The mobile gacha landscape is an absolute minefield. Nine times out of ten, you download a shiny new anime title expecting cinematic gameplay and cool characters, only to realize the "gameplay" consists of sitting back while three chibis automatically fight some monsters. It’s like watching a screensaver. There is no fun in almost 90% of mobile gacha games because the gameplay just sucks.

Bleach Mirrors High is yet another adaptation of the popular Television Animated Series Bleach in a mobile game format. But is it any good?

Gameplay

Even good character designs can't save a game that isn't fun. But, in Bleach Mirrors High the gameplay is actually interesting. The gameplay isn't overly complicated. You aren't memorizing fighting game inputs or 20-button combo routes, but it does allow you to stay engaged. The gameplay of Mirrors High consists of you sliding your fingers across the screen and using your battle cards in according to your enemy's actions.

On surface, that might sound like a boring thing to do, however countering the enemy's attacks, dodging ,and using your cards in the right combination is actually quite the challenge and is much more fun than just staring at your average auto battler gacha.
It hits that sweet spot reminiscent of Hi-Fi Rush or Zenless Zone Zero approachable inputs with a skill ceiling that keeps your brain turned on. (Or you can just turn on automode and do something else while the game plays in the background).

Character Designs

Gacha games rely heavily on "attractive" character designs to retain their revenue and playerbase.

And Mirrors High certainly nails that part. The series itself has cool character designs and we also have some original characters like Naru Jurinna who has become an icon already.

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The characters are cool, original, and they aren't something that you'll be ashamed of if someone sees you playing this game on the bus. This game also has a character creator where you create your own original character. Which is a nice addition and is also related to the story but there aren't that many customization options.

Still, it's better than your average gacha game where you just choose between a male or a female protagonist or have no choices at all.

UI & Optimization

The user interface looks good but it's cluttered. It has the average vertical mobile game Clash Royale menus but some features like inviting others are hidden in random menus and there are so many places to go and so many things to do.

But you will get the hang of it eventually. The game also has many quality of life features like claim all rewards buttons in the missions menu which claims everything all at once.

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The battle graphics and animations are also fluid and eye catching.
But the biggest problem is the optimization. I played the game on my Poco X7 Pro which is a capable phone on MAX graphics. And the visuals are truly beautiful but the whole game's optimization was done very poorly. Switching menus takes longer than your average mobile game and battery consumption is really high. But beside those the game ran well for me, but mid ranged devices will most likely have problems with the optimization.

Conclusion

Bleach Mirrors High is an interesting mobile game. Despite the usual gacha trappings and hardware demands, it stands out in a sea of automated idle games. It has real action, is dripped with style, has a good enough storyline, and genuine passion for the source material.

If you're a fan of Bleach or want to try a new gacha title with engaging gameplay you should probably give Mirrors High a try. And don't forget to share your in-game invite code with others so both parties receive rewards.