PSASBR is an amazing game no doubt. It is at a disadvantage when it comes to opinion because of what it stands for in relation to SSB. It crossed some lines but they are lines worth crossing. I think it's great Sony pulled this title off.
I love, I mean LOVED, Melee. I couldn't quite get into Brawl but that might be because I only played it for a few hours. PSASBR is well made, has a level of complexity, and is just an all out fun game to play. At first you might feel lost, unsure of how to play or how to keep track of yourself, but give it some time and it becomes amazing. Another tip, if you are playing solo, play on the Vita. The Vita version is flawless and loads faster than the PS3 version. Save the PS3 for local multiplayer, though ad hoc is an option outside the home, nothing beats local multiplayer with friends.
The downsides of PSASBR:
They didn't animate the story mode. Actual CGI for the intro and ending would have been nice, though their rival interaction is animated so you get a taste of where they should go in the future.
The boss battle against Polygon Man is disappointing. Not only is the battle underwhelming but the way they depict Polygon Man is too. A definite area for improvement.
The upsides:
The characters are very diverse in move sets and they are complicated. Plenty of moves to utilize and each character feels right. Even Cole and Evil Cole are unique, while having a few similar basic attacks and the same level 1 super, other moves are different and alters each playing style.
Online capabilities really shine. Many have talked about the games net code and its ability to run a smooth game. While local multiplayer is king for these types of games, the great online component is a must feature for many of today's gamers.
Game options. While more game modes would be nice you can still utilize time limits, lives, and kill limits. Items can be selected individually and frequency adjusted. Hazards can be turned on an off and levels that evolve adjust proportionately to the length of time a match is set for. Teams can be set by color and AI difficulty can be adjusted widely.
Super system is fun, ring outs are not the only way to do a game like this. At first supers might seem daunting, what do they do, why can I hit them, etc. You need to learn each character's supers and how to use them and when to use them. While ring outs are a lot of fun, so are supers. To compare in SSB, you try to land hits to do damage then you try to land hits to kill. In PSASBR you try to land hits to gain AP, then you use supers to maximize kills. Ring outs can be strategic and so can supers. Both are great. Just because it isn't how SSB does it doesn't mean its bad and if you think it does you should feel bad.
Try genuinely playing the game. Play a couple story modes, play a few matches online, play together with friends. Learn how to use at least one character effectively and that is how you can judge this game's merits. If you have any liken to games like this and actually do this I almost guarantee you will have fun.
Before the PS3 everyone was nice to me :(
