• Amaterasu •

Chills · Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:55 am Guilty Gear X2: Midnight Carnival

Guilty Gear is a series of sprite-based fighting games by Arc System Works and designed by artist Daisuke Ishiwatari. It is popular with fans for its detailed anime-style graphics, original characters, hard rock/heavy metal soundtrack, unique gameplay, and its numerous references to rock and heavy metal music.

The first game in the series, Guilty Gear, was released on the Sega Saturn & PlayStation home system in 1998. While it did gain some praise from the mainstream video game press such as GameSpot, it didn't make much of an impact on the video game market, but became something of a cult hit with many gamers. However, the release of its sequel Guilty Gear X on the Sega Dreamcast console in 2000 gained much more attention with its gameplay and more detailed graphics. In 2001 Sammy released Guilty Gear Petit and its sequel Guilty Gear Petit 2 later in the same year for WonderSwan, a handheld gaming device in Japan.

In 2002, Guilty Gear XX (known as Guilty Gear X2 in North America) was released, furthering the individual stories and improving the combo system. This was soon followed by Guilty Gear XX #Reload (pronounced "Sharp Reload"), which addressed a number of gameplay imbalances in XX and changed both matchplay tier arrangement and the "distance" between the tiers, added a new tournament-legal character, and brought the series online with Xbox Live. In 2004, Guilty Gear Isuka ("Isuka" meaning crossbill in Japanese, and representing the way two swords clash) was released, featuring up to four-player simultaneous gameplay, a side-scrolling mode called "Boost Mode", a customizable version of one of the characters, a new playable character, and various other additions.

Story

The Guilty Gear series takes place around the year 2180, in a chaotic, mystical future world. In 2010, mankind discovered an unlimited energy source of incredible power, which was labeled Magic. Despite providing a solution for world energy crises, wars continued. The power of Magic was combined with the human body creating living weapons known as Gears. Eventually the Gears turned on the human race, beginning a century-long global war known as the Crusades where the Sacred Order of Holy Knights (Seikishidan being the Japanese name), defeated Justice, leader of the Gears. Justice having been locked away in a dimensional prison, all other Gears seemingly ceased to function, bringing end to an age of conflict.

Guilty Gear: The Missing Link

Five years after the war's end a Gear called Testament planned to free the leader Justice. In response the United Nations heralded a tournament of fighters capable of defeating the resurgent enemies Testament and Justice. Ultimately, a bounty hunter named Sol Badguy defeated Justice, giving way to another uneasy peace.

Guilty Gear X: By Your Side

Less than a year later reports of a newly discovered commander Gear surfaced. Fearing the dawn of another war, the United Nations held a tournament, offering 500,000 World Dollars for the destruction of the Gear.

The Gear was a girl named Dizzy, who, while very powerful, lacked a desire for war and unnecessary destruction. She was defeated but her life spared by Sol Badguy. Soon, though, she was found by Ky Kiske, the charismatic police chief of the United Nations and ex-chief of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights. He entrusted her care to Johnny, leader of the Jellyfish air pirates, who welcomed her as one of their own. Jam Kuradoberi, a bounty hunter and struggling chef, claimed credit for Dizzy's disappearance so she could collect the reward and finance her restaurant.

Guilty Gear XX: The Midnight Carnival

In the time following Dizzy's disappearance, the mysterious Post War Administration Bureau began secretly investigating the Gears and fighters from previous tournaments for their own needs and ambitions. Various powers were working in the shadows to gain control of the world, one being the very creator of the Gears, a mysterious figure known only as "That Man". Fighters find themselves in a reality beyond their control, most notably in the manipulative hands of the villainess I-No, who is revealed to be a servant of That Man for reasons yet unknown.

Now that the main history have been explained... Let's say hello to some of the characters, via Post War Administration Bureau (P.W.A.B.) division tactics.

Sol Badguy
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 163 lbs.
Birthday: Unknown
Blood Type: Unknown
Race: Unknown/American
Risk Rating: S

P.W.A.B. Report #9641:
Solid information on this subject's history is, regrettably, still hard to come by. Here is what we know: After joining the Sacred Order of Holy Knights in 2172, he deserted and became a bounty hunter. One account places the subject in the year 2099 -- exactly as he looks today -- participating in the Gear Project. Though his motives are unknown, he has been spotted hunting down and destroying Gears. His victory over Justice should serve as ample evidence of his superhuman battle ability. His occult powers easily surpass all known limits. Because of his muddy past and immense power, he is considered to be incredibly dangerous.

