Black Rock Shooter: The Game Review

Black Rock Shooter The Game

Few properties have had a trajectory as remarkable as Black Rock Shooter. Originally a collection of conceptual drawings, the composition gradually progressed across mediums- with a music video, OVA, and eight episode animated series gradually expanding the property’s plotline (while three different manga veered in divergent directions). Fans who followed BRS’ video evolution likely distinguished a unifying theme- while the principal setting was a middle school, the escalating tension between the two main characters took place in an alternate, dystopian dimension. While the intent was allusion- using the depiction of clashing women to symbolize psychological friction, in execution the juxtaposition was woefully disjointed, with nearly no substance to conjoin the two realms.

Initially, the release of Imageepoch’s Black Rock Shooter: The Game would seem to suffer the same division. Combining a RPG structure and story with action-driven, timing-based combat encounters aren’t something that been accomplishment frequently, outside of Namco-Bandai’s Tales series. Astoundingly, the NIS America-published title unites the two genres admirably, providing the rare instance of a licensed game which outshines its source material.

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The game’s storyline is set in the year 2050, at the end of inequitable war between aliens and humankind. With less than a dozen humans remaining, a squad of soldiers wakes the wild-haired hero up from interminable slumber (with gunfire, uncannily recalling Disgaea: Hour of Darkness’ intro). Wisely, Black Rock Shooter: The Game jettisons the school-age melodrama of the anime, providing a majority of the character’s backstory via black and white cinematic flashbacks which punctuate each stage. While the usage of amnesia as a plot device might unsettle some, the title manages to keep the dialog bits perfunctory, which is for the best considering the game’s oft-eccentric tone.

The game’s collection of stages typically thrust Black Rock Shooter through largely linear urban or flora-filed milieus. Although treasure-filled alcoves invite examination, the game’s fixed route approach and waypoint indicators keep players from becoming disoriented in the labyrinthine levels. Not only is this is prudent decision for a portable title, but it also means gamers won’t have to rely on BRS’ map screen, which only designates a general position in each stage.

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Lining BRS: The Game’s corridors are bands of roaming mechanical menaces; coming into contact with one of these foes immediately propels players into combat. Here, enemies steadily encroach on Rock, forcing players to use her cannon to pelt these adversaries into submission. Engaging individual aliens is accomplished by moving the analog stick to select foes. Fortunately, a substantial amount of aim assistance prohibits errant volleys. Although players won’t have to content with ammo management, they do have to concentrate on keeping the massive weapon from overheating. Firing or blocking incoming attacks increases the temperature gauge; when maximized Rock becomes vulnerable for a few seconds.  The other defensive ability is dodging, which avoids the small amounts of damage incurred while shielding against strikes. Pleasingly, it doesn’t heat up BRS’s heat meter.

While encounters with regular enemies are stimulating, it’s Black Rock Shooter’s boss battles which reveal the real beauty of the combat system. Here, players must effectively prioritize threats- either juggling multiple antagonists or judiciously dismantling the parts of a hulking attacker. It’s also during these encounters that item usage or assignable active skills prove invaluable. Pressing one of the top triggers freezes the action, allowing BRS to replenish her health or issue up one of four devastating special attack that are regulated by a cool down timer. When all of BRS’ mechanics come into play, conflict becomes especially engaging, tasking players with reading the attack patterns of opponents. While a good sense of timing is advantageous, a muffled difficulty means that players should have much trouble getting through the title’s twelve-hour journey.

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Agreeably, the muted challenge level means gamers won’t have to contend with grinding. Although if they want to improve BRS’s stats, the title offers both a leveling system and an in-game achievement system which pays out stat-boosting perks. Considerately, BRS: The Game offers a relaxed save-game policy offering to record progress between levels and the sporadic posts scattered across each level. Dying mid-stage even allows gamers to keep their experience and augmentations. For those seeking additional enjoyment after earning one of the game’s endings, Free Hunt and Extra modes allow players to unlock additional skills, outfits, concept arts, and music tracks.

Games based on anime are often a dicey proposition- often delivering middling play experiences aimed to tempt in fervent fans. Black Rock Shooter: The Game is the exception to that tenet, delivering a title that excels due to an engaging, distinctive combat system.  While the game’s two-year localization hiatus might make the game look a bit dated (especially on the Vita’s sumptuous OLED screen), stepping into the shoes of an onyx-haired, bikini-clad, killing machine is a relatively timeless experience.

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Few properties have had a trajectory as remarkable as Black Rock Shooter. Originally a collection of conceptual drawings, the composition gradually progressed across mediums- with a music video, OVA, and eight episode animated series gradually expanding the property’s plotline (while three different manga veered in divergent directions). Fans who followed BRS’ video evolution likely distinguished a unifying theme- while the principal setting was a middle school, the escalating tension between the two main characters took place in an alternate, dystopian dimension. While the intent was allusion- using the depiction of clashing women to symbolize psychological friction, in execution the juxtaposition…

Review Overview

Gameplay - 85%
Story - 60%
Aesthetics - 75%
Content - 85%
Accessibility - 85%

78%

Good

Summary : Skip the Black Rock Shooter OVA and anime and head directly for the PSP game, unless you’re an ardent aficionado of middle-school melodrama. Here you’ll find the ass-kicking, Hatsune Miku-esque loli that you’re longing for.

User Rating: 0.78 ( 1 votes)

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

16 comments

  1. 78% for a NIS game. Wow, watch out Des, an exploding prinny may be in transit right now.

  2. Captain Killjoy

    I don’t know about you, but I’m liking the new scoring system. A breakdown and tougher scores! Everybody wins.

    “with gunfire, uncannily recalling Disgaea: Hour of Darkness’ intro”

    When Etna wakes up Laharl?

    • I have mixed feelings about it.

      Stars in the main page seem to gravitate toward 3-4 star range and then don’t really jive with the score. 78=4 stars, really?

      • Well, if you look at the Puzzle World review closely you’ll see it’s not quite 4 stars. It’s 3 and a fraction.

        Probably not ideal, but just saying,

  3. “Here you’ll find the ass-kicking, Hatsune Miku-esque loli that you’re longing for.”

    Projecting much? hahaha

    Good review, Robert. I’d almost pay to hear Jeremy reaction to the game.

    • I was looking at the screens and thinking “are they going to mention the loli”. Almost every other review seems hung up on the main character.

  4. Thanks, Robert.

    Good review as always. I tried getting some info from the GAF BRS thread but it seemed like only two people had actually played the game. The rest was pictures and snark.

    • GAF is pictures and snark. That’s all the mods allow. Oh and some guy from Kotaku who spends all day defending the site.

  5. Man, I remember when PSP graphics looked amazing. I used to think “That’s so cool a handheld can handle that!”

    So they look like butt.

  6. Sounds decent enough. I’m thinking about dropping $20 on it, but I really wish there was a PS+ discount.

  7. Good review, Robert. Glad to see that BRS works on the PS Vita.

    Like the character design.

  8. I was waiting for the lol mention. I’m glad you finally came through.

  9. Its Black Rock Shooter week, huh?

    I bet you’re one of the only sites to have an interview and a review. I expect a code giveaway as well.

  10. Hyrule Warrior

    Good review. I haven’t seen (or even heard of) Black Rock Shooter before. Is there a link where I can watch it online.

  11. I’m a little disappointed that I won’t be able to play this. I wish NIS could have worked something out.

  12. So it’s not really an action game, it’s more of a rhythm game? I’m confused.