Arcana Heart 3 announced for PS3/360

[[NIUE] weazzyefff]

I'm gonna get it if nz shop has it.

[originaljulz]

Agree with both Weazzy and Graeme.

[ROCOABC]

Been reading up more about the game and it sounds to be a much more polish game compared to the 1st one I have.  Getting the game from Play-Asia.  Not sure how much effort and time I am going to put into it but hey, can't say no to fighters especially ones that sounds alright to play.

Looks like my copy shipped yesterday.  Will give a brief write up once I have the game.

[Elixir]

I could do a bulk order if 5 people are interested (excluding myself). Otherwise it isn't worth it.

Someone I know managed to get the game earlier today in Japan, and they are claiming it's arcade perfect and has netcode very similar to BlazBlue.

[ROCOABC]

I could do a bulk order if 5 people are interested (excluding myself). Otherwise it isn't worth it.

Someone I know managed to get the game earlier today in Japan, and they are claiming it's arcade perfect and has netcode very similar to BlazBlue.

Good hear in regards to the port and the net code.  Not like I will be online much anyway.  Time to relearn my swimming, grappling, bubble girl.

[Elixir]

Netcode from America to Japan is about 3-4.

[Elixir]

Is anyone getting this besides one guy?

I want to, I don't care which platform, but I don't want to play against other Japanese endlessly (I'm terribad and I'll get used for free kills/kicked due to lag).

[ROCOABC]

The game arrived yesterday (PS3 version of course).  Feels like a total handicap learning a new fighter from scratch.  Will play and learn through the basics and will write an impression, mini FAQ type thing.

Haven't play vs online yet.  Went on to check it out and pretty much the setup is almost identical to Blazblue.  Saw a few EU and US rooms too amongst all the JP and Asia rooms.  Will go on and see how well I fare after a few practice rounds offline.

[LN]

*ahem* it's been dumped for pc too

[Elixir]

The game arrived yesterday (PS3 version of course).  Feels like a total handicap learning a new fighter from scratch.  Will play and learn through the basics and will write an impression, mini FAQ type thing.

Haven't play vs online yet.  Went on to check it out and pretty much the setup is almost identical to Blazblue.  Saw a few EU and US rooms too amongst all the JP and Asia rooms.  Will go on and see how well I fare after a few practice rounds offline.

So how is it?

[ROCOABC]

Hey guys.  Oblivion GoTY have been taking up most of my life.  Even the wife is not amused.  So I have only officially played this game for no more than 3 hrs.

A small rundown of this game. Here is a basic wiki for the game - http://arcana.mizuumi.net/wiki/Main_Page

All female cast figher.  Some weird some not so some really bizzare.  Game feels like a mixture of Blazblue and Melty Blood.  Essentiallythe setup is per below -

A - Light Attack
B -  Medium Attack
C - Hard Attack
D - Dash
E - Arcana Button

The game centers around dash cancelling, homing dash cancelling as well as the usage of Arcana. 

Pretty much after selecting your character you will get a chance to pick out of a list of 23 Arcanas (Lest think of them as Spiriits).  The Arcanas effects your Arcana attack essentially.  Your basic E attack doesn't change too much but but doing QCF or QCB with the E button, depending on Arcana you will perform an Arcana specific attack.  Eg, Rock Arcana allows you to summon a giant Rock fist to stun your opponent or Water allows you to generat shield bubbles or Metal allows you to generate a Shiled or fire Metallic Spears, etc.  Some Arcanas are used for traps instead such as Time.  Arcana selection is important as well depending on your main.  The CPU will suggested a recommened Arcana based off your character selection but it isn't always teh best choice.  Arcana selection also increase or decrease your defend and attack.  Gets pretty technical so check the wiki out.

As for the dash button, the game is played in a rather "TALL" stage.  All stages are at least 2 screens tall.  This is where dash comes into play.  During mid moves, etc you can press the dash button to cancel into a dash to further your combos or to escape.  You can dash in any directions so for example after an attack you press forward+dash you will dash forward, Back+dash will dash backwards, etc.  Now most characters have a move or attack that will knoc the oppents way up in the air.  After such a move you can hold dash and you will do a homing dash towards the opponent to further your combos.  You can practically homing dash wherever.  Some moves will knockback your opponent to a wall splat (Usually the E attack, you can hold down E to charge a strong attack or Forward +C with some characters will do a knockback attack.  Again I believe its character dependant) and you can cancel straight after the attack to a homing dash to chase the opponent for further combos.

Other mechanics present are clashing, chains, teching (Wall, Air, Ground) and jump cancelling.

The game plays superbly actually.  Game feels fast, very responsive control wise and character variety is amazing.  Think Blazblue as some charatcers have their own special bar to manage.  With 20+ characters, there are loads to learn.  I am currently using Kira the girl who swims and fight in a giant puddle of transforming water.  Also learning another girl that pilots a giant robot.  The swimming girl is a grappler so think Potemkin and Zangief with a spinning pile driver 360 move and a final atomic buster 720 super as well as air grabs, anti-air grab, running powerbomb, back breaker etc.  The water puddle will morph into giant muscular arms and giant muscular legs for drop kicks, power punches, grabs, etc.  The Robot piloting girl feels like like playing Sentinal with zoning projectiles that locks you in the corner and then rush down with some intense hard hitting moves.  There will be a character for everyone regardless of how bizzare some of the designs are. 

Graphically the game holds up.  Doesn't look as sharp as BBCS though.  You can select wide screen mode as well.  The game also have animated bars for those who wants to play using the original 4:3 aspect.  Good idea but I hate it.  The animation is actually distracting so I turned it off and am using just standard wallpaper for the side bars.  Sound needs adjusting as the default setting makes it hard for you to actually hear the sound effects and the hit effects.  Pump the sound effects volume way up and that will sort everything out.

So, if you get a chance to import the game.  Do it, especially if you love fighters and if you enjoy BBCS or the Melty Blood series.  It is a great game to play.  Some may think other wise though with Marvel just around the corner but Arcana Heart 3 is definately a welcome addition to my fighting game library.  Feel free to ask anything and I will answer to the best of my ability.

[Falcon Supreme]

LIVEWIRE GAMES has Arcana Hearts 3 on shelves now. its a pretty sick game.

[xkheretic]

do you recall the price?

[[NIUE] weazzyefff]

do you recall the price?

Yer i am interested too. It's not on the site. And it says BB:CS is $108 at livewire lol.

[Falcon Supreme]

i think its like 158 cause its a japanese import. hit up the kid jimmy there i think he can knock a few bux off it and the blazblue they had was a while back but it was a limited edition one not a normal version.