• ID = PS0350
• STYLE = 2D Fighting
• DEV. = Arc System Works Co., Ltd.
• PUB. = Sammy Entertainment, Inc.
• R-DATE = Feb-01-2003
• ESRB = T / For Teen
• PLAYERS = 1-2 players
• LIST PRICE = $26.00
  

Guilty Gear X2 is a new sequel in the mega-popular 2D fighting series set in the 22nd century. The discovery of a new sustainable energy dubbed Magic is expected to eradicate polluting and conflict-inducing tecknologies. Instead, Magic is used to create terrible biological weapons called "Gears." Guilty Gear X2 revives the fighting tournament designed to find humans skilled enough to thwart the Gear threat and give the world a fighting chance.

Game features include: 6 new characters, totaling 20 fighters in all. Eight play modes, including new modes (Mission, Story, and Gallery) that build on the series' story-driven action. Electrifying new features and battle maneuvers, such as the all-new Burst Gauge, Bomber Attack, Aerial Throw and others. Entirely new moves, improved fighting system and enhancements to trademark Guilty Gear moves such as "dust attack," "roman candle," and "instant kill."

• Visually stunning sequel to the popular 2-D fighting series.
• Fight using 20 different characters, including six new ones.
• Bust out killer combos like Overdrive Attack, Gatling Combo, and Roman Cancel.
• Rock out with heavy-metal riffs and high-speed gameplay.
• Revamped tension gauge and Instant kill move.
• Create your own combos.
• For 2 players.

Amazon.com Review
Guilty Gear X2 is a simple, fun 2-D fighting game with quirky characters and a variety of options that allow for a customized gaming experience. A perfect blend of old-school 2-D gameplay (think Street Fighter) and responsive controls makes it very easy to get started.

You get to control a host of oddball characters (20 different fighters are unlocked at the start) who all have detailed profiles and continually animate during the game. Some characters come with guest characters that make appearances during or after the fight. Backgrounds contain detailed animations and changes in weather. A decent selection of generic fighting-game music rounds out the title.

GGX2 offers nine different game modes: arcade, Medal Gauge, vs. 2P, vs. CPU, training, survival, mission, story, and gallery. All modes are available at the beginning of the game. Story mode adds anime-style background and unlockable cinemas that can be saved to a memory card. Mission mode offers up a fully detailed system to control all aspects of battle, and Medal Gauge allows for new combos by building up a collection of medals.

Aerial battles are similar to a Marvel vs. Capcom-style game and allow for some amazing combo possibilities. A return from Guilty Gear X is the Gauge meter, which allows for explosive attacks that will sometimes fill up the entire screen. Instant Kill is also back in this version and is similar to a Mortal Kombat fatality--but occurs during the match.

Guilty Gear is one of the premier 2-D fighting-game franchises, and GGX2 lives up to the legacy. Instead of the series entering the world of three dimensions, we are given a two-dimensional feast of options, great graphics, and gameplay. --Carlos Rodela

Pros:
Zany characters
Great 2-D graphics
Wealth of options

Cons:
Story mode a bit confusing
Lack of save points
Instant Kills difficult to execute

HIDDEN ELEMENTS So you think you've mastered Guilty Gear X2?
Guilty Gear X2 has enough hidden elements to make it a sequel to itself. If you want to make the claim that you've mastered this master of fighting games, then you better familiarize yourself with what's about to be revealed.

EX CHARACTERS EX Characters; you could call them EX-tra fighters, you can say they're pretty EX-cellent.or better yet, you can just use them to make an EX-ample out of your opponents. Not only do EX Characters have cool costume variations, they have moves and combos from the original Guilty Gear X! EX Characters can be unlocked in different ways by playing the various modes in Guilty Gear X2. All fighters except secret characters in Guilty Gear X2 have EX versions.

SURVIVIAL Each character will appear as a Black boss on levels 10-200. Defeat them to make their characters usable as EX Characters.

STORY View two endings of a character to unlock their EX Character.

TIME RELEASE After the game is played for 50 hours, an EX Character will become available after every two hours of play. The order in which they appear is the same as the order found in Survival Mode.

MISSION CODE Clear 35 missions with a character to unlock his EX Character. Once they're unlocked you'll notice an icon appear just below each character's feet. Select a character while holding L2 and the icon lights up, making your fighter an EX Character.

SECRET CHARACTERS Guilty Gear X2 has three secret characters that can be unlocked to become playable fighters. These characters aren't just extra fighters thrown in for good measure. The return of Justice, Kliff and Robo-Ky marks the revival of venerable veterans hailing back to Guilty Gear's origins. There are various ways to unlock the fighters by playing different modes.

SURVIVAL Justice, Kliff and Robo-Ky will appear as Black bosses on levels 210-300. Defeat them to unlock them as playable characters.

STORY View Justice's ending. To unlock his Story Mode, view endings for all main characters.

TIME RELEASE After all the EX Characters have become usable through time release, Robo-Ky, Kliff and Justice will appear successively after every two hours of play.

MISSION MODE Clear 40 Missions.

GG MODE Guilty Gear X2 lets you unlock a whole new play mode that enhances the abilities of every fighter on the roster. In GG Mode, characters get something akin to a massive adrenaline boost. GG characters move 20% faster, have no height restriction on mid-air attacks, can Jump Cancel almost any move and won't lose speed when pulling a move in mid-air. Endurance for each character in GG Mode is slightly lower.

SURVIVAL Reach level 300.

STORY View endings for all characters (except Justice).

TIME RELEASE Once Justice has become usable through time release, GG Mode will be available after two hours of play.

MISSION MODE Clear 45 Missions. Once GG Mode is unlocked, it can be turned ON or OFF in the Game Option menu.

SP CHARACTERS Just in case three playable versions for characters in the game aren't enough, Guilty Gear X2 adds a fourth hidden version that adds entirely new play elements and looks to each of the fighters on the main roster. Once unlocked, SP versions of characters give them new moves, special abilities and a choice of different colored costumes. They can be unlocked in different ways by playing the various modes.

SURVIVAL Each character will appear as a Gold boss on levels 300-520. Defeat them to make their characters usable as SP Characters.

STORY View three endings of a character to unlock their SP Character.

TIME RELEASE After GG Mode is unlocked, a SP Character will become available after every two hours of play. The order in which they appear is the same as the order found in Survival Mode.

MISSION MODE Clear 50 missions with a character to unlock his SP Character. Once they're unlocked you'll notice an icon appear just below each character's feet. Select a character while holding L1 and the icon lights up, making your fighter a SP Character.