REVIEW: Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe


Title	Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe
Developer	FK Digital
Publisher	Arc System Works
Release Date	March 15th, 2017
Genre	Fighter
Platform	PlayStation 4, Steam
Age Rating	Teen
Official Website

It has been a while since I decided to take on a fighter for review, but when Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe came our way I thought I’d give it a shot. This is a remastered port of Chaos Code that released on the PlayStation 3 back in 2012. This version of the game adds online play, new characters, and more. Since Arc System Works published this one I had high hopes for it. Let’s see if it lived up to my expectations!

The story follows the discovery of a new type of energy called “Chaotics.” This form of energy is infinite and thus cannot be exhausted. The professor whom discovered this energy was unaware that his discovery would rapidly advance civilization to the point of an evolutionary stop, leading humanity to its doom. As the professor went into hiding, he left a simple note with the words “Chaos Code” written on it. The government, whom was trying to hide his disappearance though propaganda, soon found out about the Chaos Code. The professor then announces a tournament with a grand prize for whomever can find it. The question is what is it, and will it grant wishes or give the wielder superhuman powers? One thing is certain; this is going to be one hell of a fight!

That is the basic story premise of Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe, and yes, it every bit as whacked out as it sounds. That’s not to say that is a bad thing, however. I certainly enjoyed most of the characters’ endings. Each character has two endings you can unlock. One is usually more serious than the other one, and while this may not have been the deepest or most thought-out story in fighting game history, it is not the most terrible one I’ve seen by far.

Graphically this one is a mixed bag. While the CG work for the cutscenes and endings are top quality, the in-game graphics show their age. The added side bars with a handy move list do help the pixelation of this upscale a bit, but there are plenty of rough edges. I don’t find this an issue, personally, as I still think the special moves look really nice, and the fact the framerate is silky smooth during combat outweighs some rough edges.

The soundtrack is pretty good for the most part. There are a lot of nice upbeat tunes to smash your opponent into a pulp with, and some of them are quite catchy. You may find yourself humming them for hours after you’ve stopped playing the game. The voice acting is all Japanese and is hilariously over-the-top, and this completely fits the crazy stories being told. The sound effects found here are your basic run-of-the-mill fighting game biffs and bangs. They are nothing special, but they get the job done.

The meat of any good fighting games is the gameplay, and Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe is very basic. There are your standard button combo attacks, air moves, special moves, EX special moves, and huge finishers. Even though there is nothing new here in terms of a fighting game, the combat feels fast and satisfying. There are several different difficulty options, so this one is very welcoming to newcomers and veterans alike. You also have the option when selecting a fighter of which skills you wish to use. This gives you a bit of customization and allows almost any character to fit your play style. I know a lot of fighting games do this now as well, but it’s still nice to see it here.

All of the standard modes you would expect to find in a fighting game are present here as well: Arcade, VS. Mode, Survival, Practice, Mission, Score Attack and an Online Mode. There is also an option to custom color any character in the game, and you can unlock even more colors with points earned by completing matches in any of the game’s modes. Colors are not the only thing you can unlock however. You can unlock extra art, character endings, super powered boss versions of each character, EX Options, and much more.

Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe may be basic, but it is not a bad fighting game by any means. The mechanics, while not groundbreaking, are fine tuned and very solid. There is a ton of single player content to unlock and the over-the-top story keeps you entertained. I played this one for about 4 hours and unlocked all of the character endings, but it would take me a lot longer to unlock all of the goodies this title has to offer. If you’re a fan of 2D fighting games this will scratch your itch for a while, and at its $19.99 price tag it’s hard not to recommend it. If you are not a fan of 2D fighters or you want something more flashy like Guilty Gear, this one is probably not for you.