Guilty Gear X2 #Reload

"I'll be on the veranda, since you're already on the cross."

Guilty Gear X2 came around, and nobody took notice. Everyone was having fun with their Soul Calibur and their Virtua Fight that no one recognized the awesomeness that was the greatest two-dimensional fighter of the last decade. Those who like their Street Fighter took note at the colorful animation, the bevy of unusual characters, and the vast array of ways to pummel your opponent into submission. To say that this game needed to be made to a broader audience was an understatement.

Well, Guilty Gear now has an audience. And it's only $20.00.

To call the game beautiful would be plain wrong. Guilty Gear X2 #Reload has that unique art style that has been captured by so few games, most noticeably, Jet Set Radio Future. Each character is hand-drawn with the greatest amount of detail possible, and the backgrounds are a wonder to behold. Few words need to be devoted to the looks; this isn't the heart of the game.

The sound, however, brings each battle to life and adds a measure of considerable depth to the presentation of the art. The game finds it's inspiration in the heavy rock bands of the mid-to-late 80s, most recognizably Guns N Roses. Each rock riff brings an added piece of excitement to the battles not seen in most games. Amazing.

Not only does the game look great, but man, does it play great as well. Each character has a unique variety of moves that is relevant for that one character, and watching these characters pull off these moves makes it worth it to spend the hours necessary to become even remotely average at this game. Yes, it is easy to suck at this game, as I once know (and occasionally still do know).

The newest online fighter to the table, Guilty Gear easily trumps the competition. One-on-one battles are the standard; however, voice chat, scoreboards, and your friends feature are all still present. Even though most of your friends will still be playing Halo 2 if you choose to tear yourself away from that game, you can still find matches pretty easily, and they do kick an amazing amount of crap.

Guilty Gear X2 #Reload is required playing by soul alive, fighting fan or not. Once you try this game, you will be hooked, guaranteed. A perfect addition to the Live table, and a perfect addition to the fighting game genre. You must experience it.

Thanks for reading.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/11/04