After 14 years, the Bleach franchise resurfaces with “Bleach: Rebirth of Souls” , a fighting game based on classic anime. The new adaptation comes with the proposal to retell the whole history of Ichigo Kurosaki, from the first clashes against the Hollows to the most intense duels against them. The release tries to fill a gap that bothered fans for over a decade: the absence of a complete, cohesive and worthy game of the grandeur of the universe created by Tite Kubo.
The expectation was high, driven by the success of the new anime and the promise of a rich experience, focused on both beginners and veterans. In most, the game delivers what it promises. But it stumbles into important aspects such as combat pace, technical limitations, and design decisions that directly affect gambling longevity.
A dense and detailed story mode
Bleach's main asset: Rebirth of Souls is his history mode. The game proposes to adapt the main arches of the manga and anime in a well -organized timeline, starting with the substitute saga and continuing to the climax of the phase of the start. This narrative choice is rare in anime games, which usually fractionate arcs in separate releases.
The cutscenes, though long, are well built and can convey the dramaticity of key moments. Some even remember whole anime episodes. Others use a visual style that refers directly to the manga, with colorful sequential panels. The combination helps to deepen the narrative, especially in missions focused on secondary characters such as Chad, Orihime and Uryu.
In addition, the game presents the “Secret History” mode, unlocked as the player fulfills extra goals. These parallel phases reveal unpublished or little explored moments of the plot, expanding involvement with Bleach's universe.
Strategic combat, but with a broken rhythm
The Rebirth of Souls struggle system features interesting mechanics that escape the conventional. The life bar, called Konpaku, is only reduced by specific techniques called Kikon, which should be activated at the right time, when the interface displays soul Breaker or Now Or Never . This dynamic requires constant attention to the flow of battle.
Each character has unique skills, with important variations between Shikai, Bankai or Resurrection. The use of the fighting bar allows you to activate these special modes, which increase the impact of blows and change the pace of confrontation.
The problem is in repetition. The obligation to perform the Kikon as a finish, always with the same triggers, compromises the diversity of struggles. Even with a good variety of characters, the fighting tends to follow the month
Visual impact presentation with its own identity
If there is an element where Bleach: Rebirth of Souls really stands out, it's the look. The artistic style of the menus, the aesthetics of effects and the general art direction convey the essence of the series. Each Bankai, every “supreme” special, each screen movement is loaded with personality.
During the fighting, the animations are fluid and the effects of particles impress. The narrators come up with iconic phrases on the screen, accompanied by trails that evoke the mood of the most intense episodes. The look is undoubtedly one of the strengths of the title.
However, the PC version suffers from technical problems that compromise this quality. Resolution declines, absent textures and visual loading flaws affect immersion. At times the resolution falls below 720p, even on powerful machines or running on a PlayStation 5.
Extensive Offline Content, but online disappoints
For those looking for content beyond the main story, the game offers good alternatives. Missions, divided into three difficulty levels, acts as an arcade mode. With each challenge overcome, the player is rewarded with soul points, used to unlock cosmetic items and characters improvements.
The cast of fighters is generous. There are 32 playable characters, with the possibility of unlocking a secret additional. Specific combinations between them release exclusive dialogues before combat, adding value to clashes between rivals like Byakuya and Rukia or Yoruichi and Soi Fon.
Online mode disappoints. Without crossplay, no ranked matches and only two available modes (free and custom rooms), the multiplayer experience falls short of expected. For players who value the competitive, this limitation represents a wasted opportunity.
The PC version is broken
Although the focus of the game is on the consoles, the PC version via Steam has hit the market in critical condition. Players report that the game closes alone often, as well as present bugs of audio, locking and absence of textures. The situation is so serious that, of the more than 2,300 analyzes at Steam, more than 60% are negative.
So far, neither the developer Tamsoft Corporation nor Bandai Namco have launched corrections. The community tries to get around the mistakes on its own, but without official support, frustration is widespread. Anyone who chose to play on the PC must have patience or wait for future updates.
Missed reaching the narrative apex of the franchise
One point that bothered part of the fan base was the clipping of the narrative. Although the bows presented are well built, the game ends its story at the end of the saga of the rip. For many, the content was expected to advance until the beginning of the Bloody War of the Thousand Years, the latest arc of great emotional impact on the anime.
This decision limits the scope of the game. Although it is possible to add new content via update or DLC, the absence of the final outcome compromises the sense of completeness.
Bleach back, but not yet in its final form
Bleach: Rebirth of Souls represents a sincere attempt to return to the franchise in the gaming universe. The game gets it right to retell the story carefully, offering dense content, striking visuals and a fight that seeks to differentiate itself. For fans, there are moments of pure nostalgia and legitimate emotion.
On the other hand, the failures are visible. Repetition in fights, weak online mode and practically inflameable PC version stains what could be an epic return. Lacking cut, adjustments and, above all, technical support.
Even so, for those waited for over a decade for a new Bleach game, there is reason to celebrate. The foundation is put. With corrections and improvements, this may be the first step towards a new phase of respect for the franchise.