Ky Kiske
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 128 lbs.
Birthday: Nov. 20
Blood Type: AB
Race: Human/French
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #4515:
Former leader of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights, this charismatic swordsman is now a head figure in the International Police Force. Though fearsome as an enemy, his sense of duty to the law makes him easily controllable. Subject is being used as the base type for our Imitation Series. The completion of this project will be a boon to our war potential. His political power makes him a valid threat.

Dizzy
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 123 lbs.
Birthday: Dec. 25 (Presumed)
Blood Type: Unanalyzable
Race: Gear/Unknown
Risk Rating: S++

P.W.A.B. Report #3360:
Though her identity is unknown, sources say this subject is a mix of both human and Gear. All known Gears, including Testament (see file #3360), were subordinates under the control of Commander Gear Justice. As a result, most of the Gears ceased functioning after Justice was slain in battle. This one, however, was not affected, possibly due to her genetic makeup. In fact, she may have the ability to actually reawaken downed Gears. Eyewitness accounts place her as working together with the humanoid Gear, Testament. One report says that the subject was recently destroyed by the bounty hunter, Jam, but this may be a fabrication of events. If she is still alive, her quick capture and disposal take precedence over all matters.

Slayer
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 154 lbs.
Birthday: Oct. 31
Blood Type: Unanalyzable
Race: Non-Human/Transylvania
Risk Rating: S+

P.W.A.B. Report #3309:
Subject is an entirely different form of life, completely inapplicable to any previously known categories. Neither Human nor Gear in origin, his DNA structure bears no relation at all to anything currently on record. It is unknown how many other beings like this one are in existence, and whether or not they have any relation to the human race. Besides his name (Slayer), all we know about the man is that he founded the Assassins' Guild. His battle abilities and his combat style have no known method of suppression, making him an unmatched threat of the highest caliber.

Johnny
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 159 lbs
Birthday: Oct. 24
Blood Type: O
Race: Human/American
Risk Rating: A

P.W.A.B. Report #7505:
Subject is the leader of the Jellyfish air pirates, and a key underworld figure. His mastery of Japanese swordfighting makes him extremely dangerous in one-on-one combat. His true power, however, lies in his personal ties with Zepp's president Gabriel and the IPF's Ky Kiske. It is highly likely that the Jellyfish are far more than a mere gang of thugs. A self-styled noble bandit, he always tries to help those less fortunate. Capturing a hostage may be the best way to control his actions. His overall clout makes him a major threat.

Axl Low
Height: 5'10"
Weight:172 lbs
Birthday: Dec. 25
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/English
Risk Rating: C

P.W.A.B. Report #5470:
Subject claims to have jumped into this era from the 20th century. Although this claim is unsubstantiated, he is confirmed to carry certain vital information on past events. His skill with fire helped him earn a spot in the second Sacred Knights tournament. Considering his high physical strength and the danger his unfettered knowledge presents, he should be handled with extreme caution.

Jam Kuradoberi
Height: 5'4"
Weight: Unknown
Birthday: Feb. 8
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/Chinese
Risk Rating: C

P.W.A.B. Report #7403:
Though she is a chef, subject is one of the world's most proficient wielders of Ki force. Of the five occult arts, the field of 'Ki' energy is the least explored and understood. Most of its users are of Eastern descent, aiding the theory that heredity plays a role. Subject's life goal is to discover new and useful cuisines. Control will not be an issue. Although she poses little threat in and of herself, her capture is still desirable. Therefore, she should not be taken lightly.

Testament
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 161 lbs
Birthday: May 9
Blood Type: Unanalyzable
Race: Gear/Swiss
Risk Rating: S

P.W.A.B. Report #3360:
One of the few humanoid Gears, and one of the few Gears to retain a sense of self after the Gear cell-grafting process. He became an enemy of the human race after aligning with Justice. Subject organized the first Sacred Knights tournament in an attempt to revive Justice. Currently, he is still evading capture. One account mentions a link with Commander Gear Dizzy, but this has yet to be confirmed. His pure hatred of man and incalculable power make him one of the most dangerous living beings on Earth at the present time. He should be viewed as a major threat.

Millia Rage
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 106 lbs. .
Birthday: Unknown
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/Russian
Risk Rating: C

P.W.A.B. Report #2043:
Formerly a hired assassin, the subject is now working with the IPF to dismantle the Guild and capture Zato-One in exchange for her acquittal. The test case for an undisclosed new form of occult art, she uses her hair as a weapon. It is believed her hair falls under the same classification as Gears and Forbidden Beasts. She can be easily controlled if her desire for revenge against Zato is used against her. Although she is not a major threat, her capture and dissection will offer insight into the forces that drive her hair.

