and makes up the rules as it goes along. If that sounds completely nonsensical to you, don’t worry, it is- the story is absolutely absurd, and barely serves to make any sense whatsoever. Not only is it perplexing, it’s also unoriginal, following, in many ways, the story beats from Arc Systems Works’ own Persona 4 Arena games.

"In spite of these failings, the story mode largely works- viewed primarily as a lens through which to justify characters from these four series coming together for fighting game shenanigans, it does the job."

That said, in spite of these failings, the story mode largely works- viewed primarily as a lens through which to justify characters from these four series coming together for fighting game shenanigans, it does the job. There are four campaigns, and the story is told much like in a visual novel, though thankfully, narrative interludes are mostly brief. What truly makes this mode is the character interactions, as seeing not just your favorite crew get back together feels heartening, but also, seeing them interact with completely new characters leads to all sorts of fun moments. As a fan of Persona 4, seeing Yu, Chie, Yukiko, and Yosuke get back together was fantastic- and then seeing the ensuing character moments that came about once they started interacting with other characters made things even better. Sometimes, even the character writing can get cringey- for instance, the tendency of Arc Systems Works to reduce each of the Persona characters to just one gag is present in full force here too- but on the whole, the story mode works fine for what it is, especially viewed in context of what it is supposed to be.

The crux of the game, of course, is not the story mode or the plot, but the actual fighting, and it is here that Cross Tag Battle does a superlative job. Viewed in terms of the actual fighting, this may be Arc Systems Works’ best game yet. While their fighting games have traditionally had the reputation for being too complicated, Cross Tag Battle is their most accessible work yet, even counting Dragon Ball FighterZ or the Persona 4 Arena games. The game plays out as a 2v2 tag fighter; you get two primary attacks, one “tag” attack, and one “assault” special attack, as well as a “Distortion” super move. You get “smart” combos, where simply pushing the same attack button repeatedly once your blow connects can lead into a strung together without the need for complex inputs. Even without Smart Combos, connecting and stringing together flashy moves is easy, and extremely satisfying, especially once you start accounting for the ability to tag in and out of battle on the fly.

"Viewed in terms of the actual fighting, this may be Arc Systems Works’ best game yet. While their fighting games have traditionally had the reputation for being too complicated, Cross Tag Battle is their most accessible work yet, even counting Dragon Ball FighterZ or the Persona 4 Arena games."

This leads to an instantly more accessible game, but not a shallower one. The range of possibilities Cross Tag Battles presents you, the player, with is immense- you get your standard moves, Smart Combos, combos, Super Moves, Assault Moves, assist moves, directional variations on almost all of those, and of course, tagging your teammates in and out of battle. High level play inevitably boils down to managing your Meters at the bottom of the screen to build up to Supers.

On the whole, it’s satisfying, and this is the kind of game where it’s easy for anyone with a passing interest in fighting games, or any of the four franchises represented in the game, to jump in. Even those with minimal to no fighting game experience will find it easy to play Cross Tag Battle, thanks to a fantastic tutorial mode included within it. Confusingly called “Tactics Mode” (the “Training Mode” just puts you against a dummy CPU for you to practice moves against, without actually teaching you anything), this one takes you through explaining everything, from the very basics- such as movement, defense, dodges, dashes, attacks, assaults, and your Special Meter- to the more sophisticated mechanics unique to the game, such as tagging partners, and pulling off your Distortion Moves. It’s very thorough, very elaborate, and gives full control to the player, letting you practice for as long as you want, keeping your current lesson on screen at all times, and letting you proceed from the current lesson as soon or late as you want to. It can, in general, serve as a very good primer for someone simply new to the world of 2D fighters, and Arc Systems Works deserves a lot of commendation for it.

However, sometimes, they take their penchant for accessibility a bit too far. Consider, for instance, how the online mode works in the game- if you want to play online casually, you have to join a lobby, which exists as a physical space, walk your character, represented by a chibi avy of your choosing, to a “battle kiosk”, and either indicate you are ready to start the battle if someone is already on the other side of the kiosk, or wait for someone to join you in the kiosk. It’s absolutely needlessly tedious- why do you have to physically navigate to kiosks? Why does the online mode exist in this form at all? What happened to simple matchmaking? I understand trying to make the process less abstract for less savvy players, and I appreciate the sentiment, but I would also venture to guess most people would much rather select “Fight” from a menu, than have to go through the torturous process of finding a kiosk and having to initiate a battle from there in a physical lobby every single time they go online.

"If you want to play online casually, you have to join a lobby, which exists as a physical space, walk your character, represented by a chibi avy of your choosing, to a “battle kiosk”, and either indicate you are ready to start the battle if someone is already on the other side of the kiosk, or wait for someone to join you in the kiosk."

