E3 2016: ‘Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven’ Unites The House Of Joestar
The first time I heard of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, I thought it was just a new Dreamcast fighting game. I had no idea that it was a long running manga series that as of now, has been around for about 30 years. Recently, the franchise has had a resurgence thanks to the anime adaptation of Diamond Is Unbreakable, the fourth part of the story that was originally published in the mid 90’s, which is why now is a perfect time for a new game to hit the shelves! We got the chance to try out the game ahead of its release at E3, and it’s safe to say that this game will have plenty to love if you’re a fan of the series.
Featuring an original story that brings multiple generations of the House of Joestar together for one giant adventure, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes Of Heaven pits its 50 plus characters against each other in a two on two 3D fighting game developed by CyberConnect2, (the development team behind the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm series). Resembling a modern generation beat em up game rather than a traditional fighter, you’re more likely to get Power Stone vibes than feeling any sort of familiarity from the franchises previous fighters. This time, you’ll team up with your CPU partner, (or human controlled friend if playing online), and use the environments, tag team attacks and individual powers to finish off your opponents.
As expected from the series, the stylized character models, over the top special moves and manga-like presentation bring this world to life in a faithful way… Which would mean absolutely nothing if the game wasn’t fun to play. With my brief time running around within the demo build however, it was obvious that this wouldn’t be an issue. While admittedly taking a bit of time to get used to the many types of movements and attacks at my disposal, it wasn’t long before my chiseled hero was able to wipe the floor with his opponents. Serving as more than just a button masher, being synchronized with my partner was the most rewarding aspect of my time with the game, allowing me to pull off juggles, tag team attacks, and my strongest abilities with ease.
If you’re looking for a huge amount of depth, you aren’t going to find it here. But if you’re a long time follower of the anime and manga and want to battle with some strangers online with a few of your friends? Then you might want to get ready for when Eyes Of Heaven releases for the PlayStation 4 next week. Promising a full story mode, a cast that spans all eight chapters of the manga, and plenty of environmental interaction to discover, fans should find this to be an adventure worth checking out.
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven will release for the PlayStation 4 on June 28.
