In the 2000s when Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece reigned as the three kings in the anime world, I followed the series weekly and ended up dropping it like a plague near the end of its lifespan primarily because of Ichigo's out-of-control MC syndrome. Kubo Tite giving him every possible power in the BLEACH universe at the peak of every arc was a cardinal sin in the manga/anime + writing industry despite its popularity, but let me acknowledge that this just is a personal gripe.

Regardless of anyone's opinions on the series itself, RoS is a welcome addition to Bamco's archives of less-than-stellar anime fighting games as of late. In recent years, we witnessed the official death and burial of the Naruto UNS games with Connections, various other botched titles like Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Ultra Rumble, Dragon Ball Breakers, and One Punch Man; on the other side, we also have strong yet controversial titles like Tekken 8 and Sparking Zero, both of which are keeping Bamco's reputation as a fighting game publisher in check, at least for the time being. Here's to hoping Bamco invests in TAMSOFT on their priority list, because Rebirth of Souls is a testament to their love and passion for a series bringing a long-awaited fighting game to life.

Disclaimer: As far as the poor launch issues and performance are concerned, I cannot speak for everyone but I have heard many opinions bashing the game for numerous crashes and online issues. I myself have had a smooth experience thus far and have been lucky (as I have been with other games like Rise of the Ronin and MH Wilds). Only frustration I've had so far is when it was difficult to stay connected to a friend for room matches. Contrary to popular belief, the game is NOT "unplayable."

Depth of Combat
My biggest fear coming into Rebirth of Souls: combat being repetitive and dull. The Ultimate Ninja Storm games, though not completely relevant to this series, failed to live up to fans' expectations by teasing the idea of introducing combat mechanics that would be impacting enough to provide an innovative experience after each title, but every decision made after NUNS3 was the safe route with not enough bang to keep us intrigued. As such, I half expected Rebirth of Souls to be a rehash of the Storm games, but I was relieved to find that not to be the case. Even Sparking Zero's gameplay pales in comparison to the fresh ideas RoS provides, and there's more brain power involved to win a match rather than just simply looking for openings to charge Sparking mode or spam supers. This game takes me back to the FF Dissidia days with the simple yet exciting ways to execute combos, individuality in all characters (so far), not-over-the-top resource management, and faithful-to-the-source-material animation and design choices. All in all, when it comes to the gameplay side of things, the developers put their hearts and souls into bringing the BLEACH experience back to life in 2025. That alone, more than anything, makes this the best BLEACH game - and I daresay, best anime fighting game - to date. Goodbye CC2. Welcome TAMSOFT.

Nostalgia
As much as I usually hate the cutscene quality and lazy writing in these anime fighting games, RoS was a slightly different experience. The original Japanese voice actors being involved, above-average pacing to cover the entirety of the primary arcs of the early Bleach series, and story mode fights that gave enough attention to each character so we get a taste of how each Shinigami and Espada plays were probably some of the most optimal decisions to take to introduce the series to people who have no idea what Bleach is about. Veterans of the genre may nitpick that they should innovate the way story modes are designed, but I can't complain about how they handled this one. The nostalgia is there, the voice acting is there. At the very least, the game helped me to not have to go back to the original anime to relive the legendary fights like Ichigo vs Byakuya/Kenpachi/Grimmjow/Ulquiorra/etc.

Graphics
In most of my reviews, I never really talk about graphics because I'm a firm believer that graphics doesn't make or break a game. Old games and new games alike have a different appeal to each of them, and you're naive if you ever decide to drop a game just because graphics look "dated" or subpar. BLEACH Rebirth of Souls didn't have to look as pretty as it does. They could have dropped the animation, texture, or even shadow quality even a little and no one would have batted an eye. The stages, although they are just generic backgrounds for the most part, stay faithful to the series and are visually appealing overall. Although I am no specialist in the industry, I can tell they put a lot of work and effort into how each character looked, played, and shot each ability. Even simple moves like Yammy doing the homing jump attack or Urahara's signature move to counter are both visually appealing. The cherry on top? The bankai/resurreccion cutscenes in combination with the original seiyuus are glorious to watch - and they won't be getting old anytime soon.

