Bleach: Heat the Soul (series)

The series is a series of 3-D cel-shaded fighting games for the PSP based on Bleach. Each installment is developed by Eighting and published by SCEI. All installments have been released only in Japan.

Each installment has several methods of play, with different types of game modes. New games have introduced additional modes that usually carry over to the sequels. Using characters taken directly from Bleach manga, the player uses each character's unique abilities to battle and defeat an opponent. New games expand on the series' plotline in "Story Mode" or, as it is known in Heat the Soul 3 and 4, "Mission Mode," which generally stays true to the source material. Because of this, the character roster increases with each installment.

The music for the series was composed by Manabu Namiki (who has composed for a number of 8ing's other games), Mitsuhiro Kanada, Shirō Sagisu, Kazuo Hanzawa (known by his alias as NON) and Hitoshi Sakimoto.

Gameplay
In each game of the series, the player controls one of many characters directly based upon their Bleach counterparts. The player then pits their character against another, usually controlled by the game but this can also be another player depending on the mode being used. The objective of each match is to reduce the opponent's health to zero using basic attacks and special techniques unique to each character and derived from techniques they use in the source material. For instance, Ichigo Kurosaki's use of his Black Getsuga Tenshō (though only while using Ichigo's Bankai form) and Rukia Kuchiki's utilization of Kidō. As of Heat the Soul 3, the player may select partner characters to help aid them in battle. Each partner character has different abilities based on their skills from the series. Whereas Heat the Soul 3 allows the selection of up to three partner characters, Heat the Soul 4 only allows two at a time, though the abilities of both can be combined to create more powerful effects.

The gameplay is normally that of a 3D fighting game with sidestepping available and is somewhat reminiscent of Eighting's other titles (especially the Naruto: Gekitō Ninja Taisen AKA Clash of Ninja series), where characters have weak attacks and strong attack inputs (the former being physical-based hand-to-hand attacks and the latter often being either weapon-based attacks or unique special attacks that both inflict chip damage when blocked). Directions can be combined with various moves for other attacks. Other tidbits include:
 * Blocking unlike Eighting's Bloody Roar series and the aforementioned Clash of Ninja with an auto-block feature on, must be done by holding the back direction away from the target (though it is possible to be guard crushed if one blocks too many attacks continuously).
 * Also akin to Clash of Ninja, attack heights unlike in other similar 3D fighters (highs, mids, lows) are somewhat non-existent and/or not fully factored in as high-and-low-blocking does not exist. Though there are some attacks that can break through one's guard easily.
 * Jumping is done by pressing the Triangle button by default, unlike in Eighting's other fighting games where it is mapped to an upwards direction; this is mainly due to the up and down directions allowing the character to side-run akin to the sidewalking movement of the Bloody Roar series and Konjiki no Gash Bell: Yūjō Tag Battle AKA Mamodo Battles games.
 * Tapping up or down in this regard when not already moving (when in neutral state) allows the character to perform a side-dodge instead (which can be held down for them to side-run right afterwards); for Shinigami or Arrancar characters, they respectively perform either Shunpo or Sonido.
 * Air dashing can be done by pressing the jump button again while in midair, which defaults to a forward air dash with no direction pressed at all (or when holding forward). Using it with the back direction results in a back air dash instead which doesn't have as much distance as a forward one.
 * Unlike in a lot of other 3D fighting games, forward movement is already involves the character fully running (with the same speed used for side-running), whereas walking is reserved mainly for backwards movement (making the series more forward-movement-focused).
 * Dashing with double tapping forward causes the character to perform a spiritual-power-coated dashing animation that travels quite far, but instantly stops upon reaching their opponent and will go into a normal forward run if forward is still held afterwards. Grounded backdashing is often a backwards hop.
 * While a number of attacks are structured a bit uniquely as per character, unblockable throws are all mapped to the back+strong input unlike in Eighting's other fighting games.
 * All characters possess strings akin to other 3D fighters, though in Heat the Soul they are a combination of both Bloody Roar and Clash of Ninja where there exist string branches that are all singular button sequences with no extra directions in the case of the latter, and there are only single-directional mid-string branches unlike the former for some character's strings.
 * All characters can also manually charge up their Reiatsu Gauge (mapped to the square button by default) up to 2 total levels, akin to charging up power meters from other fighting games. However, unique to Heat the Soul is the Reiatsu Burst, which allows the user to charge up for a certain amount of time to unleash an aura burst if the button is released that staggers the opposition with no damage; charging up longer results in a wider burst, but the same can happen to the user if the attacker hits them at the right time upon them unleashing the Reiatsu Burst. Though to cancel charging without unleashing a burst, a directional tap is all that is needed mid-charge.
 * A number of characters throughout the series also have strings that can cancel right into a Reiatsu Charge, which benefits them in a number of ways depending on the nature of the string and so forth. However, Reiatsu Bursts cannot hit downed opponents.

For some techniques, they use up the aforementioned Reiatsu Gauge. Most techniques, especially the super moves of the series, dubbed as are not executed in real time, and instead have an accompanying cinematic that takes place. Reiatsu Secret Skills are all performed either with the Reiatsu Charge + the Weak Attack or Jump buttons, with some characters having more than 1 (those that have only 1 use either input for such a move).

Furthermore, some characters can transform into certain alternative forms mid-battle (using the shoulder buttons simultaneously), albeit until their Reiatsu Gauge is fully drained or the user cancels the transformation.

Each installment introduces new ways of playing through Story Mode. Heat the Soul features a classic story mode, allowing the player to simply relive all the important battles from the beginning of the series. Heat the Soul 2 adds a bit of variety to the original story mode, allowing players to play through each character's individual story. For example, if Ichigo Kurosaki is selected, the player must fight all his battles with the Shinigami; if Byakuya Kuchiki is selected, the player must stop Ichigo and his friends from saving Rukia Kuchiki. Heat the Soul 3 no longer uses "Story Mode" but rather "Mission Mode." In Mission Mode, the player must relive the battles of the series, though must meet certain conditions, such as a time limit, before being able to move on. Heat the Soul 4 also uses Mission Mode. Depending on completion time and remaining stamina, the player is awarded a rank of "S" through "C," S being the highest ranking possible. If awarded S or A, a scenario branching occurs.