One Piece has been around for quite some time now, close to twenty years and it's still going as strong as ever! Numerous video games have been released under the One Piece banner during that time, ranging from role-playing adventure types to Musou-style fighting romps, but this one's the first one in a while where you get to choose from a plethora of characters (over 40 main playable ones, and not to mention a ton of support characters as well) and bash a friend in a mano-a-mano rumble!

When starting out, you'll have to go through the Paramount War story mode in order to unlock the other playable modes in the game. For non-One Piece fans, this is a great way to get a general idea about the story and characters. And for seasoned One Piece fans, it's a great way to relive one of the most epic storylines in the One Piece world. Monkey D. Luffy is on a mission to save his brother, Ace, who is slated to be executed by the Navy. In the game, you'll jump from area to area, reenacting key fights in the story. Successfully completing each area unlocks different game modes and game characters. Incredible animated sequences gives the game a great immersive experience making it feel like you're an actual character in the anime.

You'll definitely want to pay attention to the tutorials that pop up every so often before a big battle. Understanding how to utilize each character, plus your teammates, will go a long way when you're up against a clueless friend. And some of those moves, especially when your Burning Gauge is full, can be devastating. (But be quick to strike while in this state, since your time is limited).

Once you get past a certain point in the Paramount War, you'll be able to enjoy a whole slew of other features. From online pirate crew conflicts to fighting straight one-on-one battles against the CPU or a friend (you can choose up to three members on each team for a tag-team style battle) to going bounty hunting, the game offers a ton of different modes. And all the while, you can collect in-game money, which you can use to purchase main and support characters you've yet to unlock in the story mode!

Aside from the gamer-friendly intuitive controls and the numerous game modes, the graphics are the real game-changer here, especially the beautifully rendered fight environments taken straight from the storyline! You can choose to take on Don Quixote Doflamingo in Dressrosa (and if you've got the Lucy/Luffy extra character, it'll make all that much more exciting as a fan of the series) or Jimbei in Fish-Man Island and on and on. During in-game action, there are also a ton of breathtaking animated sequences that are seamlessly integrated as part of the action, furthering the anime-like feel to the game. And the sound effects that pop up when connecting on a successful blow warmed my editorial soul!

For One Piece fans, this is THE GAME. I found myself entrenched in hunting down bounties and loved it when story-specific moments influenced the action (just try being Sanji in a fight against Nami...) Bright, popping graphics and lovable characters make One Piece: Burning Blood one of the prettiest and flashiest games out there, and with a robust offering of story modes, features and characters, it's got more than enough substance to match its style!

Hint: Familiarize yourself with the characters and their quirks. This'll help you in determining the best match-ups when pitting characters against each other. There are many tactical advantages to be gained.

What're you waiting for?! One Piece: Burning Blood is available now!

by John Bae