All-Star Battle R

"All JOJOs Unite! Fight for Your Destiny!"

- Tagline

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R (ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 オールスターバトルR) is a fighting game based on the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure franchise, developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. The game released on, , , , , and. All-Star Battle R is a remastered version of the 2013 fighting game JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle, featuring new game mechanics and playable characters.

The international Steam version and Japanese console versions of the game released on September 1, 2022, with the international console versions and Japanese Steam version releasing the following day.

Summary
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R was first announced by Sony as part of the PlayStation State of Play event on March 9, 2022, with a release date of early fall of that same year. It was also later announced by Bandai Namco that the game would be available on the Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox Series X|S, and the Xbox One. The color palettes and designs of Part 1 to Part 6 characters in All-Star Battle R are noticeably different from those of the original All-Star Battle, having been modified to closely follow the looks in the various anime adaptations of the series. In addition, the available Japanese voice actors working on the anime reprise their roles in All-Star Battle R.

All-Star Battle R released with a Standard Edition, Digital Deluxe Edition, and Collector's Bundle. The Standard Edition only includes the game, while the Digital Deluxe Edition includes the full game, the season pass, and a color set for Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke, and Giorno, based on their white outfits in the JOESTAR The Inherited Soul event. The Collector's Bundle includes the full game, the special event color set from the Digital Deluxe Edition, and a Special Color version of the Grandista series Jolyne Cujoh 10 inch statue. The European version also includes a Jolyne Cujoh prison plate, the season pass, and a collector's box. The Japanese version also includes the digital soundtrack and has the option to get the bundle with or without the season pass.

An early-access demo for the game, exclusive to the and, was released for the public on June 16, 2022 and was available to play until June 22, 2022. The only playable characters in the demo were Jonathan, Jotaro, DIO, and Jolyne. Online Mode and Practice Mode were the only two playable modes. A new demo featuring Jotaro, Jolyne, Ermes Costello, and Foo Fighters was available exclusively at Anime Expo 2022, from July 1 to July 4, 2022. A new stage was featured, called the Everglades, which portrays the farm of the Green Dolphin Street Prison. The demo was only playable against CPU, with no multiplayer available.

Another demo was available at EVO 2022, which featured the Versus and Practice modes. The playable characters included Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke (4), Giorno, Jolyne, Johnny,, Wamuu, Iggy, Shigechi, Diavolo, Foo Fighters, Gyro, and Ikuro Hashizawa. Two tournaments were held at the event featuring the demo, both with first place receiving a and the exclusive Jolyne figurine that is included in the collector's edition of the game. Second and third place also got the figurine.

Currently, a demo is available for the full game, featuring, like the EVO 2022 demo, only the Versus and Practice modes (on top of Options). Unlike the EVO 2022 demo, there are only 5 playable characters, being Joseph, Jotaro, Jolyne, DIO, and Yoshikage Kira. Further restrictions include a lack of the Customize mode, Stage Select, costumes and gold. Furthermore, save data from the demo version are not transferrable to the game's full version.

Downloadable Content
There are currently four DLC characters planned for All-Star Battle R. The first DLC character, Risotto Nero, released on October 27, 2022 (October 25, 2022 for season pass holders). The remaining three characters are scheduled to release around January 2023, March 2023, and May 2023. On August 22, 2022, it was announced that the original version of Enrico Pucci from All-Star Battle, including the Stands C-Moon and Made in Heaven, is planned to be available for free in a future update to the game. None of these characters are included in the game's advertised 50-character roster.

The season pass grants early access to each of the four DLC characters two days before release, as well as two exclusive alternate outfits ("Rohan Kishibe First Appearance Costume" and "Muhammad Avdol's Father? Costume"). The Digital Deluxe Edition includes an additional set of "The Animation Special Event" costumes for Jonathan, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke, and Giorno based on the white outfit designs featured during 2021's JOESTAR The Inherited Soul. Pre-orders for any version of the game also received a bonus Green Dolphin Street State Prison Jacket costume for Jolyne, which was later made available for purchase.

