BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma is a fighting game in which players compete in aggressive one-on-one battles with a variety of stylized, animated characters. Fights consist of hand-to-hand combat as well as colorful magic spells. Violence, though intense and frequent, isn't overly affecting or bloody. The more eyebrow-raising content comes from the game's scantily clad, large-breasted, suggestively posed female characters. Most of their outfits leave little to the imagination, with partially exposed breasts and buttocks. Players also are treated to bonus content in the form of extensive photo galleries, with many still images of the female characters posed suggestively. Language is sexually charged as well, with references to playing with "boobies," one character being labeled a "pedophile," and "c--k-blocking" a male character. There also are swear words, including "a--hole" and "s--t." Players can connect to other players online, although there's no moderation of chats during matches, so kids can be exposed to unsavory language or players speaking in other languages.
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What’s It About?
BLAZBLUE: CHRONO PHANTASMA takes place after the events of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift and pits the fighters against each other in an attempt to gain a magical power known as the Azure Grimoire. The game includes features such as a story mode -- in which players select a character and fight opponents -- and a photo gallery of character models striking poses. After each battle, players are rewarded with vignettes about their characters, involving a lot of trash talk against other fighters. The vignettes are more of a way to help tie the battles together, which are a mix of hand-to-hand combat, magical attacks, and a new mechanic known as overdrive, which provides a new set of commands and powers to brawlers. No one should expect much more from a game like this, though, which is designed to be all about nonstop fighting and action rather than a masterfully written story line.
Is It Any Good?
The BlazBlue franchise has gained something of a cult following, particularly because of the deep and compelling strategy involved with its many combo attacks and varying abilities of each character. If you rated BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma on its technical merits alone, it would shine bright. But its other elements -- including the sexually suggestive fighters and outfits, the rough tone of the dialogue in story mode, and the provocative banter -- feel out of place. Those parts feel gratuitous and designed solely to give the game an edge that will make it stand out more -- which is unfortunate, since the gameplay itself is well crafted and should be able to stand on its own.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the issue of sexually suggestive content in games like BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma. What's different about this game's depiction of male characters versus female characters? What do you think of those differences?
Talk about the language used in the game and the overall tone of characters' dialogue. Is it acceptable to talk like that in real life?
How do you feel about the violence in this game? Does it have a lasting impact when you defeat an opponent?
Game Details
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Aksys Games
- Release date: March 25, 2014
- Genre: Fighting
- ESRB rating: T for Language, Mild Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Last updated: August 25, 2016
Our Editors Recommend
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Tekken 5
Fun -- if shallow -- fighting game.
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Punch-Out!!
Cartoony, retro brawler with humor, but too short.
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Soulcalibur IV
Polished sequel with thrilling one-on-one duels.
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BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
Brillantly constructed fighting, but with brutal attacks.
For kids who love physical games
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