Official Japanese Website

Platform: Playstation 2, Xbox

Genre: Fighting

Number of Players: 1 - 4

There was a point in the video game industry when fighting games has more or less become a dime a dozen, and not all of them were something to write home about. Luckily, as time has passed, the onslaught has finally decreased and these days, most of the fighting games that hit the market are ones that have already been long established. Mortal Kombat, Soul Caliber, Tekken, and of course the venerable Street Fighter are all names that will come up when someone mentions fighting games.

Most producers have moved away from the origins of the genre, foregoing the once classic two-dimension design and style of gameplay in favor of 3D, but there are a few that have clung to the old ways. Some of them, again going back to Street Fighter and any other fighting game that Capcom has made, have used the same engine with very little improvement over the years save for the graphics. There are still those fans that love the series, but most have gone for greener pastures, but once in a while, you find a game that takes the classic style ofplay and actually finds a way to make it better. That's the case with Guilty Gear, a series that I have long heard mentioned and talked about, but in all honesty, I've never actually played, and the latest entry into the popular and well-received series is Guilty Gear Isuka.

As the case usually is with most fighting games, story really isn't the most essential part of the game, and instead it's mainly about picking a character, getting in there, and just kicking some butt. The first thing that anyone is going to notice is the Isuka has no shortage of characters to select from, and for someone new to the series, deciding just who to play as can be something of a daunting task. With 23 characters to select from when you initially start the game, there won't be much worry about getting bored anytime soon, and as the case has been with just about every fighting game on the face of the planet, completing the game or meeting certain objectives will give you access to even more characters.

What makes this version of Guilty Gear even more unique that the other 2D fighting games isn't necessarily the style of play, and while it's the usual brand of button combos and controller moves to pull of special moves, this also isn't a game that is always one-on-one. Much like Tekken Tag or even Super Smash Brothers, you can play not just two, three, or even four players, and this isn't relegated simply to multi-player either. As you play through the game, there are occasions where you will be forced to fight multiple foes, and these battles can be a bit trickier. Most fighting games will automatically allow you to turn and face your opponent, but with Guilty Gear, you can have foes attacking from both sides. The default set up has your R1 button used to change your direction and face whomever you'd like to fight. This occasionally can be a bit frustrating, especially since it seems as though the computer will often time pull some very cheap moves when your back is turned. Nothing makes me happier than trying to turn around only to be hit with a combo, and more than one time. I guess it's payback though for some of the admittedly cheap moves that I'll use on the computer from time to time. Lastly, you do have the option to sidestep moves, and even counter them, something that is becoming more and more common with fighting games. With this title being fast paced, timing does really mean everything, but being able to step into the foreground is a nice touch.

Also, unlike other fighting games, this isn't set up where you fight through X number of levels to reach the boss. Instead, with the arcade mode, you will score survival points during combat. As these build, your foes will get a little tougher, and once you finally hit 100, you will face the main boss: Leopaldon. Once you've beaten him, you can start over and adjust your points to 101, essentially starting over, but things get a little rough from here on out, and each time you get to another 50th point (150, 200, and so on) you once again have to battle Leopaldon. From doing a bit of research, it appears as though 1000 is the maximum amount that you can reach, but needless to say, just for reviewing the game, I didn't make it that far as there are other aspects to be looked at, but suffice to say that for those that want a little something more with their fighting games, the arcade mode alone offers quite a bit as far as the challenge goes.

If anyone remembers the days of the Final Fight games for the Super Nintendo, Guilty Gear Isuka has a throwback to yesteryear. Boost Mode brings back quite a few memories of countless hours spent bashing through villain after villain. Again, you will be able to select the character that you'd like to play as and then slowly trudge your way through some side-scrolling mayhem. The aspects of play remains the same as arcade mode, meaning that you must manually reposition yourself to face foes behind you, and you can replenish your health as well. And, just like the arcade mode, finishing Boost will give you access to more playable characters. Boost mode will also feature different background; so don't go under the assumption that you are going to be playing through the same levels as the arcade mode.

Another feature of Guilty Gear Isuka is Factory Mode. In some ways, this is a bit like the Fighter Maker title, and Factory Mode will allow you to customize your own fighter, though it will be Robo Ky II. The set up is a little like the create-a-wrestler mode from the WWE games. You can select move and combo palettes from the other fighters in the game, which is a nice touch. Of course, it does all boil down to test runs, and what might seem like the ideal collective of moves may not always turn out to be the case, and so it's back to the drawing board. Further, you can take customization to another degree, and Isuka allows you to go in and even tweak the characters of the game just slightly. It's more or less color palette changes, but it can be somewhat entertaining to make things a little more interesting.

If you've already played any of the Guilty Gear games, then you already know what to expect as far as the graphics go with the series. Although I haven't played the other games in the series, I am quite familiar with the look to them, and Isuka has the same anime inspired look as before, and is once again backed with a soundtrack that is reminiscent of 1980's heavy metal. My only real complaint is that at times, some of the backgrounds animations and art doesn't quite have a great visual impact, and with Guilty Gear, the characters are a bit smaller than in other fighting games. It still looks good, and I also love the fact that the original Japanese audio is left in for the character voices, thus avoiding the pitfall that some many companies have taken to, and all too often the English voice actors that attempt to portray their Japanese counterparts are nothing less than mediocre, and even annoying at times.

As far as fighting games go, while Guilty Gear Isuka may not be considered up to par by some gamers that are more taken in by the concept to the modern 3D title, Isuka takes what was great about fighting games in the past and takes the challenge, and the fun, up quite a few notches. Fast paced and addictive, Isuka gives quite a bit of enjoyment, and for those of us that have been playing more "lazy" game lately (like myself) within a matter of time those blisters start coming back again. For those bored with Capcom's constant rehashing of their fighting games, Guilty Gear Isuka offers that same style, but with quite a bit more class and character, and with plenty of replay value, Guilty Gear Isuka is ultimately a must have fighting game for any fan.

-mike-