Azure Lane: Crosswave
Developed By: Compile Heart
Published By: Idea Factory International
Date of Release: February 16, 2021
Price: $49.99
Back in the year 2017 mobile phone gacha games were taking off considerably, and one game in particular stood above the rest for not being as sleazy in it's reliance on gatcha mechanics compared to it's competitors (I'm looking at you, KanColle!). That game was Azure Lane. A 2D shoot-em-up featuring anthropomorphized warships, it was pretty decent, and had a decent enough variety to set it apart. However that's not really the topic of today's review, rather the focus is on it's spinoff for the Nintendo Switch, Azure Lane Crosswave.
Azure lane Crosswave comes to us courtesy of Compile Heart/Idea Factory International, and has a LOT in common with their usual offerings. The story is presented in the tried and tested visual novel format that Idea Factory International is famous for, with crisp character portraits that shows off the amazing variety in character design, and cute voice acting that brings everyone to life. The soundtrack is great as well, perfectly accentuating the action onscreen.
The gameplay is a slight departure from the turn-based RPGs that make up the usual fare for IFI titles. Azure Lane Crosswave is a third-person action shooter that plays more like a 3D bullet hell shmup than anything else, and it's pretty refreshing. My only real gripe is that the gameplay is in a lower resolution and framerate than the story segments of the game, but that's to be expected I suppose considering the original release was on PS4. As a switch port though it more than does the job, and I'd recommend it for anyone who loves cute anime girls and warships alike!