Gameplay
The gameplay of All-Star Battle R is based on the one-vs-one 2.5D fighting game style of All-Star Battle. Mechanics such as Easy Beat, Stylish Evade, Heat Heart Attack and Rush Mode return in this game with slight differences.

Gameplay Changes
An additional gameplay mechanic named Support Attack (アシストシステム) allows players to summon a second character during a match, allowing them to chain together longer combos, set traps, or use long-range attacks as an Assault Assist. Assist characters can also be used to break an opponent's combo with a Reversal Assist, though this produces a longer cooldown (shown by the assist character's icon being tinted red). The lights below an assist character's icon act as an indicator of how many more times they can be used within the round, with the maximum number of lights differing by character. Each character has a unique assist attack that falls into one of several types, creating a new layer of strategy when selecting characters.

In addition to Support Attack, another gameplay mechanic by the name of Stylish Guard (スタイリッシュガード) has been added, allowing players to buffer a Stylish Evade until it is triggered by an attack (similarly to many characters' counter moves). This allows players to create an opening to counterattack, but the move's reliance on predicting the opponent's attack and immobilization of the character performing it serve as drawbacks.


 * Improved frame-rate: The frame-rate of the game has been doubled to run at 60FPS on both consoles and PC, with the exception of the Switch version which is still locked at 30FPS.
 * Improved game speed: Shortened the time it takes to launch an attack, resulting in speedier battles compared to the previous work.
 * Added Hitstops: Hitstop is a fighting game term: when you strike the opponent, both parties momentarily freeze, emphasizing the power of impact. The player’s hits and guards implement this, making the game feel smoother and more tactical.
 * Added Input Buffers: Relaxed the number of input frames available before the next action. Thus, players can control characters as desired.
 * Added Dash Jumps: The player can jump while dashing, allowing them to jump at a lower height than normal jumps.
 * Special move commands can be input even with simple commands: Command input can now be omitted (if trying to use ↓↘→ then ↓→ is okay), making it easier to activate special moves.
 * Attack adjustments: Changed the behaviors and powers of some techniques. The power of Great Heat Attacks (GHA) changes depending on the amount of gauges accumulated and how many gauges are consumed (two gauges are 100% power, 2.5 gauges are 120% power, and 3 gauges are 150% power).

After receiving feedback from the Early Access Demo survey, more features were adjusted:


 * Changed the frequency of Taunt to once per match (opponent’s HH gauge can be reduced only once per match). When the Taunt is activated, the reduction of the opponent HH gauge is changed from 0.1 gauge to 1 gauge.
 * Changed Assault Assists (attack) and Reversal Assists (defense) to be separate. They have individual uses with a certain number of uses per round.
 * Planning to add a feature in Practice Mode to record opponent's movements and make it able to retry specific character positions.

Aesthetic Changes

 * Command List UI Redesigned: Descriptions for each ability in the command list can now be read instantly in a pop-up instead of the sentence automatically scrolling horizontally across the screen.
 * Costume Previews: Alternate colors and costumes can now be previewed on the character select screen before battling.
 * Animated Victory Poses: The victory poses are now animated like in Eyes of Heaven, unlike the original game, where the poses were static.
 * Name Changes: Localized versions of the game have had certain names altered from their prior localizations in the original game. Notable changes include:
 * Jean Pierre Polnareff now keeps his original name rather than being renamed to "Jean Pierre Eiffel".
 * Pet Shop now keeps its original name rather than being renamed to "Animal Shop", as it was in.
 * Love Deluxe now keeps its original name rather than being renamed to "Love Extra", as it was in Eyes of Heaven.
 * Stray Cat now keeps its original name rather than being renamed to "Feral Cat".
 * Bites the Dust now keeps its original name rather than being renamed to "Bite The Dust".
 * The "Along the Philadelphia Coastline" stage has been renamed to "Philadelphia Seaside" rather than "Philadelphia Countryside".
 * Narciso Anasui is renamed to "Narciso Anastasia" rather than "Narc Anastasia", for consistency with the anime.
 * For unknown reasons, in the French localization, his name was renamed to "Narcisso Annasui", despite the French dub of the Part 6 anime localizing it as "Narciso Anastasia".
 * Prosciutto's Stand, The Grateful Dead, is now renamed to "Thankful Death" rather than "Thankful Dead".
 * For unknown reasons, Lisa Lisa's name has been changed to "Lisa Lisa (Elizabeth)".
 * Sound Changes: The time stop sound effect that Jotaro and DIO use has been changed to the one used in Eyes in Heaven, despite the original game's sound effect being used in their character trailers and the game's demos. This change also applies to Jotaro (Part 4).

