Blazing Strike is a 2D fighting game featuring pixel graphics like what you might’ve seen in fighters from the mid to late 90s such as Street Fighter Alpha or King of Fighters.  It’s available on Switch, PlayStation platforms, and PC, but reviewed on Switch here.

Like any other 2D fighter, you have various buttons for kicks and punches and grabs, and can combine button presses with joystick movements to whittle down your opponent’s health and whoever does that first, wins.  There are around 15 fighters to choose from.  Modes include Story Mode, where you view comic book slides and maybe have a fight or two with characters in between.  Arcade mode just has you fight the others all in a row.  Vs. Mode lets you play against a friend locally and you can challenge others in Online Mode as well.  Training Mode lets you practice moves and you can toggle settings in Options.

I had a few problems with this game.  One is that Story Mode didn’t let me save my progress, and that’s a lot to ask for you to beat it in one setting.  Plus I found the story presentation boring and ended up skipping it anyway.  Also every time I would turn on the game, it would automatically set my JoyCons up where you have to hold them on the side for two players, which got annoying.  And while some of the characters are kind of interesting, nothing really stands out the way things do in fighters like BlazBlue, Guilty Gear, or the new KOF titles.  Blazing Strike is just decidedly average.

Kid Factor:

Blazing Strike is rated T for Teen with ESRB descriptors of Mild Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, and Violence.  I didn’t really notice any blood or language.  It’s a fighting game so of course there’s violence and some of the female characters wear skimpy outfits.  I’d say it’s best for older kids and above.  I grew up playing these types of games and turned out OK anyway.

Tags: Game Reviews