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IGN Review of Bleach: The 3rd Phantom
I'm a mid-level Bleach fan. I keep up with the dub on Cartoon Network -- I know the difference between a Hollow and an Arrancar, I'm versed in the history of the Quincies, and I could do a fair job explaining the concept of a Modsoul. I have the level of knowledge that anyone would, if they'd also been following along with the show.
Bleach: The 3rd Phantom requires at least that level of fandom.
This third Nintendo DS adaptation of the popular anime series could probably be played by just about anyone, but I don't know that just anyone would really enjoy it without having an existing understanding of a lot of the flavor of the show -- you need to go in knowing about things like Reishi absorption, spiritual pressure and summoning Bankai, or else you'll be missing a lot of the point. This is a game that's specifically built on a foundation of fanservice -- so if you're not a fan, it won't serve you very well.
The storyline of The 3rd Phantom is all-new and created just for this video game, having been written as an extension of the series' canon by the creator of Bleach himself -- so you're getting some legitimately interesting new content here. The tale centers on two new characters, twins Fujimaru and Matsuri Kudo, and offers back story for the entire Bleach series through their point of view.
Their adventures begin years in the past (relative to the chronological beginning of the show), so it's almost like getting a Star Wars: Episode I-style prequel chapter to the Bleach saga. The timeline jumps forward as you play, though, and you'll ultimately find yourself partnering in battle with the main characters of the cartoon, in the same time period currently being explored on Cartoon Network.
The problem with Bleach: The 3rd Phantom, though, is that it spends far too much time focusing on this exclusive new storyline. Before getting into any actual gameplay at all, you've got to scroll through what feels like an whole cartoon episode's worth of dialogue and exposition between characters, happily chatting each other up about this and that while you tap away at the A Button. It's interesting to get to know these new characters, and to see established favorites from the show in their younger years -- but it's like this story becomes too self-indulgent. It parades forth nearly every single minor character from the series in a seemingly never-ending string of dialogue sequences, almost all of which are mandatory to sit through.
The storyline is broken up into chapters, and after the main bit of story for each chapter the game takes a break for "Free Time." Free Time, though, is a sequence composed of even more dialogues between even more characters. It's set up in such a way that if you choose the proper order of conversations, you'll earn bonuses like extra items and increased health when the real gameplay finally gets going. But that does little to offset the tedium of the constantly scrolling text boxes -- you can get really bored waiting around for the real action to start.
Then, finally, it does. After making you read some massive chunk of the Bleach novel contained within, The 3rd Phantom finally lets you get your hands dirty with some strategy RPG battles. The system used for battle sequences here should be familiar to anyone who's played a game with "Tactics" in its title before -- it's very similar to Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Tactics Ogre and the rest of the grid-based, isometric viewpoint sub-category of the greater strategy genre. You move your characters around the grid, line them up next to enemies for attacks, try to keep your strength consolidated by not putting too much distance between your heroes and the like -- all the standard stuff.
What's a bit un-standard is The 3rd Phantom's team-up mechanic, which allows adjacent characters to help each other out in battle. So, for example, if a Hollow attacks Fujimaru and Matsuri is standing right next to him, he doesn't have to defend himself alone -- he can call on his sister to help him with a counterattack. I like that dynamic a lot, especially since it reinforces the story that you've just spent hours sitting through -- pushing forward the close-knit bond of these two twin characters by making their friendship into an actual part of the gameplay.
It's not just the game-specific main characters who can team up, though, as you'll ultimately recruit dozens of different notable characters from the Bleach universe, and you can set up cooperative moves between almost any pair you choose. Want a duo like Chad and Ichigo to lay the smack down together? You can do that. Want to match up a favorite pairing like Rukia and Renji? You can do that too.
So the actual strategy RPG part of this strategy RPG is fairly engaging, and works as a fine celebration of the Bleach world -- it's just that it takes absolutely forever to finally get to the battles. The storyline is so in-depth and so focused on the minutiae of so many minor characters' back stories that you really do need to be at least a mid-level fan of the series to appreciate it. (And it wouldn't hurt to be a little more hardcore than me, and my base level of Cartoon Network watching.)
