Bleach: Rebirth of Souls has more depth than most anime fighters, though the single-player offerings don’t make that immediately clear. If you’re aiming to play with others, this is a great anime fighter for fans of the franchise, though those who only want to play against AI may want to hold off.
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls
Developer: Tamsoft
Price: $60
Platform: PS4, PS5 (reviewed), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
MonsterVine was supplied with a PS5 code for review.
I was obsessed with Bleach in the mid-2000s, as I would watch episodes for hours on end and read Shonen Jump like a madman. I played a few of the games, but they varied in quality back in those days. Bleach hasn’t gotten as many games in recent years, but Bleach: Rebirth of Souls has arrived to remedy that – and remedy it does, for the most part.
Combat is a bit different than most anime fighters, as you have to reduce your opponent’s health a few times before you can win. Each player has a number of bars, called Konpaku, that serve almost as lives. Special Kikon Moves can reduce your opponent’s Konpaku once their health is low enough, making for a bit of a strategic game of back-and-forth that I haven’t seen in many other games.
I know that it sounds rather confusing when laid out like this, but once you get into the swing of it, it’s pretty easy to get a grasp on. The roster is quite wide and features pretty much everyone you could want, with all of the Soul Reapers, Arrancars, and more playing in remarkably distinct ways that suit their stories. I was thrilled to find that all my favorite characters were available and a blast to play as in multiplayer, with local multiplayer being especially thrilling.
“Even the menus and the HUD reflect the ever-stylish nature that Bleach has in spades, encapsulating the magnificent vibes that the series is known for.“
The story mode doesn’t do a great job of showing off this unique combat system, as it has you battle Hollows and large foes that feature different rules than regular battles, as well as slanted duels against stronger characters. While I can appreciate the level of detail that the story delves into, a lot of it is made up of still images and somewhat stilted cutscenes, making a lot of it feel like a slog.
The secret stories you can unlock in Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, which go into the backstories and details of established characters, are a fun addition, at least. It’s neat to get into these extra aspects of your favorite characters, and the unlock conditions will keep hardcore players going for a good while. There are also missions to take on that serve a role similar to a gauntlet, with you taking on opponents with different Konpaku in a row. This works a bit better as single-player content, allowing more standard battles against foes.
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls oozes style.
The visuals are one of the most impressive aspects of the game, perfectly nailing Tite Kubo’s distinct art style. It’s cool to see iconic attacks and scenes play out in this high-quality 3D style, as it makes the characters feel like they were ripped straight out of the anime. Even the menus and the HUD reflect the ever-stylish nature that Bleach has in spades, encapsulating the magnificent vibes that the series is known for.
The audio is also excellent, with both the English and Japanese casts sounding top-notch. Bleach had a really great dub back in the day, so it’s exciting to see so many of those classic actors and actresses return for this game.
The Final Word
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls succeeds as an anime fighter with a good deal of depth to it. The story mode and mission offerings are a bit bland, but the clear love for the series and multiplayer aspects stand out as impressive. If you’re a big Bleach fan, this is a solid title for some fun times with friends.
MonsterVine Rating: 4 out of 5 – Good
