Written by Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Azur Lane: Crosswave (PS4/Steam)
Developer: Compile Heart, Felistella, Idea Factory
Publisher: Idea Factory International
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG
Price: $19.99
Chinese developers Shanghai Manjuu and Xiamen Yongshi had a hit in their hands when Azur Lane made its way to mobile platforms in 2017. Aside from banking on stellar features that combined shoot-‘em-up, simulation, and role-playing game elements, it stood out for its unique interpretation of World War II ships. Indeed, its use of moe anthropomorphism to present shipgirls gave it the industry support it required to cross the borders of the world’s most populous country and venture into Japan within six months of its release. And while Compile Heart’s offering didn’t quite reach the scale of already-established titles from fellow publishers Kadokawa Games and DMM.com, it nonetheless managed to claim a base big enough to allow it to cross over to popular culture.
If nothing else, Azur Lane has proven its capacity to stay relevant for the long haul. Between the release of manga and anime adaptations, it found its way to the personal computer and Sony PlayStation 4 via a reworked narrative and presentation. Even as Azur Lane: Crosswave features cel-shaded three-dimensional graphics and new characters, however, it has wisely kept its winning formula: It combines an easy-to-pick-up but nonetheless engaging battle system with a humor-laced and fan-service-heavy story thread. That said, the latter doesn’t make any pretentious; for all its seeming richness and faithfulness to franchise canon, it ultimately comes off as a contrived call for action.
Fortunately, the combat is worth the setup. Azur Lane: Crosswave’s Story Mode has newcomers Shimakaze and Suruga steer other ships of the Sakura Empire through seven chapters’ worth of encounters with counterparts from the Eagle Union, the Royal Navy, and Iron Blood. While in the Joint Military Exercises, gamers get to do crafting and equipping, and even some experimentation after productive exchanges of blueprints. Combined with loot spawning after any given battle, the new items then serve as upgrades for the next mission. And so on and so forth, with the stylized setups tested against enemies at sea and in air.
The configuration of six ships, with three controllable and three for artificial-intelligence support, works like a charm, although Azur Lane: Crosswave can be uneven. Engagements are engrossing, but some go by quickly (okay, very quickly). Battlegrounds are fairly large squares, albeit with invisible boundaries that identify themselves mostly by accident. More characters are unlocked over time, and with hardly any difficulty. For good measure, the Extreme Battle Mode gives gamers the opportunity to go for standalone skirmishes that yield special gear; more than a hundred are on tap.
Needless to say, the presentation is at par with Idea Factory’s standards — which is to say uniformly topnotch. Characters and backgrounds are vibrant and replete with visual information, and the well-acted Japanese voice tracks blend well with music and ambient sounds. It’s just too bad that the visual-novel approach to furthering the narrative keeps things static outside of the occasional facial twitches. Thankfully, the work remains rock solid during combat, with the level of detail so stellar as to be distracting.
Azur Lane: Crosswave isn’t cheap by any means. Its PlayStation 4 version carries a $49.99 tag, although geographical pricing lops off three-fifths of the price on Steam for PC gamers on this side of the globe. In any case, it provides reasonable value for money with its singularly pleasing blend of genres. Those familiar with the series name, or with Compile Heart’s library of releases, certainly won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended.
THE GOOD
- Excellent audio-visual presentation
- Unique gameplay
- Faithful to source material
- Engaging combat elements
THE BAD
- Weak narrative
- Screens can stay static for long periods
- Fairly short campaign
RATING: 8/10
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