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Downloadable Battle Fantasia Hits Domestic PS3s This Fall

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PSN to receive another fighting game from Aksys and Arc System Works.

Yup. That's a fighting game. 
Sure, PS3 owners, you probably could have just imported a copy of Battle Fantasia by now if you really wanted one, thanks to the PS3's handy region-free status, but that's a hassle. Today, Aksys Games announced plans to make it even easier to get a copy of Arc System Works' fantasy themed 2D fighting game. The game will be coming to North America as a PlayStation Network download this Fall.

The game was released here on the Xbox 360 back in September of last year, but the disc-based PS3 version was only released in Japan and PAL regions, which actually robbed PS3 owners of a pretty good fighting game. In what's probably an attempt to make up for all this, Aksys is adding more trophies to the upcoming release and holding a contest where players will attempt to name the new trophies.

Battle Fantasia's a very different-looking game from the typical anime crazy that Arc typically delivers, and I ended up liking the 360 version pretty well. So it's pretty cool that PS3 owners (or multiplatform owners who missed out on what ended up being a fairly limited release on 360) will get the chance to own a copy. Look for it later this year. Jeff Gerstmann on Google+
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Battle Fantasia
26 Comments
Posted by Jeff
Yup. That's a fighting game. 
Sure, PS3 owners, you probably could have just imported a copy of Battle Fantasia by now if you really wanted one, thanks to the PS3's handy region-free status, but that's a hassle. Today, Aksys Games announced plans to make it even easier to get a copy of Arc System Works' fantasy themed 2D fighting game. The game will be coming to North America as a PlayStation Network download this Fall.

The game was released here on the Xbox 360 back in September of last year, but the disc-based PS3 version was only released in Japan and PAL regions, which actually robbed PS3 owners of a pretty good fighting game. In what's probably an attempt to make up for all this, Aksys is adding more trophies to the upcoming release and holding a contest where players will attempt to name the new trophies.

Battle Fantasia's a very different-looking game from the typical anime crazy that Arc typically delivers, and I ended up liking the 360 version pretty well. So it's pretty cool that PS3 owners (or multiplatform owners who missed out on what ended up being a fairly limited release on 360) will get the chance to own a copy. Look for it later this year.
Staff
Posted by JJOR64

I read about that on Kotaku.  I actually ordered the 360 version of the game on the 10th.  I hope I get it by the end of the week.

Posted by Poohkey

GREAT! I can play it with a proper d-pad now. I'm so upset KOF98UM and Garou: MOTW didn't release on the PSN.

Posted by Venatio

This better come out on PSN in Europe

Posted by Axersia

GUNSLINGER FACE!

Posted by KaosAngel

Hey, I already own this game...the trophy update is free right?  I'm not paying for this game again for trophies.

Posted by Zabant

hey jeff, might want to put the quick look video of BF you did in here.

http://www.giantbomb.com/battle-fantasia-quick-look/17-56/

Posted by Reverseface

Finally my battle fantasy can be represented in Battle fantasia.

Edited by newmarcom

I have the rare luck to import  the Japanese PS3 version a week before this announcement. I already knew of the PSN rumors but I grew impatient. The same thing happened when I got Tatsunoko vs. Capcom. If only I can harness this power somehow.

Posted by Bigandtasty

Hmm, I missed this one. Looks pretty crazy.

Posted by slinky6
@Poohkey said:
" GREAT! I can play it with a proper d-pad now. I'm so upset KOF98UM and Garou: MOTW didn't release on the PSN. "
I believe the 360 dpad to be far better for fighting games than the mushy PS3 dpad.   I honestly don't understand your opinion (which, I know, is the vast majority).   Sure accidental jumps happen less on the PS3 dpad, but so do any intentional moves I try to do.   Both are garbage.   360 is the lesser of two pieces of crap.
Posted by Althalus
@slinky6 said:
" @Poohkey said:
" GREAT! I can play it with a proper d-pad now. I'm so upset KOF98UM and Garou: MOTW didn't release on the PSN. "
I believe the 360 dpad to be far better for fighting games than the mushy PS3 dpad.   I honestly don't understand your opinion (which, I know, is the vast majority).   Sure accidental jumps happen less on the PS3 dpad, but so do any intentional moves I try to do.   Both are garbage.   360 is the lesser of two pieces of crap. "
If you take fighting games seriously, you use an arcade stick anyway, making all the debate about the d-pads pretty silly when most of the people having these arguments are pretending to be some kind of fighting game pros, even though the debate itself invalidates that claim by default.
Posted by sickVisionz

I hope they bring this out on XBLA or that Games on Demmand thing.  I've always been mildly interested in this game but I haven't bothered to grab it at a store or buy it online and probably won't ever be in all honesty.  If I could click a button and have it dl'd to my HDD, i'd probably check it out though.

