<s>
Originally	O
released	O
in	O
Japanese	O
arcades	O
in	O
April	O
2007	O
,	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
home	O
consoles	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
May	O
2008	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
North	O
American	O
Xbox	O
360-exclusive	O
version	O
released	O
in	O
English	O
in	O
September	O
2008	O
by	O
Aksys	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
version	O
,	O
ported	O
in	O
collaboration	O
with	O
DotEmu	O
and	O
distributed	O
via	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
7	O
,	O
2015	O
as	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
:	O
Revised	O
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
development	O
was	O
headed	O
by	O
Emiko	O
Iwasaki	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
served	O
as	O
illustrator	O
for	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
Guilty	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
series	O
,	O
and	O
features	O
three-dimensional	O
character	O
models	O
restricted	O
to	O
a	O
two-dimensional	O
plane	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
retains	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
features	O
of	O
its	O
predecessor	O
including	O
fast-paced	O
gameplay	O
,	O
colorful	O
anime-style	O
graphics	O
,	O
and	O
over-the-top	O
effects	O
,	O
yet	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
more	O
basic	O
representation	O
of	O
the	O
fighting	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
notable	O
for	O
its	O
stylistic	O
departure	O
from	O
many	O
fighting	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
fantasy	B-Application
world	O
depicted	O
as	O
a	O
storybook	O
,	O
and	O
borrows	O
many	O
superficial	O
elements	O
from	O
role-playing	O
games	O
including	O
damage	O
represented	O
as	O
numbers	O
and	O
a	O
text-heavy	O
story	O
mode	O
,	O
which	O
involves	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
heroes	O
answering	O
the	O
call	O
to	O
battle	O
to	O
stop	O
an	O
evil	O
force	O
from	O
once	O
again	O
attempting	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
met	O
with	O
relatively	O
low	O
sales	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
received	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
is	O
a	O
traditional	O
versus	O
fighting	O
game	O
where	O
up	O
to	O
two	O
players	O
compete	O
against	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
combat	O
using	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
characters	O
each	O
with	O
their	O
own	O
special	O
attacks	O
and	O
fighting	O
styles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
2D	O
fighting	O
video	O
game	O
wanted	O
to	O
shift	O
3D	O
graphics	O
with	O
2D	O
gameplay	O
experience	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
thought	O
to	O
have	O
been	O
technologically	O
impossibly	O
for	O
over	O
10	O
years	O
since	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
EX	I-Application
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
,	O
released	O
in	O
2007	O
was	O
modern	O
innovation	O
in	O
2.5D	O
style	O
fighting	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Arc	O
System	O
Works	O
originally	O
as	O
a	O
Japanese	O
arcade	O
game	O
beginning	O
in	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
company	O
had	O
previously	O
been	O
known	O
for	O
their	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
popular	O
Guilty	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
fighting	O
game	O
series	O
and	O
was	O
looking	O
for	O
ways	O
to	O
expand	O
their	O
market	O
to	O
a	O
more	O
general	O
audience	O
,	O
and	O
appointed	O
character	O
illustrator	O
Emiko	O
Iwasaki	O
as	O
the	O
project	O
's	O
director	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
only	O
a	O
few	O
women	O
to	O
rise	O
to	O
that	O
position	O
in	O
the	O
Japanese	O
game	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
first	O
title	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
Taito	B-Application
Type	I-Application
X²	I-Application
arcade	O
board	O
hardware	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
to	O
use	O
Taito	O
's	O
Vewlix	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
run	O
in	O
high-definition	O
720p	O
resolutions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Iwasaki	O
was	O
given	O
a	O
large	O
degree	O
of	O
freedom	O
when	O
making	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
she	O
was	O
encouraged	O
by	O
the	O
company	O
to	O
retain	O
many	O
features	O
from	O
the	O
Guilty	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
franchise	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
maintain	O
their	O
core	O
audience	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
being	O
told	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
"	O
needed	O
"	O
to	O
use	O
three-dimensional	O
graphics	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
3D	O
talent	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
more	O
efficiently	O
utilize	O
the	O
Type	O
X²	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stylistically	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
