Even the Mu-series, literal Moveset Clone characters, play differently due to their Drives. Blood Knight Azrael can detect his enemies weak points and then target them for bonus damage with his Drive, Smug Snake Hazama uses his Drive like a grappling hook to shoot about the screen, Hospital Hottie Litchi Faye Ling switches between using her Simple Staff to attack her foes and being a Bare-Fisted Monk when her Drive button is pressed, The Stoic warrior Hakumen uses his Drive to parry attacks. And that's just the tip of the iceberg- much of this series' depth comes from how each individual character plays around their Drive button and how it informs their lore. Ragna, for instance, regains health with every move performed with the Drive button, while Jin can freeze his opponent solid with sword swipes performed by the Drive button. Each character uses the Drive button differently, because every member of the cast has a different Drive that informs how they play. The major area where BlazBlue differs from the competition is the Drive mechanic. All the traditional fighting game staples are here, such as airdashing, pushblocking, and lots of meter to play with, as well as the "Roman Cancel" (here called the "Rapid Cancel") mechanic making a return from Guilty Gear. Gameplay wise, BlazBlue is an anime fighter with a strong emphasis on fast gameplay, long combos, and extreme character designs. The Wheel of Fate begins to turn, but Ragna slowly gets the feeling he's done this all before. He also attracts the attention of Jin Kisaragi, a Library agent with a very pronounced hatred for Ragna beyond any reasonable measure, and Noel Vermillion, a Library lieutenant with a cloudy past sent to retrieve Jin before he gets himself killed.Īs the events at Kagatsuchi spiral out of control, a tale of godlike cyborgs, legendary magic, ancient conspiracies and all manner of political intrigue ensues, with Ragna and his mysterious "Azure Grimoire" being stuck right at the center of it all. Ragna flees to the city of Kagutsuchi, where he is pursued by all manner of warriors and magicians out for the bounty on his head. His incredible strength leads to the NOL saddling him with their biggest bounty yet and declaring him wanted dead or alive. A young man named Ragna the Bloodedge, armed with a strange blade, dark magic, a missing arm and a bad attitude begins systematically destroying dozens of Library outposts for seemingly no reason. Several years later, the NOL has evolved into a full-on dictatorship.