Blazing Strike launching October 17 on consoles

Blazing Strike, a new 2D fighting game from RareBreed Makes Games and Aksys Games, is set to launch on October 17 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The game is the brainchild of solo developer Mark Minkyu Chung, who handled the majority of the game’s creation, including programming, character designs, art direction, animation, and story, with some assistance on netcode, illustrations, sprite cleaning, and sound. Blazing Strike is inspired by arcade greats of the late ’90s and early 2000s, such as Street Fighter 3: Third Strike and Garou: Mark of the Wolves.

The game features 14 characters, with potential unlockable ones through Story mode, and 11 stages. The character sprites are detailed and have added movement animations reminiscent of Street Fighter 3, although the execution of attack animations varies. The core gameplay and expanded mechanics are the game’s biggest draws.

Blazing Strike features a main mechanic called Rush, which functions similarly to Street Fighter 6’s Drive Gauge. Rush allows players to perform dashes, back dashes, super jumps, Rush Attacks, EX normals, or specials. It also enables fast Roman Cancels or dash cancels, allowing for combo extensions.

However, the game lacks important tutorials and guides, with little in-game information about mechanics. This means players might struggle to figure out the nuances of Rush and other features without external help.

Singleplayer creation handles Blazing Strike’s core

Rush also has a defensive use in the form of Rush Parry, which functions like a combo breaker. While this has the potential to be a powerful defensive tool, it requires precision and can be baited and punished at higher levels. Overuse of the Rush meter leads to dizziness, introducing a risk-reward factor.

Although Blazing Strike has typical fighting game controls with motion inputs, there are some quirks such as the absence of quarter-circle forward motions for regular special moves, replaced instead by half-circles. Most of the focus in Blazing Strike was put into the gameplay and character sprites. As a result, other aspects of the game remain barebones, rough around the edges, or even unfinished.

In many ways, it feels like a fighting game that could have been released in 2000, but with more modern character designs. This helps the title capture a nostalgic charm but also detracts from it due to the lack of polish compared to classics from Capcom and SNK. Overall, Blazing Strike offers a deep and engaging gameplay experience for those who appreciate its nostalgic charm and are willing to invest time in mastering its systems.

However, the lack of polish in other areas, the absence of comprehensive tutorials, and its launch price of $40 USD raise significant concerns. It’s a mixed bag that may appeal to hardcore fighting game enthusiasts but could be a tough sell to a broader audience.