Arcana Heart 3

Fighting games used to be the main thing I would play. Hours went into games like Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo and Mortal Kombat 2. I knew all the moves for everyone in Tekken 2 and I loved the story mode of Soul Blade. I even gave a lot of time to Killer Instinct and, yes, Kasumi Ninja. I love Psychic Force even fully aware it's rubbish. But at some point, around Street Fighter 3, I lost interest. 3D games were getting repetitive and more gimmicky. 2D games seemed more poorly-made, with unlimited combos and an emphasis on stupid super combos that went on too long and could spoil a round. These games became fun at a party but not for learning. I liked Guilty Gear and Melty Blood, but felt I came to them too late, and was annoyed at how high level play often meant watching a character eat a combo for 30 seconds. I missed sf2's short chains. SF4 and Mortal Kombat 9 were just fun party games.

Then Arc and Examu made Arcana Heart 3 and actually released it in the UK. I hadn't liked BlazBlue much, finding the cast limited, the humour rather much less original than Guilty Gear's and never found someone whose style suited me. However, at a tournament I saw AH3 and finally found something to love again. I liked how the arcana system made everyone so varied, how balanced it was, and how funny. I wanted to main adorable Dorothy, but Eko suited me better - better than any character I picked up since Urs in Battle Fantasia. And what's more, every fight was funny.

Eventually it got frustrating. Ridiculous combos and loops were found. But there were ways to disrupt it all. And it was always fun, always entertaining, always challenging. A shame so many avoided it as creepy, girly or Japanese. Because as a game engine it stands way above just about everything else currently around.

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