Posted by Althalus
@sickVisionz said:
" I hope they bring this out on XBLA or that Games on Demmand thing.  I've always been mildly interested in this game but I haven't bothered to grab it at a store or buy it online and probably won't ever be in all honesty.  If I could click a button and have it dl'd to my HDD, i'd probably check it out though. "
Good point.  The 360 version was a very limited release in North America as well.  Would be easy to get it on Games on Demand.
Posted by slinky6
@Althalus said:
" @slinky6 said:
" @Poohkey said:
" GREAT! I can play it with a proper d-pad now. I'm so upset KOF98UM and Garou: MOTW didn't release on the PSN. "
I believe the 360 dpad to be far better for fighting games than the mushy PS3 dpad.   I honestly don't understand your opinion (which, I know, is the vast majority).   Sure accidental jumps happen less on the PS3 dpad, but so do any intentional moves I try to do.   Both are garbage.   360 is the lesser of two pieces of crap. "
If you take fighting games seriously, you use an arcade stick anyway, making all the debate about the d-pads pretty silly when most of the people having these arguments are pretending to be some kind of fighting game pros, even though the debate itself invalidates that claim by default. "
What did I say?   They're both crap.   Also how is stating a preference "pretending to be some kind of fighting game pro."   Make more sense and less assumptions.
Posted by strangeling
@Zabant said:
" hey jeff, might want to put the quick look video of BF you did in here.http://www.giantbomb.com/battle-fantasia-quick-look/17-56/ "
Yep.
In which he says he'll do a review of it.  However, I don't think he ever got around to doing one.
Posted by demonknightinuyasha
@slinky6:

I have a buddy who agrees with you but I think it's more because he's used the 360 d-pad more. I tried SF4 at his place recently and pretty much just spent the whole time wishing I had my arcade stick :/

Of the two d-pads  though, I don't agree, I had a hell of a time getting quarter circle moves to work with the 360 d-pad especially if I was going with a backward motion (such as for the hurricane kick). 

On to the actual topic, I always meant to import this but never got around to it so this is awesome =D
Posted by Media_Master

nice screen shot

Posted by AsKo25

I went to buy the 360 version at my local EB, but they lost the disc. The case was up there but they didn't have the actual game. Shit sucked.

Posted by Soap

Does this mean we might see the review you promised oh so long ago jeff? :P

Posted by BenderUnit22

What. Ever. I just bought BlazBlue, don't care for no Battle Fantasia. Plus it's been out in Europe for months.

Posted by sickVisionz
@BenderUnit22 said:
" What. Ever. I just bought BlazBlue, don't care for no Battle Fantasia. Plus it's been out in Europe for months. "
I think this is the type of game for people who can play/own more than one game of the same genre at the same time.
Posted by BenderUnit22
@sickVisionz said:
" @BenderUnit22 said:
" What. Ever. I just bought BlazBlue, don't care for no Battle Fantasia. Plus it's been out in Europe for months. "
I think this is the type of game for people who can play/own more than one game of the same genre at the same time. "
Don't get me wrong, more power to them and the people who were asking for it and digital distribution seems like the perfect way for a title that wouldn't get much exposure at a retailer. In fact, I had no idea it wasn't available in NA, as we Europeans are usually the ones screwed over (as seen in the case of BlazBlue.) I personally didn't like the demo too much though.
Posted by lordofultima
@BenderUnit22: Battle Fantasia is most certainly available in the states, my friend bought a copy late last year.
Posted by BenderUnit22
@lordofultima said:
" @BenderUnit22: Battle Fantasia is most certainly available in the states, my friend bought a copy late last year. "
I was talking about a PS3 version. I wouldn't know, but Jeff's article says it was only released on the 360 in NA
Posted by Eelcire

Enjoyable game and great style, though Urs and Marco's personalities really got on my nerves at times. Never really understood the distribution logic for the game, but it's nice that NA PS3 owners can get to play the game finally. Sounds like it'll get tough competition from BlazBlue though.

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