Today Idea Factory International released a large batch of screenshots of the English localization of Azur Lane: Crowsswave.
We get to see six shipgirls, Enterprise, Illustrious, Ayanami, Akashi, Achilles, and Ajax
You can check them, all out below. Do keep in mind that Achilles and Akashi are available exclusively as support and secretaries, which is why they have no 3D gameplay images.
Here’s a description for each shipgirl:
Ayanami
One of the oldest and most powerful members of the Sakura Empire. Her battles are ruthless, akin to that of a demon god, but off the battlefield, she tends to be quiet and reclusive. She doesn’t seem like she has any interest in anything, but when she does find something that catches her attention, she will pour her very best into it. She is currently training herself for the Joint Military Exercise.
Illustrious
A member of the Royal Navy who carries herself with grace; her countenance is one of a refined lady. Others may sometimes view her as being a bit slow, but the fact is that she is always kind… the total embodiment of a royal. She styles herself in accordance to the historical nature of the vessel she represents with an emphasis on her upper body, which captivates many who lay their eyes upon her. She joins the Joint Military Exercise as a proud member of Royal Navy, assisting her allies along the way to victory.
Ajax
A slightly sadistic individual who refers to anyone she’s interested in as “little piggy.” She is fond of teasing others, no matter their rank, and has a tendency to be outspoken. Her actions cause others to run amok. Even still, her talents are worthy, and she is a fantastic asset in any mission she embarks upon. This particular pedigree she offers is why she’s been chosen to take part in the Joint Military Exercise.
Enterprise
As the strongest aircraft carrier in the Eagle Union, she is known for the many battles she has won against enemies both on the ocean and in the sky. Everyone knows how powerful she is, which makes her a fantastic representative of the Eagle Union in the Joint Military Exercise. She will sacrifice herself for her allies and constantly seeks new rivals. As she has sensed something amiss during the Joint Military Exercise, she has begun investigating what is really going on behind the scenes. This has caused her bond with a certain someone to deepen over the course of this exercise.
Akashi
A repair ship who displays cat-like features, such as playing with cat toys. Sometimes, many doubt themselves as to whether Akashi really is a cat. Despite her unique personality, she is the best mechanic Sakura Empire has to offer, and she provides technical support with her many interesting inventions. She also has a taste for money, and this talent shines through her business skills (which often blur the line of whether she’s working for the Sakura Empire or herself). She is assisting the Joint Military Exercise as their announcer this time around.
Achilles
Achilles is a Leander-class light cruiser and a friend of Ajax. She seems absent-minded, but at the very least, she doesn’t exhibit a sadistic nature like Ajax. She’s surprisingly proactive, and decided to join the Joint Military Exercise with Ajax to help support her fellow sister cruisers.
Incidentally, earlier I alked about support shipsgirls, so here’s an explanation of that mechanid directly from Idea Factory, since it’s a bit different compared to the original mobile game.
In Azur Lane: Crosswave, characters are broken down between playable characters and support. Support characters can join a player’s fleet as AI using support skills and attacks during battle. Playable characters can act as your main fleet and/or support fleet.
Character breakdown:
Playable Characters: Can be controlled during battle.
Secretary Ship: Appears on main menus when not engaged in battle. Secretary Ship can be a playable character or support character. Having a ship as your secretary can lead to some interesting events to happen!
Support: Can be selected to assist in battle. When certain conditions are met, support characters can perform different support skills such as attacks, buffs, and heals. Playable characters can also be deployed as support characters, lending a different set of skills than if they were controlled.
Azur Lane: Crosswave has already been released for for PS4 in Japan, and will launch for PS4 and PC in the west in February 2020.
If you want to learn more, you should definitely read the interview we pubished a few weeks ago, in which Compile Heart President Norihisa Kochiwa talks in depth about the project. You can also check out more shipgirls revealed a few days ago.
If you’re unfamiliar with Azur Lane, it’s is a free-to-play mobile horizontal scrolling shooter/RPG hybrid currently available for iOS and Android.
If you’re curious about the franchise’s popularity in Japan, you can check out my report about the recent anniversary event that pretty much literally invaded Akihabara.