Presentation and Content
If these anime fighting game companies focused more on releasing titles with more variety in game modes and progression than they were on releasing characters or addressing bugs, the world would be a better a place. Nowadays, I find myself starting up a game and immediately realizing and dreading how shallow the content will be. Sure, Bleach introduces the idea of talismans, soul crystals, and "story levels", but what do they actually contribute? Instead of soul crystals, adding more customization or colors on the scale of games like Guilty Gear and Blazblue would have been a nice addition for players to enjoy. Instead of releasing a handful of TYBW skins along with the deluxe/ultimate editions, releasing big boss raids like Street Fighter or DBFZ would have been great (if online worked properly). Or how about fully investing in the idea of rpg/MMO mechanics and costumes like the Xenoverse games would appeal to the younger generation of players more?

As of now, the game as a product is a hollow shell with the bare basics: story mode, mission mode, training, online versus... not even a ranked system to motivate players to grind online. If these features are not available at launch, what reason is there to look forward to them in the future long after we've had our fill of the combat and moved on?

Final Verdict: 8/10 B+
BLEACH Rebirth of Souls' solid gameplay will put smiles on BLEACH fans' faces and I personally have been enjoying labbing advanced combos and testing every character's unique kit firsthand. Whereas Naruto UNS and Sparking Zero were titles that became brainless mashing or cheesing that would eventually lead to boredom, while games like Tekken 8 and DBFZ were known for its combo-heavy executions and knowledge checks that would lead to burnout or frustration. Bleach: Rebirth of Souls does a fine job in finding the perfect blend of both of these categories and brings a fresh outlook that incites hope in the future of the anime fighting genre.

Despite all this, I foresee that the game itself as a product will fail long-term to attract newcomers to the series due to its lack of single player content and true progression. I am hoping the true anime fans and fighting game fans alike will do their best to keep the game alive until we see the next big title's arrival.

PS: Launching RoS a bit earlier when TYBW was at the apex of its hype in 2024 would have been a smarter decision. Prime example of being "a little late to the party."

Arguably the most down-to-earth, nostalgia-filled racing game release of the 2020s. This game can technically be considered a shadow drop depending on how unfamiliar you've been with the scene as of late, but one thing's for certain: there are people out there who wholeheartedly want to restore the soul of the racing genre. And TXR is the starting line. On one hand, you have the mainstream franchises that have been keeping racers "afloat" in the modern age: Assetto, Gran Turismo, Forza, etc. On the other, we've got the elusive group that is not as well-known but scratches the itch that many of us have had for decades, the itch to just get out there and red line it until our hearts burst from the adrenaline while blasting Running in the 90s: the likes of NFS Underground, Midnight Club, Wangan MMT3, Initial D, and of course TXR.

Congratulations, Genki. You brought back the soul of racing games with a soon-to-be beloved and cherished single-player game that will be respected, talked about, and supported by many in the years to come.

I thought the first of my "Project V" reviews would be dedicated to NIGHT-RUNNERS on full release, but it looks like Tokyo Xtreme Racer was one step ahead of the curve. Taking a snippet from my NIGHT-RUNNERS PROLOGUE review since these two games will be similar in so many ways when EA ends: "The old-school VHS vibe, waging money, and meeting up at the shady streets to go 1:1 against other racers bring me back to when owning a car MEANT something." Also, whoever designed the C1 Loop, you have my utmost respect.

Thank you for being there for us when we needed you most, Genki.

Current Verdict: 10/10 S
There's a plethora of content even in EA. I can't imagine how much more Genki will be adding on launch (more than double the current content, from what I heard), and that's exactly the kind of love this genre needs to survive in the new age. None of those live-service, MTX-filled, cash-grabbing blueprints here.. just the pure love & soul that many video game companies post-2015 seem to have forgotten are the main ingredients for the 'next project' to truly thrive.