a	O
departure	O
from	O
Arc	O
System	O
Works	O
 '	O
earlier	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasias	I-Application
colorful	O
fantasy	B-Application
art	O
direction	O
chosen	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
role-playing	O
games	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
overseen	O
by	O
graphic	O
designer	O
Junya	O
Motomura	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Early	O
beta	O
versions	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
began	O
public	O
location	O
tests	O
in	O
select	O
arcades	O
across	O
Japan	O
in	O
October	O
2006	O
,	O
with	O
further	O
tests	O
conducted	O
over	O
the	O
next	O
few	O
months	O
until	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
official	O
release	O
in	O
April	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
home	O
console	O
version	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
in	O
a	O
February	O
2008	O
issue	O
of	O
Japanese	O
Weekly	O
Famitsu	O
magazine	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
confirmed	O
for	O
release	O
for	O
both	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
console	O
releases	O
would	O
feature	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
new	O
play	O
modes	O
,	O
including	O
a	O
new	O
,	O
single-player	O
story	O
mode	O
unique	O
to	O
each	O
character	O
,	O
and	O
online	O
play	O
over	O
Sony	O
's	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
May	O
1	O
,	O
a	O
playable	O
demo	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Japanese	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
,	O
with	O
a	O
full	O
commercial	O
release	O
for	O
both	O
consoles	O
on	O
May	O
29	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
July	O
2008	O
press	O
panel	O
,	O
Aksys	O
Games	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
bringing	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
to	O
North	O
America	O
the	O
following	O
September	O
,	O
but	O
only	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
asked	O
about	O
the	O
possibility	O
of	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
a	O
representative	O
remarked	O
that	O
"	O
We	O
’re	O
looking	O
into	O
it	O
,	O
but	O
right	O
now	O
it	O
’s	O
just	O
360.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
interview	O
with	O
website	O
Gamasutra	O
,	O
when	O
asked	O
if	O
a	O
North	O
American	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
rejected	O
by	O
Sony	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
America	O
,	O
Arc	O
System	O
Works	O
producer	O
Kouki	O
Sadamori	O
merely	O
replied	O
that	O
the	O
question	O
was	O
"	O
a	O
tough	O
one	O
to	O
answer	O
...	O
"	O
505	O
Games	O
signed	O
on	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
European	O
publisher	O
,	O
who	O
released	O
both	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
versions	O
in	O
the	O
region	O
simultaneously	O
in	O
March	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Battle	B-Application
Fantasias	I-Application
late	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
region	O
was	O
attributed	O
to	O
the	O
subject	O
of	O
incest	O
being	O
discussed	O
during	O
certain	O
character	O
's	O
Story	O
Mode	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
which	O
prompted	O
the	O
publisher	O
to	O
remove	O
many	O
alternative	O
story	O
paths	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
year	O
after	O
the	O
announcement	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
only	O
come	O
to	O
North	O
America	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
Aksys	O
Games	O
announced	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
releasing	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
as	O
a	O
full	O
download	O
title	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
in	O
Fall	O
2009	O
,	O
with	O
project	O
lead	O
Frank	O
deWindt	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
The	O
fans	O
have	O
been	O
asking	O
for	O
it	O
and	O
we	O
're	O
here	O
to	O
deliver.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
announcement	O
,	O
the	O
company	O
also	O
held	O
a	O
contest	O
on	O
their	O
official	O
website	O
for	O
fans	O
to	O
name	O
five	O
new	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
achievement	O
trophies	O
added	O
especially	O
for	O
the	O
new	O
release	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
made	O
available	O
on	O
Sony	O
's	O
PlayStation	O
Store	O
on	O
December	O
22	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
Revised	O
Edition	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
via	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
July	O
7	O
,	O
2015	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
home	O
console	O
versions	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
received	O
relatively	O
low	O
sales	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
versions	O
selling	O
3,100	O
and	O
2,300	O
copies	O
respectively	O
during	O
their	O
debut	O
week	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Famitsu	O
also	O
gave	O
both	O
console	O
versions	O
