A game that needs more exposure by BWprowl on August 31, 2009
Rating: 9/10
Last Blade 2 is a fantastic fighter that simply doesn't get enough love. It's a crime that a series with an installment as fantastic as this gets lost to the Street Fighters and Guilty Gears of the world.
First off, the game is gorgeous. Not even just in a 'for a Neo Geo game' sort of way. The backgrounds all ooze impressive little touches like the business of the background characters, or the way the wind blows the trees and grass. The music compliments this perfectly, and some levels excel by having no music at all, opting to simply have the sound of the wind as the backdrop.
The characters continue this trend. Each one is a work unto themselves, with personality in their animations, which are rendered quite well. Each one is unique, which is impressive when you consider that they swing more 'realistic' than the eccentric entitities that inhabit other weapons-based fighters like Samurai Shodown or Soulcalibur.
The fighting is fast and smooth, as a game like this should be. The counter system adds an especially intuitive layer, and as higher-level players substitute this action for blocking more and more, the battles become an amazing ballet of counters, reactions, and punishment.
The game's controls aren't as reliable as I would like. This is especially true of super moves, which are difficult to perform and don't come out faithfully. Also, some players may find the arcade mode CPU players rather unforgiving. Still, this game is worth playing just for the beautiful, unique experience its setting and characters provide.