The one good thing I can say about the online mode is that the netcode is sublime- the actual gameplay feels buttery smooth and immediately responsive, with little in the way of stuttering and lag, which makes online battles a joy, since you get the same responsiveness as a local game, but with the benefit of having a human opponent- far less predictable than a CPU bot.

Arc Systems Works also extends the whole “physical space” metaphor for menus to the actual main menu, where you find yourself in a sort of plaza with the various modes being represented by icons and booths you have to walk up to and engage- but there, at least, you can always just call up the menu and select the mode you want directly, bypassing the whole nonsense entirely.

The good news is that once you’re in the actual game, those issues start to melt away- it plays fantastically, as noted, and it’s also hard to not be impressed by its sheer production values. The game looks stunning, its 2D art popping on the screen, with the animations in particular being jaw dropping, and paired with some extremely impressive, flashy moves. Combined with the excellent voice acting- you can pick between English and Japanese!- tight script and localization, and some amazing music, which tugs at the right heartstrings for fans of any of the franchises represented within the game, and you’re left with a great package overall.

It’s a shame about the issues that do exist in Cross Tag Battle– everything from its story being nonsensical, its characters being caricaturized, DLC characters being included in the story mode but being unplayable, and the physical space metaphor Arc Systems Works uses for its lobby and menus- because at its core, this is flat out the developer’s best game yet. Even accounting for those, BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle shines where it really matters, which is in terms of its gameplay, which deftly balances nuance with accessibility. Throw in some pretty good fan service on top – in spite of the aforementioned cringiness – and really, for anyone with even a passing interest in fighting games, or any of the four franchises represented in this title, Cross Tag Battle becomes a very hard proposition to pass up.

This game was reviewed on PS4.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is already a hell of a crossover, featuring characters from RWBY, BlazBlue, and Persona 4– but it looks like the game’s producer wants to tackle one more property with the game. Toshimichi Mori, producer of the game, spoke to Forbes, and revealed his enthusiasm for getting NieR Automata‘s 2B and 9S in the game.

“As far as playing games go… recently, right? I’ve been playing Nier: Automata again. Of course, I beat it a while ago on PS4, but I saw it on Steam. On sale. That game is really well done. I’ve still got a lot to learn from it,” he said, adding, “Hey, we should release 2B and 9S on BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle. Yeah, that would be good. I would want to play that. Should I ask them? Haha.”

Which sounds like a joke at first, right? But then, later on, he went back to the topic, expressing his desire about how much he liked NieR, and wanted characters from that game in Cross Tag Battle, suggesting it is an idea that he is seriously contemplating.

“I mentioned it a little earlier, too, but Nier. That would be an amazing project to work on. 2B and 9S would be amazing additions. Why didn’t I think of that sooner? I should try asking him though, really.

“But, having said all of that, and having created BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, if you go down the path of collaborations, it’s endless really. So, I still want to be very mindful of creating my own content. I hope you all stay tuned and look forward to what we make next.”

Personally, I don’t think anyone would say no to more 9S or 2B, right? Hopefully he does go ahead and get them over in the game- I think that sounds like a fantastic idea, personally. BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle is out now on PS4, Switch, and PC in North America; the European release is on June 22.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

Arc System Works has already made this year memorable with Dragon Ball FighterZ. Despite controversies, can it do so again with BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle, a crossover which combines the cast of RWBY, BlazBlue, Under Night In-Birth and Persona 4 Arena? With 20 characters at launch – including Yang and Blake as free DLC – and 2v2 tag battles, there’s also the same cutting edge 2D style that Arc is known for. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will be worth watching out for when it launches on June 5^th for PS4, PC and Nintendo Switch.

Vampyr

Life is Strange 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) is a ways off but Dontnod Entertainment might have a good substitute with Vampyr. Taking place in 1918 London during the Spanish Flu pandemic, players control Dr. Jonathan Reid, a recently converted vampire. Whether Reid chooses to embrace the hunger, feeding on those he loves, or fight it and deal with the various hunters forms the game’s core narrative conflict. And really, the prospect of deepening bonds with the ever-lingering temptation of more XP upon feeding makes Vampyr enticing. It arrives on June 5^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr

This may seem like another action RPG from Neocore Games, developer of The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing. Destructible environments, cover-based shooting and the Warhammer license help set it apart though. While Warhammer 40K: Inquisitor – Martyr saw a delay for more polish – and indeed has been criticized for its lack of such – it still has potential. We’ll see if it fulfils the same when it launches on June 5^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC.

Lumines Remastered

Very few block-dropping puzzle games stand the test of time, especially next to Tetris. Lumines is one such title though, tasking players to create 2×2 squares with the same colours, sharing blocks in the process and clearing the screen. There’s also a timeline of sorts that matches with certain blocks, causing them to disappear while further reinforcing the awesome music. Lumines Remastered will bring all of this to Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC on June 26^th with improved graphics. If you’ve yet to experience the game, this is probably the best time.