Cross-Platform Play
The game does not support cross-play between different platforms. However, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 players will be able to play against one another. Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One will also be able to play against each other.

The Nintendo Switch version can also play multiplayer offline through local communication by wirelessly connecting with another Nintendo Switch. It is not possible to play by using the sideways, so each player needs their own set of Joy-Cons.

Game Modes
All-Star Battle R contains the following game modes:


 * All-Star Battle Mode (オールスターバトルモード): The player can play through over 100 pre-arranged fights in this game mode. The fights are divided between Normal Battles, which adapt situations from the original series; Extra Battles, which use scenarios that do not appear in the original work; and Boss Battles, which only unlock once a certain number of other panels are cleared. Both types of battles reward the player with items such as sound effects, taunts, poses, character color tints, special alternate costumes, artwork, and music. The guide character for this mode is Emporio Alnino.
 * Arcade Mode (アーケードモード): This mode allows players to take on a set of consecutive battles to obtain gold and high scores. Occasionally, Harvest appears in this mode, boosting the amount of gold earned by the player. The guide character for this mode is the Part 5 version of Jean Pierre Polnareff. This mode is divided into two sub-modes:
 * Challenge Battle (チャレンジバトル): The player participates in a gauntlet of eight battles against randomized computer opponents. After the final opponent, the player is graded based on their total performance. Additional gold may be awarded if the player reaches the top rank with enough characters.
 * Endless Battle (エンドレスバトル): The player takes on an endless series of battles, fighting on until they are defeated. After each victory, some health is restored based on the player's performance.
 * Versus Mode (バーサスモード): This mode allows the player to freely battle computer-controlled characters or other players in local multiplayer. The guide character for this mode is Ringo Roadagain. The mode is divided into three sub-modes:
 * Single Battle (シングルバトル): The game's normal battle mode. The player can fight against the computer or another human being, or watch two computer-controlled characters battle.
 * Team Battle Mode (チームバトルモード): Team Battle allows for 3-on-3 matches, with separate battle rule settings set for each match-up. Including Assist characters, up to 12 characters can participate in a single battle. There are two types of team battles:
 * Knockout: Both teams battle on shared health bars that persist between rounds.
 * Total Points: Both teams fight three battles, changing characters between rounds.
 * Tournament Mode (トーナメントモード): Up to eight players can participate in this mode, with computer characters filling any empty positions. Each tournament lasts three rounds, with the overall winner claiming a reward in gold.
 * Online Mode (オンラインモード): The player can take on online opponents in ranked and unranked matches in this mode. Connections between players are dependent on the platform the game is being played on. In addition to gold and ranking status, the player may also earn special rewards in this mode by fulfilling the current online campaign missions. The guide character for this mode is Ringo Roadagain. This mode is divided into four sub-modes:
 * Player Match (プレイヤーマッチ): The player can battle online without having to worry about their competitive ranking.
 * Ranked Match (ランクマッチ): The player can battle online to improve their competitive ranking.
 * Ranking (ランキング): The player can check their competitive ranking relative to their friends, to their region, and to the worldwide community.
 * Online Mission (オンラインミッション): The player can check the current online campaign's missions and the rewards for completing them.
 * Practice Mode (プラクティスモード): The player can practice character attacks, skills, and combos using various battle settings. The computer opponent's behavior can be set to various settings, including one which allows a second player to join the practice session. Other settings that can be altered in Practice Mode are computer difficulty level, damage and input displays, automatic guarding, and both characters' Heart Heat Gauge level. The guide characters for this mode are Messina and Loggins.
 * Customize Mode (カスタマイズモード): This mode allows the player to customize characters' taunt and victory poses using voice lines and onomatopoeia earned in other modes. The player can also customize the Player Card representing them in online matches. The guide character for this mode is Daniel J. D'Arby.
 * Gallery Mode (ギャラリーモード): The player can purchase and view voice lines, music tracks, concept art, and unlocked poses and costumes using gold earned in the other modes. The guide character for this mode is Emporio Alnino. This mode contains five sub-modes:
 * Gallery Shop (ギャラリーショップ): The player can buy artwork, models, sounds, and cosmetic items here. The guide character for this mode is Wang Chan.
 * Model Viewer (モデル ビューア): This mode provides a 3D viewer for models you have purchased in the Gallery Shop, collected in All-Star Battle Mode, received through DLC, or obtained by other means. The guide character for this mode is Telence T. D'Arby.
 * Art Viewer (アートビューア): This mode allows you to view the artwork you have bought or collected throughout the game. The guide characters for this mode are Oingo and Boingo.
 * Sound Test (サウンドテスト): This mode allows you to use Moody Blues to play any music and voice lines you own. Naturally, the guide character for this mode is Leone Abbacchio.
 * JoJo Glossary (ジョジョ辞典): This mode allows you to view explanations for various terms from throughout the game and JoJo's story. The mode has explanations for various characters, Stands, locations, items, and phenomena from throughout the JoJo series (as well as Baoh the Visitor). The guide character for this mode is Ghiaccio.
 * Option Mode (オプションモード): This mode allows the player to customize the game's settings, including volume levels, Easy Beat, and subtitles. The guide character for this mode is Melone.

