JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R is a fighting game where players compete against one another. This is done by utilizing characters from the first eight narrative segments of Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime series (plus one from an earlier work by Araki). Similar to the majority of fighting games, the objective is to beat your opponent. This is done by depleting their vitality gauge (HP is used in some game modes) using a variety of strikes and special techniques.
The PS3 fighter JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R isn’t just a straightforward remaster. CyberConnect2 wants to do considerably more than just give the name a fresh coat of paint. With a larger roster, a new “assist ability” that changes the gameplay, and several new features.
The Game’s Structure
The JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R’s playful structure is that of a traditional two-dimensional fighting game. Primarily, it is distinguished by an impressive number of selectable characters, about 50 fighters. Plus, an aesthetically over-the-top but genuinely captivating aesthetic area. Due to the hardware features of the PS3 at the time, there was an abundance of content that resulted in a frame rate that attempted to reach 30 frames per second, which was notably unstable and a serious issue when discussing fighting games.
The Characters
In 2022, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure celebrates its 35th anniversary and an All-Star Battle R captures that. Followers of the story arc will be thrilled with its ensemble, which includes 50 distinct characters from throughout its run. The game has a staggering number of characters, ranging from legends like Will Antonio Zeppeli to fresh combatants like Robert E.O. Speedwagon.
Unfortunately, if you are unfamiliar with the variety of bizarre and beautiful personalities, it will remain that way because the game does not attempt to introduce them. It can be a little intimidating because every player on the roster is instantaneously available, especially given the absence of a player training option. Without these tools, it can be challenging to understand the subtleties of each opponent. This is is due to their drastically diverse fighting styles and gimmicks.
To learn the art of combat, you’ll have to depend on the control list, the simple practice mode, and experimenting. It is a remake of the previous version that, utilizing the revitalized animation series’ popularity, offers itself to the audience many undoubtedly enjoyable novelties. That, while not altering the original concept, has managed to provide the presentation with a much-needed qualitative boost. Unfortunately, despite the original’s flawless depiction of the source material, the facelift process failed to eliminate the most obvious flaws that had already defined it, leading to numerous obvious distortions.
The Gameplay
A very accessible and straightforward metabolization fighting system that prioritizes spectacularity over all other factors—including the difficulty of adding various moves—favors this circumstance. The urge to make the directives that govern the activities of the different combatants exceedingly similar to one another actually develops after a few sessions. These fighters will mostly utilize the traditional crescents to bring life to the strongest destructive blows.
Also, these will be complemented by the standard three strikes (high, medium, and low), which will be connected to the controller buttons. As well as the option of a lateral dodge in true Tekken fashion. Which, if executed at the proper moment, will expose the adversary to our counterattack.
Fighting Structure
The fighting structure of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R can be perfected when you add grips and the always-welcome bars for special moves. Plus, the potential to unleash lethal combos with the continuous press of a button. A combination of unquestionably canonical features that, if they weren’t related to the absurdity of the ensemble of characters, would turn out to be incredibly insignificant, both now and eight years ago.
Particularly considering the congenital restrictions that the remake brings in exchange. The first, and by far the most significant, is the problem with the roster’s general balance. It makes some characters noticeably overpowered as well as shows truly laughable and challenging warriors’ control.
No matter how good your skills are, defeating a Jonathan Joestar with The World of God will hardly be assured by doing so. However, the improvements made by JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R goes beyond simply gaining updated hardware specifications but have started to affect the gaming selection in general.
The most glaring departure from the past is the elimination of the traditional story mode. Instead, it is now a sequence of battles broken down into sagas. This, not only stage many of the most famous manga clashes but also make intriguing “what if” suggestions. From some perspectives, one may also understand the decision made given the outrageousness of the initial campaign. It was not able to credibly convey a flow that could even substantially resemble the creation of Araki due to apparent reasons.
Overall
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R, which is undeniably targeted at the ranks of Hirohiko Araki’s manga fans, adds to the strengths and faults of the 2014 title. All the while restricting itself to suggesting minor changes that are most definitely unable to alter the initial judgment. The work of CyberConnect2, which is known for its straightforward yet impressive gameplay, continues to have issues with the experience’s cleanliness and balance. That is because certain hitboxes are still dancers and the roster has to be more carefully balanced.
The franchise’s bizarre and fantastic world is celebrated in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R. Fans will adore the large cast of characters and references to significant plot points from the show, but the gameplay falls short. As you battle, its age grows more obvious. It is unable to compete with its contemporaries due to the slow fighting and straightforward systems. Fans of the classic will appreciate the new additions, but it lacks that decisive punch.
It is undoubtedly a visually stunning game that is also enjoyable and approachable. But due to its inherent gameplay flaws and the addition of an antiquated internet component, it will find it difficult to win over manga skeptics. Depending on how strongly they feel about the Joestar family members, fans of the classic work are free to raise the level as they see fit.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R is a great fighting game remake fans of the franchise and fighting game enthusiasts should check out. With that said, if you are like to try this game, you can get this game for the PS5, XBOX ONE, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and XBOX SERIES X|S.
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