This is a special guest blog written by Taura, a game designer at PlatinumGames for Anarchy Reigns.

Nice to meet you. My name’s Taura, I’m a game designer here at PlatinumGames.

Finally! Let the good times roll.

Anarchy Reigns, release date set! Mark it!

Phew. Very happy to finally say that.

Anarchy Reigns occupies a genre you don’t see that often: multiplayer online brawling. Put simply, it’s an online slugfest, but because of the numbers involved in the rumble, anarchy is always in the mix.

One minute you’re feeling good, landing a punch on the opponent in front of you, but the next thing you know, someone sneaks up from behind and takes the kill. That’s anarchy.

Then there are the Action Trigger Events (ATEs).  These suddenly wreck havoc on the stage in a variety of ways. Be grateful for non-poisoned air while you have it. In an instant, the whole area can be contaminated with lethal gas.

But don’t get too comfortable, because just when you think you’re playing a game where every attack happens within arm’s reach, someone will hit you with heavy artillery from a distance.

There are a million different possibilities we could offer up here. With each stage full of ever changing conditions, and a mob of characters in the dogpile, every match has a different feel and outcome.

In order to actually survive amidst the chaos, you’ll need a character that fits your playing style. Let’s introduce a few here so you can start planning:

Jack-

Easy-to-use for any level of player. Well-balanced, kind of high and mighty (if you can’t tell by just looking).

As one of the protagonists of Campaign Mode, you’ll probably figure out how to use him relatively early. Plenty of good throws, charged attacks and combos make Jack a solid fighter in the group.

Leo-

The other protagonist from Campaign Mode.

Not as beefy as Jack, but fast. Ideal for players who want a character with easy controls.

Dash attacks and fast combos make Leo a good choice for a hit-and-run strategy.

Bull-

His size will often make him the target of choice, and he’s not that skilled at running away, but his attack power and range are devastating. Taking out 3-4 characters in one swipe is nothing out of the ordinary. Still, he’s someone you have to kind of get the hang of. Probably better for intermediate to advanced players.

Sasha-

A female character with gorgeous proportions. Relatively weak, but she has plenty of tricky techniques at her disposal. Sasha is a good speed character that can drive your opponent insane if used correctly. Like Bull though, she’s probably better used by intermediate to advanced players.
There are quite a few characters that I’ve left out here, so it is up to you to hop in the game and find out the tricks of their trade.

And if you’re a little anxious to walk right into online play the minute you get the game, why not try out the practice mode first. It’ll be a good study-aid to learn the controls and your character’s ins and outs.

The game will be out soon, and we can’t wait to take our brand of Anarchy to new areas all over the world. We’ll be waiting for you.