Onrush

From the minds behind Motorstorm and DriveClub comes a new, unorthodox team-based racer. Onrush isn’t just about take-downs and high speed racing. In fact, it focuses more on team compositions, scoring points and utilizing Rush abilities to gain an advantage. No positions, modes that function like King of the Hill and Gun Game, and no laps – Onrush is certainly an odd creation. It arrives on June 5^th for PS4 and Xbox One.

Jurassic World Evolution

Ever wanted to manage your very own park teeming with dangerous dinosaurs? Jurassic World Evolution finally offers that chance, at least for a new generation. Out on June 12^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC, the game features 40 dinosaur species to manage, buildings and attractions to construct, and emergencies like escaped dinosaurs to deal with. For an experience that teaches you not to play god, Jurassic World Evolution may be worth checking out, especially since it comes from Elite Dangerous developer Frontier Developments.

Mario Tennis Aces

Ignore the disaster that was Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash on the Wii U and gaze upon Mario Tennis Aces, releasing on June 22^nd for the Nintendo Switch. Several new mechanics like Zone Shot for directly aiming shots, Zone Speed for slow-mo and Trick Shots for quickly navigate to the ball have been added. That’s in addition to racket damage and blocking as well. All these mechanics seem kind of gimmicky but Mario Tennis Aces boasts a lovely art-style, full-fledged story mode and a diverse cast.

Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (Switch, PC, Xbox One)

After gracing us with his returning antics on the PS4, Crash Bandicoot will be heading to Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch on June 29^th with the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. As with the PS4 version, players will have access to full remasters of the first three Naughty Dog developed games. The numerous quality of life features are appreciated but for the most part, this is the Crash you know and love available on every platform that matters.

The Crew 2

Four new hub worlds spanning a microcosm of the United States, numerous vehicle types and the ability to switch instantly – The Crew 2 is truly a different beast from its predecessor. Progression has been significantly changed to focus more on missions that players want to do rather than completing a set sequence of missions. With each hub world representing different styles, it’s apparently easier to stick to a specific world and enjoy its missions. The Crew 2 arrives on June 29^th for Xbox One, PS4 and PC so we’ll know soon enough about its improvements.

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus (Switch)

Already available for other platforms, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus will make its debut on the Nintendo Switch in June. Though it’s fun to have more shooters to play on the go, especially given the compelling narrative, a microSD card will be required for the Switch version’s additional download. Furthermore, this version is developed by Panic Button that handled DOOM on the Switch so don’t expect the sharpest of visuals. Wolfenstein 2 arrives on June 29^th.

While we have already bee kept apprised of when BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle will release in North America and Japan- early June and late May respectively- for Europe, we have not had a release date so far. Well, that changes now, because Arc Systems Works has finally announced that the game, a crossover fighter between four properties, including RWBY, Persona 4, and of course BlazBlue, will be releasing in Europe on June 22.

An online open beta will be made available to European players from May 18 to 20, so they too can check out what the new game is like for themselves ahead of its launch next month. Once the beta ends, the same four character offline demo that is available everywhere else in the world will be available to European players too.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle launches on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch on May 31 in Japan and Asia, June 5 in North America, and June 22 in Europe.

Beginning from May 10 to May 14 in North America, fighting game fans can check out and help test Blazblue: Cross Tag Battle on the Nintendo Switch, announced Arc System Works, with an offline demo to launch following the ending of the network test.

The beta is set to include the entire roster of base fighters from the game, allowing you to check out the characters from Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late and RWBY, and take them into casual online matches, VS against a computer or into tutorial mode.

PS4 Players began their beta period yesterday, and will also run until May 14. Once the beta period ends, the offline demo will only feature four unspecified fighters to play with in training and VS CPU modes. The full game is ready to launch on the Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC at the end of the month in Japan and June 5 in North America. Europe has to wait unfortunately. Are you interested in the game? Are you playing the beta? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is a brand new crossover fighter from Arc Systems Works, which includes fighters from Atlus’ Persona 4, as well as RWBY, Under-Night In-Birth, and Arc’s own BlazBlue (obviously). With the release of the game now less than a month away (at least if you live in North America and Japan- Europe has to wait for an unspecified date later in the year), Arc is showing more and more of the game off.

The newest video for the game that they shared shows off the opening movie for the title, which does appropriate justice to the concept of four such distinct universes clashing together. You can check it out for yourself below- as always, the music is surprisingly great here.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle launches later this month for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan, and then early next month for North America. European fans of these properties are going to have to wait till later this year to be able to play the game.