©2009-11-17, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Bleach: The 3rd Phantom requires at least that level of fandom.
This third Nintendo DS adaptation of the popular anime series could probably be played by just about anyone, but I don't know that just anyone would really enjoy it without having an existing understanding of a lot of the flavor of the show -- you need to go in knowing about things like Reishi absorption, spiritual pressure and summoning Bankai, or else you'll be missing a lot of the point. This is a game that's specifically built on a foundation of fanservice -- so if you're not a fan, it won't serve you very well.
The storyline of The 3rd Phantom is all-new and created just for this video game, having been written as an extension of the series' canon by the creator of Bleach himself -- so you're getting some legitimately interesting new content here. The tale centers on two new characters, twins Fujimaru and Matsuri Kudo, and offers back story for the entire Bleach series through their point of view.
Their adventures begin years in the past (relative to the chronological beginning of the show), so it's almost like getting a Star Wars: Episode I-style prequel chapter to the Bleach saga. The timeline jumps forward as you play, though, and you'll ultimately find yourself partnering in battle with the main characters of the cartoon, in the same time period currently being explored on Cartoon Network.
The problem with Bleach: The 3rd Phantom, though, is that it spends far too much time focusing on this exclusive new storyline. Before getting into any actual gameplay at all, you've got to scroll through what feels like an whole cartoon episode's worth of dialogue and exposition between characters, happily chatting each other up about this and that while you tap away at the A Button. It's interesting to get to know these new characters, and to see established favorites from the show in their younger years -- but it's like this story becomes too self-indulgent. It parades forth nearly every single minor character from the series in a seemingly never-ending string of dialogue sequences, almost all of which are mandatory to sit through.
The storyline is broken up into chapters, and after the main bit of story for each chapter the game takes a break for "Free Time." Free Time, though, is a sequence composed of even more dialogues between even more characters. It's set up in such a way that if you choose the proper order of conversations, you'll earn bonuses like extra items and increased health when the real gameplay finally gets going. But that does little to offset the tedium of the constantly scrolling text boxes -- you can get really bored waiting around for the real action to start.
Then, finally, it does. After making you read some massive chunk of the Bleach novel contained within, The 3rd Phantom finally lets you get your hands dirty with some strategy RPG battles. The system used for battle sequences here should be familiar to anyone who's played a game with "Tactics" in its title before -- it's very similar to Final Fantasy Tactics A2, Tactics Ogre and the rest of the grid-based, isometric viewpoint sub-category of the greater strategy genre. You move your characters around the grid, line them up next to enemies for attacks, try to keep your strength consolidated by not putting too much distance between your heroes and the like -- all the standard stuff.
What's a bit un-standard is The 3rd Phantom's team-up mechanic, which allows adjacent characters to help each other out in battle. So, for example, if a Hollow attacks Fujimaru and Matsuri is standing right next to him, he doesn't have to defend himself alone -- he can call on his sister to help him with a counterattack. I like that dynamic a lot, especially since it reinforces the story that you've just spent hours sitting through -- pushing forward the close-knit bond of these two twin characters by making their friendship into an actual part of the gameplay.
It's not just the game-specific main characters who can team up, though, as you'll ultimately recruit dozens of different notable characters from the Bleach universe, and you can set up cooperative moves between almost any pair you choose. Want a duo like Chad and Ichigo to lay the smack down together? You can do that. Want to match up a favorite pairing like Rukia and Renji? You can do that too.
So the actual strategy RPG part of this strategy RPG is fairly engaging, and works as a fine celebration of the Bleach world -- it's just that it takes absolutely forever to finally get to the battles. The storyline is so in-depth and so focused on the minutiae of so many minor characters' back stories that you really do need to be at least a mid-level fan of the series to appreciate it. (And it wouldn't hurt to be a little more hardcore than me, and my base level of Cartoon Network watching.)
©2009-11-17, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved