Battle Fantasia Critic Reviews

A sublime blend of old and new, Battle Fantasia has both the hardcore mechanics and depth to attract devout beat-’em-up fanatics and the style, polish and approachability to rope in the less devoted gamer. It could use a few more characters and perhaps a little more substance but still, BF is easily one of the better fighting games to grace the current generation of consoles so far.

It's pure fighting from the get go that gives the gamer a ton of variety.

There are only a few fighters that are more lighthearted and pick-up-and-play-enjoyable than Battle Fantasia, but such whimsy and simplicity come at a premium price in the land of fighting games.

Battle Fantasia grabs hold of a player, there's no telling how many hours of enjoyment it's good for.

Considering this game hails from the same company that created the insanity that is Guilty Gear, you might expect Battle Fantasia to play as fast as the Flash with a caffeine buzz. While it offers up a fair amount of craziness, BF turns out to be a slightly slower, more technical fighter.

Still, while Battle Fantasia's mechanics seem to work well enough, it's also a little barebones for today's fighting market.

Battle Fantasia is a solid Beat'em Up, an exemplar new IP. Great characters and deep gameplay mechanics, supported by an unusual variety, make Arc System title an hidden gem. Unfortunately, the game reaches PAL market a few years after its original release, and that means that graphic engine isn't excellent. With more game modes (and a budget price), the title could have been a must buy.

A fantastic old-fashioned fighter that's maybe a little too...safe.

A very tight fighter, with tried-and-tested 2D mechanics cloaked in a 2.5D visual presentation.

The slower, more deliberate pace and the hefty fine levied by missed throws and counters may initially confuse those expecting Guilty Fear in a new set of clothes, but ultimately provides a smoother learning curve and a more welcoming experience for new players.

The most accessible fighting game on 360.

Backed by a quality studio, Battle Fantasia is an interesting fighting game which can result risky at times. It has some RPG elements, although shallow, which change some of the more typical aspects of its genre, and only a dozen characters. The advantage is that there are no filler characters, but a larger line-up would have favoured the game with more variety.

Battle Fantasia certainly isn't going to have anyone cancelling their pre-order for Street Fighter IV; it's not even in the same league as Capcom's superlative re-envisioning. But if you've room in your life for more than one 2D fighter, then Battle Fantasia is a polished if slightly standard gem worthy of any would-be fighter's time.

With its unique art style, eclectic characters and accessible gameplay it's an easy and fun little way to get back into beat-'em-ups.

Even with Street Fighter IV currently being the best fighting game in the market, Battle Fantasia is still a solid fighting game that has some interesting Japanese RPG elements as well as fantastic visuals and art.

There's fun to be had with Battle Fantasia. It's a title that's reasonably easy to pick up and play but has enough technical depth to take some time to master. There isn't enough depth in the content and fighting to appeal to the hardcore fighting game fan.

It's an enjoyable fighter even with its flaws, and it's a pleasing sidestep from Arc's edgy world of "Guilty Gear."

Battle Fantasia is a decent distraction but can’t compete with the high profile fighters, both out now on Xbox 360 and on the way, in looks, depth, or feature set. The character design is about the only thing that sets this game apart from the pack.

Battle Fantasia may be a niche game for a specific audience, but otaku will live happily ever after.

With Street Fighter IV out on the shelves, Battle Fantasia couldn't have found a worse time to be published. Most hardcore gamers will though like the deep and solid 2d gameplay, once they'll have mastered it.