Baiken
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 99 lbs.
Birthday: Mar. 5
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/Japanese
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #2043:
Subject is a Japanese woman on the run from the authorities. She is still deeply traumatized from the loss of her parents during the war. All of her movements revolve around her ultimate goal of revenge. Her current target is the one she regards as the creator of the Gears. Although her skill with a Japanese sword is great, she is no match for our military might. Additionally, her desire for revenge makes her easy to control. Even if she manages to find the Gears' creator, it would only help our mission. She should not be viewed as a serious threat.

Anji Mito
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 150 lbs
Birthday: Jan. 1
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/Japanese
Risk Rating: A

P.W.A.B. Report #4152:
Subject is an escaped Japanese who has been evading arrest with the help of the Zessen fan weapon he somehow acquired along the way. A man of pure Japanese descent, his dance-like moves are like poetry in motion. Although his motives are unclear, it is believed he is searching out the Gears and their creator--not out of spite, but out of sheer curiosity. Regardless of his intentions, the danger of leaving a Japanese man unattended is profound. As such, he is to be viewed as a major threat.

Eddie (Zato-1)
Height: 5'11"
Weight:150 lbs
Birthday: Jan. 28
Blood Type: A
Race: Human/Spanish
Risk Rating: C

P.W.A.B. Report #1573 :
A former assassin, the subject was implanted with a Forbidden Beast in order to measure his abilities. The Beast is a type of parasitic animal built from Gear technology, which allows it to partially exist away from the body. With the Beast's power, he became the head of the Assassins' guild, eventually disappearing after the first Sacred Knights tournament. Although the subject has yet to be recovered, we have succeeded in retrieving the Beast's data. The subject has either passed away or had his mind taken by the Beast, In either case, there is little to worry about, as the Beast's lifespan is inherently limited. Thanks to the subject's disappearance, the Assassins' Guild has lost much of its power. Therefore he is not considered dangerous.

Chipp Zanuff
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 148 lbs.
Birthday: Feb. 9
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/American
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #5236:
Born as an orphan, subject grew up to become an illegal drug trafficker and narcotics addict. He was saved by a man named Tsuyoshi, who taught him the basics of Ninjutsu combat. Subject is the only known man alive who still uses this Japanese form of attack. He also uses the force of Ki in his moves, presumably taught to him by Tsuyoshi as well. It is safe to assume that the subject has had extensive training with Ki force. If we can procure this fighting style for our own use, the benefits would be immeasurable. Although a highly skilled fighter, subject is a very straightforward man who has little in the way of mental defenses. A swift capture is highly recommended. He is considered to be moderately dangerous.

May
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 104 lbs.
Birthday: May 5 (Presumed)
Blood Type: B
Race: Human/Unknown
Risk Rating: A

P.W.A.B. Report #4058:
Subject works directly under Johnny as a member of the Jellyfish air pirates. She wields a ship's anchor as a weapon. Her complete devotion to Johnny will make her easy to control, should the need arise. Although her birthplace is unknown, evidence suggests that she is of Japanese descent. We are currently seeking confirmation on this matter. While not particularly dangerous by herself, the thought of a powerful organization like the Jellyfish Pirates holding a Japanese woman is rather disturbing.

I-no
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 101 lbs
Birthday: Nov. 25
Blood Type: Unknown
Race: Unknown/Unknown
Risk Rating: S

P.W.A.B. Report #4689:
UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN! UNKNOWN!

Potemkin
Height: 8'0"
Weight: 1446 lbs
Birthday: ct. 18
Blood Type: O
Race: Human/Zeppian
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #9989:
Former slave to the empire of Zepp, subject was the vanguard of the Zepp revolution, and currently works for the new government. With his giant frame and mastery of Zeppian combat, his sheer battle power is comparable to that of an entire gournd-based army division. However, as an officer of Zepp, he can be easily diverted due to his loyalties towards his country. The real danger lies in his ties with Gabriel, Zepp's current president. With this in mind, he is considered to be a moderate threat.

Venom
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 146 lbs.
Birthday: Unknown
Blood Type: A
Race: Human/English
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #4385:
Subject became the top-ranking official in the Assassins' Guild after Zato's disappearance. He leaves most Guild work to his subordinates. His fighting style, using a pool cue and ball as its main components, makes use of multiple objects not normally treated as weapons--a trademark of his assassin upbringing. While lacking in close-combat expertise, his skills as an assassin are top-notch. But his loyalty towards Zato makes him easily malleable. As the leader of one of the world's most influential guilds, he poses considerable risk.

