Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is at its most fun when you stop thinking of your selection as two separate characters and start treating it as one team. You choose a pair, fight in 2v2 battles, and use tag teamwork to shape the match. That simple idea gives the game a strong immediate pull: you are not only deciding who you like, but who you want fighting alongside them.

The crossover format makes experimentation feel worthwhile. A team built around a favorite from BlazBlue will naturally feel different from one that brings in a Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth, or RWBY fighter, even before you have settled on a long-term main. It is the sort of game that invites friendly arguments about dream pairings, then asks you to prove that your duo works once the match begins.

That same two-character focus can become demanding. Tag battles create more to consider than a straight one-on-one fight, and you need to pay attention to how your fighters complement each other rather than leaning entirely on one comfort pick. The payoff is a livelier kind of fighting game, where a smart pairing can be as satisfying as winning the round itself.

Graphics

The game uses 2D anime and manga-inspired art, keeping its crossover cast in a fighting-game frame. Bringing characters from four separate series into one shared style gives the battles a cohesive look without losing the basic appeal of seeing those worlds meet.

Story

The central story hook is the crossover itself. BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth, and RWBY occupy the same fighting-game space, and that collision supplies the reason to care about the matchups beyond simple competition.

For fans of any one of those series, the draw is recognition and contrast. You get to place a familiar favorite next to someone from a different world, then see whether that combination becomes a team you actually enjoy using. That is a stronger hook than a crossover that merely piles recognizable names into a menu.

Newcomers do not need deep attachment to every series to understand the setup. The premise is clear enough on its own: assemble a two-fighter team from a broad anime-styled crossover and take it into battle. Knowing the source material adds flavor, but the team-building fantasy carries the experience.

Overall Experience

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle succeeds because it commits to the part of crossover fighting games that matters most: making the combinations feel worth exploring. Its original four-series lineup is broad enough to make team selection exciting, while the 2v2 format gives those choices practical weight once a fight starts.

You should give it a chance if the thought of building a tag pair across BlazBlue, Persona 4 Arena, Under Night In-Birth, and RWBY sounds more exciting than mastering a lone fighter. It is especially easy to recommend for matches, where comparing unusual duos is half the fun and every player arrives with a different idea of the ideal partnership.

The game asks you to embrace its tag-team mindset, and it rewards that commitment with a sharp, energetic crossover fighter rather than a loose collection of guest appearances. For the original release’s launch details and its four-series, 2v2 premise, see the original launch announcement.

Retro Replay Score

8/10