Stages
As a fighting game, All-Star Battle R features several stages representing the different locations featured in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.

All stages from the original All-Star Battle are available with the exception of Kennedy Space Center, which appeared in promotional material but not the final game. Additional stages have also been added to the game, including several from Eyes of Heaven. The Stage Hazard and Situation Finish mechanics have returned as well, and new Stage Hazards and Situation Finishes have been added to the game's new stages.

★ Denotes stages that are new to All-Star Battle R and did not appear in the original All-Star Battle.

Playable
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All-Star Battle R has a base roster of 51 playable characters, with at least 4 DLC characters planned. All characters from All-Star Battle return in the remaster. However, C-Moon and Made in Heaven have been removed from Enrico Pucci's moveset, which has been radically altered to compensate for the missing Stands. The original Pucci from All Star Battle is planned to be re-added as a separate character in a future update.


 * New Characters


 * Robert E. O. Speedwagon, Mariah, Pet Shop, and Diego Brando were confirmed as new additions in a trailer released on May 26, 2022.
 * Jotaro from Part 4, Yukako Yamagishi, and F.F. were revealed at Anime Expo on July 1, 2022.
 * Trish Una and Prosciutto were initially unofficially revealed, having been unintentionally included in game menus shown in promotional materials when the game was first announced. Alongside Ghiaccio, they were the final characters to be officially revealed at Gamescom on August 24, 2022. Pesci was also revealed to be included with Prosciutto as a duo character.
 * Risotto Nero was announced as the first downloadable character for the game during a streamed event for the Stone Ocean anime adaptation. Risotto was formally released on October 27, 2022, though season pass holders were granted early access to the character on October 25.

Emoticons
There are 8 emoticons available for purchase through the Steam points store, each costing 100 points. They can also be acquired by crafting badges for the game, although that process results in a randomly picked emoticon from the game, rather than one of the player's choice.

Profile Backgrounds
There are 5 profile backgrounds available for purchase through the Steam points store, each costing 500 points. They can also be acquired by crafting badges for the game, although that process results in a randomly picked background from the game, rather than one of the player's choice.

Trading Cards
There are 9 different trading cards for the game, which can be combined into badges. A total of 5 random cards can be obtained by playing the game. Each card also has a rare foil variant.

Badges
Badges can be crafted from trading cards, and are displayed on a player's Steam profile page. There are five tiers of badges, each requiring nine unique non-foil trading cards to craft. There is also a sixth badge, which can only be crafted using nine unique foil trading cards.

Online Events
There are currently 12 weekly online events planned, with the first coinciding with the game's launch on September 1st, 2022. After the 12th event concludes, the events will loop from the start. Any cosmetic reward not obtained during the event's first run can be purchased later in the Gallery Shop.