Parents' Guide to BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle

This anime fighting game, which merges several franchises together, is surprisingly deep, and it will keep fighting fans busy for a very long time. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle stands out from other fighting game franchises in many ways: It combines four franchises' worth of characters (each with a unique fighting style) and universes into one cohesive package. The game cleverly mixes in Persona's Investigation team and has them compete against RWBY's characters, who are then dropped into BlazBlue's familiar locations to chat with Under Night In-Birth personalities -- a mix that all works well. Complementing this smart collaboration is accessible gameplay that doesn't sacrifice depth. Mastering chain attacks, combo moves, and the tag-team element comes with time, making players enjoy this game with each hour of play.

If there's a downside to the game, it would be the cheesy dialogue and writing. Cross Tag Battle doesn't have much of a story, but what's included is pretty light and somewhat ridiculous. For a game that combines four separate franchises, you'd hope that there'd be a stronger plot that fully used each character in a clever, entertaining way. But most players won't be interested in the story; instead, it's be the action that will keep them coming back. Fortunately, Cross Tag Battle has great-looking graphics, upbeat music, and responsive controls. The game also offers many solo and multiplayer modes, with a surprising amount of content to unravel. Overall, fans of the BlazBlue series or the other Japanese franchises included in this game will love setting their favorite characters against each other in battle.