When comparing BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend vs Grim Dawn, the Slant community recommends Grim Dawn for most people. In the question“What are the best action games on Steam?” Grim Dawn is ranked 20th while BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend is ranked 53rd. The most important reason people chose Grim Dawn is:
Basically you choose 1 class and select skills as you level up. At level 10 you can select a second class, which already gives you 5x5=25 character type possibilities. Each character has dozens of skills, plus you have this additional passive skill tree that you unlock through cleansing shrines. Then there is item customization with crafted "modifiers", adding additional unique stats and skills that you can use, all this adds literally to thousands / millions of character possibilities. Do you want to use a double weapon shooting lightning bolts? You can do that. Do you want to summon your creatures and support them with fireballs? You can do that as well, you can push it wherever you want.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Allows for many different styles of fighting
With a roster of 24 characters (and 2 that can be purchased through DLC) that sees each having a different look and fighting style, there should be an option available for whatever kind of style one prefers. Whether that is close combat, ranged combat, tanks or really fast characters, there is a good mix to be found.
Pro Traditional 2D fighting game style
BlazBlue sticks to the tried and true method of using hand drawn sprites for their characters as well as their backgrounds, which may appeal to those that grew up with fighting games of this sort.
The actual fighting in the game is also traditional in the sense that there is a weak, medium and strong attack for each character as well as different combinations for eachs special moves. A tried and true method developed in the early nineties that still works great to this day.
While not just for nostalgia's sake there is also some benefit to 2D fighting such as being able to fight in the air as well as an overall sense of better space control.
Pro Accessible multiplayer
The multiplayer (PvP) section of the game can be played locally as well as online, meaning players can play at home with friends on one screen as well as with friends or random opponents online. This gives the player the choice of how they would like to play multiplayer, which is not something all PC fighting games do.
The online mode also offers a wide selection of options from ranked matches to player matches as well as online lobbies and viewable rankings.
Pro Good tools for practice
The game offers a training mode as well as a challenge mode. The training mode is an arena where the player can practice any move they like, over and over in order to nail down how to perform them on command easily. Training mode also offers a tutorial section that walks the player through how to perform specific maneuvers and actions in the game. The challenge mode on the other hand is like a tutorial with tasks in that it teaches the player how to do specific maneuvers while tasking them with pulling it off in a specific situation. This makes for a great way to learn all the ins and outs of the game's characters as the it walks you through how to do each task it is asking.
Pro Unique blocking element
In the game there is a secondary block with a meter tied to it that limits its use. This is called the barrier guard. The barrier guard allows for better blocking over a regular block, but is limited to the power found in the barrier guard gauge. This adds a strategical element to the gameplay, as the user needs to access whether or not using the barrier guard is worth it at them time they want to use it as when they run out they will be left with less defenses.
Pro Works great for online competitive fighting
Latency is barely an issue with Chronophantasma Extend (something all online fighters have to deal with), which makes this a good game for competitive online fighting as there should be few problems with missed frames (something that is always important for pulling off moves at the precise moments they need to be executed). The series as well as this game in particular also lends itself well to competitive fighting thanks to the precise controls as well as the vast array of characters available, each with their own look and fighting styles.
Pro Complex leveling system with thousands of possible builds
Basically you choose 1 class and select skills as you level up. At level 10 you can select a second class, which already gives you 5x5=25 character type possibilities.
Each character has dozens of skills, plus you have this additional passive skill tree that you unlock through cleansing shrines. Then there is item customization with crafted "modifiers", adding additional unique stats and skills that you can use, all this adds literally to thousands / millions of character possibilities.
Do you want to use a double weapon shooting lightning bolts? You can do that. Do you want to summon your creatures and support them with fireballs? You can do that as well, you can push it wherever you want.
Pro Great homage to old school ARPGs
This game is very dark, and grim. It harkens back to games like Diablo 2 or Titans Quest. While other ARPGs have come out since then, none have hit all the marks of what fans of the genre have been asking for. For those that wish for an updated version of Diablo 2, Grim Dawn is the game for them.
Pro Exploration
Pro Highly modifiable
Relevant in modern gaming because the community can keep products like this fresh and varied, even if the developers eventually decide to slow down their updates (which they have not!). The possibilities are great with modding, while the experiences in Diablo 3 and Path of exile are a lot more static.
Pro Drop-in co-op (online and local)
Co-op is pretty convenient as players can drop in and out of your gaming session at any time. This way there is no wasted time jumping out of ones game in order to find players to play with.
Cons
Con Poor story
The story found in the game for each character in the story mode is not written that well and is mainly fan service for those familiar with the franchise. So for newcomers or those that are looking for a deep and involved story, they may be disappointed.
Con Theme may not be for everyone
Being that the game is heavily themed as an anime, the look of the game may not appeal to everyone. For those that are not fans of anime or risque clothes on women this may be a game to stay away from. While none of this detracts from the gameplay itself, some may not enjoy spending money on something that is not visually appealing to them.
Con Only some builds are fun
There is a definite meta, with superefficient vs non-viable builds.
It's easy to mess up a build, and attribute and spec-bar points are non-respeccable (you can use a cheat editor, but devs want you to reroll a new char).
Con Difficult to move when fighting, especially when you are ranged
Con Static pre-rendered levels
This may cut down on replayability a bit as all the levels in the game are pre-rendered, meaning that each playthrough will have the exact same layout, making for something that can get tiring and too familiar. Similar games have gone with randomized levels, which can keep the game fresh. While Grim Dawn is meant to be a throwback to earlier games in the genre, some newer features found in more recent released would have been welcome.
Con Lots of trips to town
The majority of loot in the game can be useless, with odd stat restrictions or repeats of vendor items. This means the user will need to make many trips into town to sell it all off in order to have room for even more loot they will not necessarily need.