JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R is a love letter to the iconic anime and manga and all the bombastic action that has brought it fame over the years. Developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco, this remaster of the 2013 fighting game brings with it an expanded roster and additional features such as revised single-player content. Screen Rant got a chance to go hands-on with the title at Summer Game Fest, experiencing four characters: Johnathan Joestar, Jotaro Kujo, Dio, and Jolyne Cujoh.
The full title will have a roster of over 50 characters from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure's illustrious history. In addition to the main combatants chosen for each match, players will also select an Assist character who can be called in mid-fight to change the odds in a player's favor. In addition, each character has full access to their Stand, which can be summoned or dismissed with the press of a button. While active, Stands drastically change a character's moveset and the combos they can perform.
In the spirit of fellow fighting games like Street Fighter 6, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R features dense movesets and deep combat options. CyberConnect2 has given thought to both ends of the skill window in this regard. Jojo's Bizarre Adventure fans who are less experienced with fighting games can enable a mode which lets characters perform their ultimate combo finisher after a simple chain of basic attacks. More experienced combatants can make use of a flash cancel mechanic that can swiftly interrupt their own combo chain; when used properly, this move can prevent a character from performing an elaborate finisher that would give their opponent some time to breathe, and instead launch straight into a new counter that could lock their foe down even longer.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R Gameplay
Unlike more traditional 2D fighting games, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R has a prominent 3D element. While characters still largely fight each other on a two dimensional plane, combatants can dodge left or right with the tap of a button, moving them forward or backward on the screen. The battle swiftly and fluidly reorients itself to the new position, and fights continue in 2D. The dodge mechanic is an effective way to evade enemy attacks and close with an enemy safely, but it's also valuable in dodging environmental hazards. The demo featured a level with falling chandeliers to keep players thinking on their feet. Obstacles like these open up options of their own in combat; goading an opponent into stepping under a falling chandelier could be an amusing way to end a match.
Outside of the mechanics, the visuals of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R hew very close to their inspirations. The characters lose little of their authenticity in the move from 2D to 3D character models, and remain instantly recognizable even to players unfamiliar with the franchise. Minor touches connect the game to its roots as well; environmental hazards are signaled with manga s, and floating Japanese characters appear to highlight significant moments of action just as they do in the source material. Many combo finishers are lifted directly from the anime as well, including Dio's iconic steamroller drop.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R Demo Times & Dates
Bandai Namco is launching a public demo of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R from June 16th to June 21st, offering players the same four characters as seen in this same Summer Game Fest preview. With a full roster of more than ten times that many characters, it remains to be seen how well the full experience can hold up to the illustrious legacy of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. It won't be long before players get to step into the shoes of a member of the legendary Joestar family and summon a Stand of their very own.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure will launch in Fall 2022 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
