Bleach: The Blade of Fate

Bleach: The Blade of Fate
Kanji	BLEACH DS 蒼天に駆ける運命
Romanji	Bleach DS Sōten ni Kakeru Unmei
English	Bleach DS: A Fate Running into the Blue Sky
Developer	Treasure Co. Ltd
Publisher	Sega
Release	January 26, 2006 October 10, 2007
Genre	Fighting
Modes	Single player, Multiplayer, Online multiplayer
Ratings	CERO All ages, ESRB Teen
Platforms	Nintendo DS

Bleach: The Blade of Fate, known in Japan as Bleach DS Sōten ni Kakeru Unmei (BLEACH DS 蒼天に駆ける運命蒼天に駆ける運命, "Bleach DS: A Fate Running into the Blue Sky") is a 2D fighting game that features characters from Bleach. The game also features Nintendo's WFC, allowing players to connect and play against players all over the world. The game modes include: story mode, arcade mode, VS mode, training mode, challenge mode, survival mode, time attack mode and Urahara Shop. The Blade of Fate's theme song is Ichirin no Hana by High and Mighty Color.

Storyline in Story Mode

Bleach: The Blade of Fate video game follows Ichigo Kurosaki on his quest to save a Shinigami named Rukia Kuchiki, who is scheduled for execution at the cost of giving Ichigo her Shinigami powers. The story modes for each character vary and an additional 22 episodes can be unlocked upon completing the new unlocked episodes after Rescue Rukia. A 23rd episode more accurately details the Soul Society arc, beginning with Ichigo's fight against Ganju and ending with Aizen's betrayal.

Ichigo's Story

Click "show" to read. 

The game introduces Substitute Shinigami, Ichigo Kurosaki, and how he acquired his powers from his encounter with Rukia Kuchiki. For giving her powers to Ichigo, Rukia was detained and returned to the Soul Society charged as criminal, and is sentenced to death. Ichigo vows to save Rukia, and he and his friends enter the Soul Society to rescue her. The game further states that Ichigo and his friends will have to deal with the Gotei 13, in order to rescue Rukia.

Level 0 - Resolve

Urahara and Yoruichi train Ichigo and the player is given a tutorial on how to play the game.

Level 1 - My Name is Ganju

After going through Urahara's personal Senkaimon, Ichigo and his friends follow Yoruichi, into the Rukon District. Yuruichi explains that Rukia is being held in the Seireitei, which is protected by an invisible barrier, as well as the 13 Court Guard Squads. A man then shouts that in order to cross the barrier, Ichigo must fight him. The man introduces himself as Ganju, the "self-proclaimed 'Deep-Red Bullet of West Rukon!'" Ganju further announces his "self-proclaimed titles," including "the number one hater of Shinigami" and Ichigo and Ganju begin to fight in the street.

Ichigo soon defeats Ganju, who reluctantly introduces Ichigo and company to his sister, Kūkaku Shiba. Ichigo and his allies head toward the Shiba residence, which Ichigo comments on the rural surroundings in comparison to the rest of the Soul Society. The group soon arrives to the headquarters of the Shiba Clan, and become shocked at the odd appearance of the home. Kūkaku soon welcomes back her old friend, Yoruichi, and Kūkaku begins to explain her plan of getting Ichigo and his friends into the Seireitei.

Yoruichi reveals that Kūkaku's Flower Crane Cannon, in combination with the creation of a Reishukaku, which will allow the group to burst through the protective barrier of the Seireitei. The group is soon launched into the sky, beginning their dangerous journey through the Seireitei.

Level 2 - The Star and Stray Dog

After Ichigo and his friends break through the barrier of the Seireitei, they become separated. An emergency Captain's meeting is held and Yamamoto orders all squads to report immediately to their battle stations.

Later, Ichigo as Ichigo searches for Rukia he encounters Squad 6 lieutenant, Renji Abarai. Renji asks if Ichigo can somehow defeat him, will Ichigo be able defeat all of the captains? Ichigo vows to defeat every last captain and rescue Rukia. Ichigo and Renji then begin to fight.

Ichigo attacks Renji.

Ichigo eventually defeats Renji, gravely injuring him. Renji pleads to Ichigo to save Rukia. Ichigo is shocked at Renji's request to save Rukia, whom he took back to the soul society, where she was later sentenced to death. Renji explains that Rukia was a childhood friend of his and he was forced to follow orders. Renji further explains that he is not strong enough to defeat his captain, Byakuya Kuchiki to stop him from arresting Rukia. Renji then tells Ichigo that Byakuya Kuchiki is Rukia's adopted brother and that he intended to kill Rukia. Renji tells Ichigo that Rukia is being held in the Shishinrō–the Repentance Cell. Ichigo agrees to Renji's request and continues his journey to rescue Rukia.

