Fans of the series will find lots to love, but fighting fans who don’t know anything about One Piece shouldn’t shy away from checking out the wonderfully balanced action. By the time players reach upper tiers the opposition is formidable, but smart play is rewarded and it always feels fair no matter how weird the pirate plotline gets.

One Piece: Burning Blood is enjoyable even for those unfamiliar with the anime, but the game is at its best for those who already have some knowledge of the story's events.

One Piece: Burning Blood presents a huge roster and great care for story details, but it's dragged down by important flaws like a too limited story mode and uninteresting game modes. Combat gameplay needs some adjustments too, especially in the balancement department. A good start for a new One Piece beat'em up franchise, but still needs lots of work.

Burning Blood is pure fan service through and through, and there’s nothing wrong with that. People who don’t watch/read the source material are going to remain thoroughly confused, but there’s still some enjoyment to be had in its wacky fighting and over-the-top style. If you’re not a manga fan and are looking for a fighter with tight mechanics, accurate hitboxes and a deep bench of combos, best keep looking.

The game itself does work as an introduction to the series, giving the briefest of glimpses as to why it’s so popular, and piling on the fan service with countless playable and support characters. Neither good nor bad, it exists. That will be enough for many fans.

Maybe one day an anime brawler with drop-dead gorgeous visuals and solid fighting mechanics will materialise, but until then, only the most dedicated and patient One Piece fans will find any long-term fun with One Piece: Burning Blood.

Confusing for newbs and too shallow for fans, but has moments of flashy satisfaction. [Aug 2016, p.86]