PlayStation 2

Guilty Gear X2

Whoever said 2D fighting games were dead is about to eat their words. Guilty Gear X2 has only been out for a few weeks and is already taking the PS2 gaming community by storm, soon to be putting a blanket of dust on those copies of DOA and Tekken on your software shelf.

The fighting game genre may be slowly making a comeback. Last year, the outstanding Virtua Fighter 4 met with critical acclaim, and later in the year, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance surprised everyone in what was a surprisingly good return to form for the classic series. And while the future of the genre will probably involve 3D graphics and online play, for now, it's great to see a game like Guilty Gear X2 show up on the horizon hot on the heels of these other great games. Similar to 2001's Guilty Gear X, this colorful and decidedly Japanese game features a large cast of more than 20 characters, dozens of cool moves and an equal number of weird ones, and traditional mechanics that anyone who's ever played a fighting game from Capcom or SNK should be able to quickly pick up. Guilty Gear X2 also features several new gameplay modes, improved character balance, and enough depth that fans of previous Guilty Gear games--or fans of 2D fighting games in general--should certainly enjoy it.

Finally, it's balanced so that while a more skilled player will generally win, a novice won't feel like they've got no chance. Really, it's the second fighting game (though some might grit their teeth to know that Super Smash Brothers is the first) that has me anxiously awaiting a sequel. It’s not often that I unequivocally recommend a game for everyone, but Guilty Gear X2 deserves it. Even though I doubt enough people will be sensible enough to give it a whirl, it’s clearly one of the best games you’ll ever see on the Playstation 2.

One of the most impressive features of GGX2 is the game’s sound library which is a collection of hard rock melodies brought to life with real instruments rather than the majority of synthesized fighting game soundtracks used today. In the case of GGX2, the soundtrack for the game is a love hate relationship as fans of the original Guilty Gear X will recognize and love the beats recreated specifically for this game from the original soundtrack while those who loathe metal and guitar will hate this soundtrack through and through.

Once this game is released, go to your nearest retailer and pick up a copy of Guilty Gear X2 immediately! The game really is this good, with better graphics, smoother animation, and myriads of other things. If you love fighting games or a fan of games that are worth your time and money, than pick this game up; you will not regret it!

It's undeniable that Guilty Gear X2 absolutely kicks-ass and is well worth the purchase if you're a fan of the 2D fighting genre. Visually, this is hands down the best looking fighting game on the market. The vibrancy and overall eye-candy is unrivaled by anything else out there, not to mention the superbly detailed fighters. The game's long list of gameplay modes and gameplay features easily warrant the 40-dollar purchase. It's one of the finest 2D fighters crafted across any platform, and it deserves to all the attention it can get. Make sure you have a copy of GGX2 spinning inside your PS2 as soon as possible; you won't regret the decision.

Guilty Gear XX überzeugt schon allein durch sein unkonventionelles Auftreten. Die abgedrehten Charaktere heben sich schön von den Langweilercharakteren in Spielen wie Virtua Fighter oder Tekken ab. Hinzu kommt ein sehr gelungenes und ausgewogenes Gameplay, nette Musik und hübsche Grafik. Was will man mehr?

Although Guilty Gear X 2 doesn’t do anything spectacular in terms of fighting game innovations, it’s an incredibly fun game that’s a joy to watch as it is to play. The disc’s sheer beauty blazes as a testament to how 2D, sprite based graphics should appear on modern hardware in order to wow the “if it isn’t 3D, it’s crap” audience. Both fans of previous Guilty Gear titles and newcomers alike should definitely give GGX2 playtime in their Playstation 2 systems.

I've never understood why Arc System Works' 2D fighting extravaganza Guilty Gear has never taken off in the States. It has everything a great two-dimensional fighting game is supposed to have, after all, and what business is it of America to deny such a great series the spotlight? It's sad really, as 3D fighters now completely dominate the market with waning genre efforts from Playmore (who holds the SNK license) and reigning world champion Capcom. We, as Americans, need some kind of savior damn it! And if you don't believe me people, take a look around -- 2D gaming is about as rare as Sturge Weber Syndrome.

If you're unfamiliar with the series, you'll want GG X2 because it reigns as the best 2D fighter outside of the Capcom universe.

Et bien voilà un sérieux concurrent pour la gamme de jeux de baston 2D de Capcom qui occupait jusqu'à présent une place dominante dans cette niche. Guilty Gear X 2 a tout pour lui, un gameplay solide à la fois intuitif, accessible et néanmoins riche, une réalisation soignée, une forte personnalité et une durée de vie conséquente. Indispensable pour tout fan de baston 2D. Rhàà, je crois que celui-là je vais me le mettre de côté.

GGX2 has no major flaws, but I do wish there were more backgrounds. The ones included are absolutely gorgeous, but they tend to repeat - a lot. GGX2 seems to have no load times, but they may just be obfuscated by the rapid-fire series of set-up screens. With beautiful visuals, competitive action, and style to burn, Guilty Gear X2 may be the best 2D fighter available for the PS2.

Another downfall of this otherwise great game is an acute lack of an interesting storyline. Most characters are attempting to accomplish something, naturally. But since the only place we have ever seen these characters before was the original Guilty Gear I found myself truly not giving a crap and skipping over story parts, which in some cases, held info you needed to have in order to correctly defeat the character. Anyway, this game was basically pretty good, and aside from some balancing issues, a not-so-great story and a somewhat annoying heavy metal soundtrack I found it was a great play and definitely worth a buy, especially if you pine for the days of the 2-D fighter.

If you thought Street Fighter was the final word in 2D fighters, think again. Guilty Gear X wowed 2D-fighting fans with its surreal blend of anime and heavy metal, and its sequel, Guilty Gear X2, introduces six new characters, bringing the eclectic roster to 20 fighters. The two boss characters from GGX are now part of the regular lineup, and there are fresh moves for your old favorites. You can also test your chops on the new Story and Medal modes, though the story lines get pretty obscure.

The fighting game genre may be slowly making a comeback. Last year, the outstanding Virtua Fighter 4 met with critical acclaim, and later in the year, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance surprised everyone in what was a surprisingly good return to form for the classic series. And while the future of the genre will probably involve 3D graphics and online play, for now, it's great to see a game like Guilty Gear X2 show up on the horizon hot on the heels of these other great games. Similar to 2001's Guilty Gear X, this colorful and decidedly Japanese game features a large cast of more than 20 characters, dozens of cool moves and an equal number of weird ones, and traditional mechanics that anyone who's ever played a fighting game from Capcom or SNK should be able to quickly pick up. Guilty Gear X2 also features several new gameplay modes, improved character balance, and enough depth that fans of previous Guilty Gear games--or fans of 2D fighting games in general--should certainly enjoy it.

If you've been looking for a solid fighter lately, Guilty Gear X2 is the game for you. Otherwise, I'm not quite sure if GGX2 would be up your proverbial alley.

Nåväl, Guilty Gear X2 håller måttet ändå, och känns inte minst som en välbehövlig och frist tvådimensionell fläkt i en spelvärld som har gått vilse i den tredimensionella röran. Och det kommer - hör och häpna - inte från Capcom.

If you're a 2D beat-' em-up fan, you may well enjoy Guilty Gear X2, but you're probably the only ones.