25	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
,	O
while	O
Famitsu	O
Xbox360	B-Operating_System
gave	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
29	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Western	O
response	O
to	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
was	O
mostly	O
average	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
receiving	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
"	O
on	O
all	O
platforms	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
critics	O
compared	O
the	O
title	O
to	O
Arc	O
System	O
Works	O
 '	O
previous	O
fighting	O
game	O
endeavor	O
,	O
the	O
Guilty	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
series	O
,	O
with	O
1UP.com	O
declaring	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
more	O
simplistic	O
than	O
the	O
company	O
's	O
earlier	O
works	O
with	O
less	O
focus	O
on	O
technical	O
aspects	O
such	O
as	O
combos	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
each	O
characters	O
special	O
moves	O
were	O
"	O
flashy	O
and	O
not	O
as	O
situational	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
website	O
felt	O
that	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
changes	O
resulted	O
in	O
the	O
characters	O
being	O
more	O
interesting	O
,	O
and	O
called	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
fantasy	B-Application
art	O
motif	O
"	O
a	O
pleasing	O
sidestep	O
"	O
from	O
Guilty	B-Application
Gears	I-Application
more	O
"	O
edgy	O
"	O
style	O
,	O
but	O
found	O
that	O
most	O
matches	O
were	O
slow	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
colorful	O
art	O
direction	O
and	O
Japanese	O
voices	O
would	O
only	O
appeal	O
to	O
a	O
niche	O
audience	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Informer	O
declared	O
that	O
the	O
presentation	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
was	O
charming	O
"	O
with	O
all	O
the	O
vibrancy	O
and	O
artistic	O
style	O
of	O
an	O
anime	O
"	O
,	O
yet	O
it	O
did	O
little	O
to	O
revolutionize	O
the	O
genre	O
despite	O
adding	O
traditional	O
role-playing	O
game	O
aesthetics	O
such	O
as	O
"	O
long-winded	O
story	O
segments	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
regards	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
technical	O
aspects	O
,	O
IGN	O
felt	O
the	O
game	O
lacking	O
when	O
compared	O
to	O
more	O
high-profile	O
titles	O
such	O
as	O
Sega	O
's	O
Virtua	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
5	I-Application
,	O
and	O
that	O
gameplay	O
was	O
more	O
about	O
"	O
timing	O
and	O
calculated	O
moves	O
than	O
massive	O
combos	O
or	O
memorizing	O
deep	O
move	O
sets	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
European	O
versions	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
in	O
early	O
2009	O
were	O
often	O
compared	O
to	O
Capcom	O
's	O
highly	O
anticipated	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
IV	I-Application
released	O
just	O
one	O
month	O
after	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eurogamer	O
claimed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
"	O
not	O
even	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
league	O
as	O
Capcom	O
's	O
superlative	O
re-envisioning	O
"	O
,	O
yet	O
compared	O
its	O
defensive	O
Gachi	O
parrying	O
system	O
to	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
III	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
website	O
would	O
criticize	O
the	O
title	O
's	O
"	O
by-the-numbers	O
gameplay	O
"	O
and	O
lack	O
of	O
online	O
competition	O
,	O
and	O
called	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasias	I-Application
art	O
style	O
"	O
a	O
nice	O
departure	O
,	O
but	O
many	O
will	O
find	O
the	O
overly	O
twee	O
presentation	O
a	O
bit	O
too	O
sugary	O
for	O
their	O
fighter	O
tastes.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Play	O
UK	O
also	O
commented	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
"	O
Six	O
months	O
ago	O
we	O
would	O
have	O
happily	O
recommended	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
stopgap	O
to	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
but	O
we	O
just	O
ca	O
n’t	O
say	O
that	O
now.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ironically	O
,	O
though	O
it	O
was	O
often	O
found	O
to	O
be	O
inferior	O
to	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
series	O
director	O
Yoshinori	O
Ono	O
cited	O
the	O
original	O
arcade	O
version	O
of	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
in	O
2007	O
as	O
the	O
inspiration	O
for	O
his	O
game	O
's	O
new	O
three-dimensional	O
art	O
style	O
,	O
stating	O
"	O
Our	O
fear	O
was	O
that	O
with	O
Street	B-Application
Fighter	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
because	O
our	O
characters	O
are	O
taller	O
and	O
more	O
human-proportioned	O
that	O
it	O
might	O
look	O
funky	O
...	O
What	O
we	O
learned	O
through	O
development	O
was	O
that	O
no	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
not	O
going	O
to	O
look	O
weird	O
...	O
Battle	B-Application
Fantasia	I-Application
was	O
part	O
of	O
what	O
made	O
us	O
realize	O
that	O
,	O
I	O
think.	O
"	O
</s>