Level 3 - The Sword and Me

Gameplay

Basic game play

Battles in Bleach are between two and four characters in any combination of teams and enemies, while also functioning akin to any 2D fighting game with special attack motion-inputs (though they are revamped to be performed in any left-and-right direction). Aside from an HP bar, there are two other resource bars for spiritual pressure (used for Super Moves) and Spiritual Power (used to perform Hohō and gradually refills overtime).

Ally/Enemy characters can either be AI controlled, or controlled by other players via Nintendo WFC or DS Wireless Communications. The battles in Bleach take place in double-layered side-scrolling arenas with 3D pre-rendered backgrounds, of which there are 16 in total. The fighting in Bleach is controlled through a combination of the D-pad , the , , and buttons and the touch screen. The D-pad is used for moving the character, the a, x, y and b buttons are used to attack using a light, medium or heavy attack or initiate a Hohō and the touch screen is used to initiate special attacks, RF moves, and use special status affecting cards (which can be edited in deck construction).

Also notable is the ability to change directions during a dash (something that not all 2D fighting games can allow), and that nearly all characters can air dash twice in the air by default. Characters can also press left or right near their opponent with either the medium attack or heavy attack button to throw them. Other mechanics include guard cancelling into either a special move or Hohō, and the Damage Cancel used in other Bleach fighting games.

Unlike in other fighting games, special moves are tailored differently depending on the button used; light version special attacks often possess fast startup but with notable ending lag, while medium version special attacks have increased startup and less recovery as an old form of balanace. RF (Reinforced Special Moves) on the other hand are enhanced special moves akin to EX moves that are a viable mix of the two, which each use up a total portion of the spiritual power gauge and will greatly limit Hohō usage until those specific portions refill overtime. These are performed with either the heavy attack buttons for their inputs and/or the touch screen by default. Using RF special moves via these methods if there are no resources for them will always cause a medium version of the special move in question to be performed instead.

The gameplay in The Blade of Fate remains mostly unchanged from the Japanese version apart from several fixed balance issues. The most notable addition is an "anti-air" system; attacks coming from the ground cannot be blocked in the air, which alters the gameplay significantly. It allows attack opportunities and traps not possible in the original game.

Playable characters

• Ichigo Kurosaki
• Hollow Ichigo
• Renji Abarai
• Momo Hinamori
• Ganju Shiba
• Orihime Inoue
• Uryū Ishida
• Yasutora Sado
• Byakuya Kuchiki
• Rukia Kuchiki (in Gigai)
• Suì-Fēng
• Yoruichi Shihōin
• Shunsui Kyōraku
• Jūshirō Ukitake
• Sajin Komamura (masked, unmasked)
• Kaname Tōsen
• Tōshirō Hitsugaya
• Kenpachi Zaraki
• Mayuri Kurotsuchi
• Gin Ichimaru
• Sōsuke Aizen
• Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto
• Yachiru Kusajishi
• Kon
• Nemu Kurotsuchi
• Tatsuki Arisawa
• Bonnie (Ganju's Boar)

Game Menu

• Story Mode

23 Episodes

• Arcade Mode
• Versus Mode
• Training Mode
• Time Attack Mode
• Survival Mode
• Challenge Mode
• Deck Construction
• Urahara Shop

You can buy somethings like: Spirit Cards, Bonus Graphics, and Music.

• Gallery
• Options

Reception

Bleach: The Blade of Fate received a rating of 8.5 in Nintendo Power No. 222 by George S. He comments in his review that Blade of Fate will appeal to any fan of well-executed feature heavy fighting games. However, the game has also been criticized for certain unbalanced mechanics, such as card powerups and autoblock, which can give players unfair advantages over others. The game was also awarded Best Fighting Game of 2007 by IGN.

Trivia

• Despite Gin Ichimaru's eyes being colored blue in the manga and red in the anime, they are instead colored yellow in this game.
• It is possible to actually block via holding away from the opponent just like in more traditional 2D fighting games, resulting in blocking while facing away from the opponent.
• Hollow Ichigo in this game has the shortest Bankai activation, where his cutscene is instantly skipped.
• Kon is the only character whose Supers cannot inflict any damage, nor do they actually make the opponent flinch with any contact.
• Ganju Shiba is one of the few characters who is able to damage himself (as well as K.O. himself if his HP is low enough), via summoning Bonnie.
• Sajin Komamura is the only character to have a plummeting heavy attack in midair with no launcher-type normal attack, which prevents him from setting up an air combo into it.
• Renji is the only character to have his launcher-type normal attack to be allocated to a medium attack instead of a heavy attack (crouching medium).
• Ukitake's actions in this game can be hindered by periodic coughing.
• Ukitake and Kyōraku are the only characters who are able to perform a team-based Level 3 Super unique to them whenever they are on the same tag-team in a 2 vs. 2 battle.
• Sado, Orihime and any other non-Shinigami/Quincy-based character use a Super Armored-dash instead of an actual form of Hohō.

External links

• Official Bleach DS: Souten ni Kakeru Unmei website