A free, playable demo of the most recent JoJo-inspired game was made available with this week’s PlayStation Store update.
For anyone who is not a big fan of the manga and anime series, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, it is completely understandable to overlook the upcoming fighting game releasing on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, but for those faithful to the series, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven is a godsend.
On top of being an entertaining brawler, the game is loaded to the brim with fan service. JoJo enthusiasts will be treated with all the style and action that the series is known for. The game also has its own unique story that was made under the supervision of series creator, Hirohiko Araki.
Within the game, players are engaged in intense two-on-two battles while using the environment to their advantage. Characters are able to interact with one another with tag team combinations and special attacks, known as “Dual Combos” and “Dual Heat Attacks” respectively. Additionally, certain characters are given unique dialogue depending on who is paired with whom.
The main attraction to the demo is Story Mode. It includes a couple of cutscenes and a few fights to give players an idea of the pace and direction of the game. It also shows off a brief exploration section. These sections will be at a much larger scale within the full game, spanning cities, castles, and alternate dimensions.
There is also a Free Battle Mode which allows players to test out the game’s mechanics even more. There are only four characters available but the official website promises that the final product will have over 50 characters spanning all eight of the JoJo storylines.
After playing through the entirety of the demo, I found myself instantly hungry for more. From only watching the trailers, I was more interested in the story instead of the actual gameplay. But after experiencing the combat mechanics firsthand, I became much more enthusiastic about the battle system, which is fantastic because this is a fighting game after all!
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven is developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco. The game released late last year in Japan, but will be receiving a North American release on June 28, 2016, and a European release on July 1, 2016.
Sources: Bandai Namco, Anime News Network