Unboxing [JP]: Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax Ignition - Standard Edition (PS4)

It's been a very long time since I last ordered a Japanese-only import. The recent events of the pound sterling and the fact that it was time for me to get a imported game convinced me to pick one up as soon as possible. Out of the PS4 games listed I decided to go with the updated version of Fighting Climax. I also ordered it via Solaris Japan and they did a very good job handling my package.

Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax Ignition is an arcade crossover fighting game that celebrated the anniversary of Dengeki Bunko, a light novel publisher. The game features a whole cast of characters from various light novel franchises including Sword Art Online, Durarara!!, The Irregular at Magic High School and A Certain Magical Index. The Ignition version features a few tweaks to the game as well as some more playable characters and assists to choose from; the most notable are the main group of characters who are as one team from Heavy Object.

The following playable characters are as follows:

Akira Yuki - Virtua Fighter

Asuna - Sword Art Online

Kirino Kosaka - Oreimo

Kirito - Sword Art Online

Kuroyukihime - Accel World

Mikoto Misaka - A Certain Magical Index/A Certain Scientific Railgun

Miyuki Shiba - The Irregular at Magic High School

Rentarō Satomia - Black Bullet

Selvaria Bles - Valkyria Chronicles

Shana - Shakugan no Shana

Shizuo Heiwajima - Durarara!!

Taiga Aisaka - Toradora!

Tomoka Minato - Ro-Kyu-Bu!

Yukina Himeragi - Strike the Blood

The following playable characters are exclusive to the Ignition version:

Emi Yusa - The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

Kuroko Shirai - A Certain Magical Index/A Certain Scientific Railgun

Qwenthur Barbotage - Heavy Object

Tatsuya Shiba - The Irregular at Magic High School

The following are available as downloadable content (for 800 Yen each) for Ignition:

Ako - And you thought there is never a girl online?

Yuuki - Sword Art Online

The following assist characters are as follows:

Accelerator and Last Order - A Certain Magical Index/A Certain Scientific Accelerator

Alicia Melchiotta - Valkyria Chronicles

Boogiepop - Boogiepop series

Celty Sturluson - Durarara!!

Dokuro Mitsukai - Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan

Enju Aihara - Black Bullet

Erio Tōwa - Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko

Haruyuki Arita - Accel World

Hinata Hakamada - Ro-Kyu-Bu!

Holo - Spice and Wolf

Izaya Orihara - Durarara!!

Kino - Kino's Journey

Kōko Kaga - Golden Time

Kojou Akatsukia - Strike the Blood

Kuroneko - Oreimo

Leafa - Sword Art Online

Mashiro Shiina - The Pet Girl of Sakurasou

Pai Chan - Virtua Fighter

Ryūji Takasu - Toradora!

Sadao Maō - The Devil Is a Part-Timer!

Tatsuya Shiba - The Irregular at Magic High School

Tōma Kamijō - A Certain Magical Index

Wilhelmina Carmel - Shakugan no Shana

The following assist characters are exclusive to the Ignition version:

Floretia Capistrano - Heavy Object

Iriya Kana - Iriya no Sora, UFO no Natsu

Kazari Uiharu - A Certain Magical Index/A Certain Scientific Railgun

LLEN - Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online *bundled with Yuuki via DLC*

Miyuki Shiba - The Irregular at Magic High School

Rusian - And you thought there is never a girl online? *bundled with Ako via DLC*

Tomo Asama - Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere

Zero - Zero kara Hajimeru Mahō no Sho

The game is entirely in Japanese with some English text to help navigate (like the Main Menu for instance), given this is a fighting game the gameplay itself is pretty simple to understand. There is local multiplayer and online so there's some replayability if you need to know. The game is also available on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. I recommend you get either the PS4 or Vita version since they're current generations.

Format: PlayStation 4 (also available on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita)

Version: Japan

Exclusive: Yes (to Sony that is)

Local Players: 2

Online Players: 2

Resolution: 720p/1080i/1080p

HDD Space: 1750 MB

Trophies: Yes

The game was released back in December 2015 and is still available at standard prices. I ordered the game from Solaris Japan since I had been meaning to try them out for ages. The page was pricey (well all PS4 games are pricey to be honest in Japan) and thanks to their special customs filter it arrived without issue.

As of 11th October, SEGA have not announced any news of a localisation for the Ignition version. They brought the original version to the West around the same time as Ignition getting released so it was pretty poor timing and I bet sales weren't strong enough to consider bringing the other version over.