Bridget (Can't control myself. Reference to Chrno Crusade, Rosette. Totally!!)
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 110 lbs
Birthday: Oct. 26
Blood Type: O
Race: Human/English
Risk Rating: D

P.W.A.B. Report #7404:
Normally, we would not even bother with such a simple bounty hunter. However, this one bears mention because of his multi-millionaire father and the fact that he is currently searching for a Commander Gear. While Commander Gear Dizzy is thought to be dead, this account has certain flaws which we have pointed out in a previous report. Any information on the fate of Dizzy that the subject may contain could be indispensable. Due to an issue involving twins, the subject (a man) was raised as a woman by his family. He could be brought to our side via relatives. Using a yo-yo as his weapon, he has fair skills as a bounty hunter, but nothing worthy of special mention. His threat is minimal.

Zappa
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 146 lbs
Birthday: Jun. 15
Blood Type: A
Race: Human/Australian
Risk Rating: B+

P.W.A.B. Report #6940:
The so-called 'vengeful spirit' that this subject carries has yet to be confirmed, but has been spotted by several eyewitnesses. Theories abound on its origin. Some say it is the embodiment of someone's innermost thoughts; others say it's a prewar experimental weapon. Regardless, the subject is confirmed to have an extremely rare form of mind parasite. If captured, the insights his body could bring to mental weaponry could be useful. However, his motives seesaw between his own desires and those of his parasite. As such, he should be approached with caution.

Faust
Height: 9'3"
Weight: 121 lbs.
Birthday: Unknown
Blood Type: Unknown
Race: Unknown/Unknown
Risk Rating: B

P.W.A.B. Report #0409:
Recently divulged information has led to a renewed interest in this subject, a well-known rogue physician. Using his skills in medicine, the subject can change bodily shape and even engage in teleportation and other occult arts. His skills remind us of a certain project of ours that ended in failure. If our hunch is correct, then the subject's capture is a matter of great urgency. Otherwise, he shouldn't pose too much of a threat.

Justice
Height: 7'7"
Weight: 487 lbs.
Birthday: Sep. 2
Blood Type: Unknown
Race: Gear/Unknown
Risk Rating: None

P.W.A.B. Report #6661:
A fully sentient Gear, and the instigator of the holy war between Gears and humans. Most Gears are programmed to destroy everything in their path. Some humanoid Gears, though, can acquire the ability to reason. In addition to its sentience, Justice held the power to control every Gear in existence, no matter their origin. This made Justice the only 'complete' Gear man has ever created. Sealed in another dimension, it managed to escape but was soon destroyed by Sol Badguy. As such, a risk assessment is unnecessary.

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A little more about:
The Guilty Gear series is known for containing numerous rock and metal music references, both in the game's music and in the names of characters, special attacks, and so forth. For example, the character Axl Low is likely named after Axl Rose, while Millia Rage's special attack Iron Maiden is named for the band of the same name. In particular, the game includes numerous references to Queen, Guilty Gear creator Daisuke Ishiwatari's favourite band. Ishiwatari originally voiced Sol Badguy (whose real name is Fredderick, ala Queen's lead singer Freddie Mercury), the leading character in the game whom the manual describes as an avid fan of Queen. The name "Badguy" might be named for Freddie Mercury's solo album Mr. Bad Guy).

Some genius scientist I'm not gonna mention created the "Outrage", which he called a supreme Anti-Gear weapon (During the Gear Wars, a little before the Crusades). The Outrage is actually not one weapon but several - eight components called "Jinki", which greatly amplify their wielders' magical ability. Only three Outrage weapons are currently known to be active - Sol's own Fuuenken (Fireseal), Ky's Fuuraiken (Thunderseal), and Anji Mito's twin fans, Zessen (Windseal). The other five are supposedly in the custody of the United Nations.

Most of it was taken from Wikipedia (can't URL, my failure) and Official Guilty Gear internet pages (Same).

Download is from Torrent. If you don't like it, then I hereby ask you to do us all a favor: jump from a bridge and die.
Guilty Gear XX #Reload Midnight Carnival, English PC version

Another Game brought for you from Hayna.

All images are Daisuke Ishiwatari's copyright.

Kyrose · Sat Oct 06, 2007 1:16 am

Mia - A brutal fighter can't get any cuter than that.

Milia Rage - Sexyness is the best way.

Bridget - I have absolutely no comment.

Chills · Sat Oct 06, 2007 5:32 pm

I still say the square Johnny - Slayer - Sol - Ky the best characters (in my opinion.) If you also play this game, care to share some ideas? =P

And oh yeah. Millia is sexy, May is cute, and Bridget really doesn't deserve a comment. LOL!!