Bleach Rebirth of Souls Review: Not-So Hollow

Regarding the trio of popular anime/manga series from the 2000s, Bleach sometimes seemed like the less celebrated one compared to Naruto and One Piece. Despite not achieving global fame at the same level as those two, its thrilling battle sequences and captivating character roster made it a must-watch, despite the occasional excessive filler content. However, unlike its peers, Bleach didn’t make significant strides in the gaming industry, with only a few minor titles to its name. This all transformed when it was announced that Bandai Namco and Tamsoft would adapt the Tite Kubo intellectual property for the fighting genre with Bleach: Rebirth of Souls last year. After playing through the game from beginning to end, I can attest that its former qualities remain strong, even if they fall short of delivering a truly stellar experience.

As a player immersed in the world of Bleach, I’ve never experienced such a captivating revival as with Rebirth of Souls. Since the release of Bleach: Brave Souls in 2016, this game breathes new life into the series unlike any other adaptation before it. It meticulously covers the storyline from the series’ beginning up to the climactic end of the Arrancar arc.

The game offers an extensive roster of characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles that cater to various gaming preferences. Additionally, stages are abundant, some even featuring multiple variations depending on the time of day, adding a layer of immersion.

In terms of combat, it delivers on most expectations of Bleach fans, save for the promised ranked mode, which appears to be a future addition. Moreover, the soundtrack, masterfully composed by Takeharu Ishimoto of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and The World Ends With You fame, elevates the intensity of each battle with its electrifying beats, further fueling my excitement on the battlefield.

Even though several trailers had hinted at it, the captivating spectacle of battle in this game is as thrilling and enjoyable as ever, boasting stunning visuals. I found myself getting excited countless times watching characters deploying their Bankais and lethal Kotei techniques against adversaries. Each character possesses unique strengths and weaknesses that come into play during combat, introducing a fresh layer of strategy and adaptability. For instance, engaging with ranged fighters like Uryu Ishida or Coyote Shark necessitates having a swift warrior such as Soi Fon or Yoruichi Shihouin to balance the fight. Additionally, it adds an element of surprise when unlikely duos like Ichigo and Rukia square off, and their dialogue acknowledges these unexpected encounters, which I found engaging.

Instead of some fighting games, Bleach Rebirth of Souls allows you to enhance your abilities during gameplay itself, a process called ‘Awakening.’ This empowerment results in the acquisition of new moves, skills, and a temporary transformation, adding excitement to the combat. The satisfaction derived from deploying these newly unlocked abilities is immense, especially when the situation appears grim, as it often does. Mastering guarding techniques and breaking your opponent’s defense is crucial to success, as even a minor lapse can cost you a round. Additionally, conserving power throughout a match and reaching your peak form can swiftly alter the course of battle. The thrill provided by this unique gameplay mechanic is rare in gaming, which I admire Rebirth of Souls for accomplishing.

Regrettably, the main issue with Bleach Rebirth of Souls lies in its narrative mode, which is a letdown. It’s not just that it ends at the Arrancar arc and doesn’t include the Fullbringer or Thousand-Year Blood War arcs; it’s how the narrative is handled and presented within the game. The story mode follows Ichigo Kurosaki’s transformation from an ordinary high school student to a substitute Soul Reaper, as depicted in the manga and anime. However, the game fails to capture the allure that made this journey exciting and compelling in the original content. Instead, some plot points are either hastily brushed over or excessively explained, creating a slow and unsatisfying pace.

One problem that became increasingly evident was the subpar quality of the game’s in-game cinematics. Although the game features fully animated cutscenes, which are visually appealing, a large portion of the story mode relies on scenes using character models within the game. Unfortunately, these presentations often feel static and lacking in life, detracting from many scenes and diminishing their impact. This is unfortunate given how captivating Bleach’s story can be in its anime/manga form. Additionally, the lengthy duration of some cutscenes, with some missions consisting entirely of these in-game animations, makes it difficult to overlook minor errors or unusual movements.

The story mode and extra Secret Stories offer players a chance to try out characters before battling online. Although some stories might seem like filler content, others contain delightful sub-plots that flesh out the characters more than the main story does. Moreover, certain battles in the story have Real Moments, which are objectives mirroring events from the anime/manga. Though challenging to unlock, it’s incredibly rewarding to experience these battles as they unfolded in the original series.

In essence, the fighting game “Bleach Rebirth of Souls” performs admirably, but falls short when it comes to being a comprehensive experience. Its story mode, in particular, appears disjointed, which is disappointing given the richness of the source material. However, this game represents the best adaptation of “Bleach” into a video game yet and stands out as a solid fighting game overall. It’s challenging to find another game that offers such significant shifts as “Rebirth of Souls” does. Despite its flaws, it possesses the potential to become a beloved title among anime/manga enthusiasts.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

A PlayStation 5 copy of Bleach Rebirth of Souls was provided for this review by the publisher.

2025-03-26 19:40

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