Bleach: The 3rd Phantom for Nintendo DS Reviews by Gamers

There are really two aspects to this game, the strategy board and the exploration of the Bleach world. As a strategy game it is adequate. You have a basic grid and the ability to attack and use skills (spells). There's no facing, no control zones, etc that make up good tactics games. The only addition is camaraderie in which allies standing next to each other impart benefits to each other. But you have to allocate these ties in a confusing hidden menu on the battle setup screen. Maybe it gets better (harder) later in the game, but for now it's a decent method to keep the story going.

And the story's the thing. Unlike other Bleach games, this one doesn't just retell the story in the anime. In this game you play as twins born in bad part of soul society who are taken in by royalty and grow up to become Soul Reapers. The time period is 50-100 years before the current anime (I'm not sure how time works in SS). Rukia and Renji are children, Aizen is a vice-captain, and Urahara is still a captain.

There is a lot of talking in this game, so much in fact that they made a minigame of it. You get a list of people you can talk to and they have "movement" values. Talking to them moves Kon on a minimap where you can pick up extra items and abilities, so you have to plan who you talk to when. Since it's a new story and I love Bleach I'm enjoying it a lot. It's a good way to learn the back stories of a lot of minor characters.