Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena Demo

Fighting games may seem pretty simple at first, especially when it comes to gameplay mechanics, but the truth is that it’s quite difficult to develop such a game and maintain a high replay value for many hours. On top of that, the mechanics must work flawlessly, otherwise frustration makes everyone stop playing, not to mention the fact that there’s little incentive to learn the ropes when nothing works as intended.

Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena is a 2D fighting game with a very interesting tag system, which means that you can choose two characters at the start of each match in order to have one serve as support. On top of that, it’s also possible to switch between the two characters before each round, in case you want to change strategies or just take the opponent by surprise.

There are 16 characters to choose from, each one of which has different skills and abilities. You can achieve a variety of combos and special moves, not to mention the fact that the two chosen characters can work together to achieve interesting results. However, achieving these combos is no easy task, especially since you need good coordination and nimble fingers.

As always, there are multiple game modes to choose from, depending on whether you are in the mood for a quick battle, or you want to participate in a tournament of sorts. There’s also a story mode you can try, but don’t expect a very deep plot or anything like that. Naturally, it’s also possible to enjoy the game in multiplayer, both in local and online with people from all over the world.

The graphics are not bad either, but don’t expect something akin to Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat. Instead, the style is closer to titles like Guilty Gear, which is more than fine if you are in it for the mechanics and the combos. Even the music goes incredibly well with the action on screen, even if it tends to become repetitive after a while.

In the end, Blade Arcus from Shining: Battle Arena is quite enjoyable and addictive, especially since the fighting mechanics are spot on. However, the multiplayer is kind of empty at the moment, which might reduce its appeal by a lot if the situation doesn’t change.