Guilty Gear Isuka

Template:Short description Template:Good article Template:Main other{{#invoke:infobox|infoboxTemplate | child = | subbox = | bodyclass = ib-video-game hproduct {{#ifeq:|yes|collapsible {{#if:|{{{state}}}|autocollapse}}}} | templatestyles = Infobox video game/styles.css | aboveclass = fn | italic title =

| above = Guilty Gear Isuka

| image = {{#invoke:InfoboxImage|InfoboxImage|image=Guilty Gear Isuka cover.jpg|sizedefault=frameless|upright=1|alt=|border=|suppressplaceholder=yes}}

| caption = {{#if:Guilty Gear Isuka cover.jpg|North American PlayStation 2 cover featuring Sol Badguy|North American PlayStation 2 cover featuring Sol Badguy}}

| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = Arc System Works

| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = Template:Collapsible list

| label4 = DirectorTemplate:Pluralize from text | data4 = Template:If first display both

| label5 = ProducerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data5 = Template:If first display both

| label6 = DesignerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data6 = Masaomi Kikuchi

| label7 = ProgrammerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data7 = Template:If first display both

| label8 = ArtistTemplate:Pluralize from text | data8 = Template:If first display both

| label9 = WriterTemplate:Pluralize from text | data9 = Template:If first display both

| label10 = ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data10 = Daisuke Ishiwatari
Tetsuya Ohuchi
Yoshihiro Kusano

| label11 = Series | data11 = Guilty Gear

| label12 = Engine | data12 =

| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Arcade
PlayStation 2
Microsoft Windows
Xbox

| label14 = Release | data14 = Template:Collapsible list

| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Fighting

| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single player, multiplayer

| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Atomiswave

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Template:Nihongo foot is a 2D fighting video game developed by Arc System Works and published by Sammy Corporation. Announced by Arc in September, it was released on December 17, 2003, in arcades as the sixth installment of the Guilty Gear series. Later, the game was ported for a release on the PlayStation 2 (PS2), Xbox, and Windows in Japan. The PS2 version was brought to North America by Sammy, and, in Europe, the home console version was released by 505 Game Street and the PC version by Zoo Digital Publishing.

While the gameplay remained almost the same as in previous titles, the game introduced a four-player battle mode, and the PS2 and Xbox version included new features to the series, including a scrolling adventure, a customization mode, and two new characters. Guilty Gear Isuka received mixed critical reviews. It was praised for its visual, music and customization features. However, although some aspects of the new gameplay—such as the two fighting planes and the turn button—were praised as original, their implementation was criticized. The removal of features present in previous titles was also not well received by critics.

Gameplay

Combat system

The basic gameplay system of Guilty Gear Isuka is like the other games in the series.<ref name=gspot/> The game uses a four attack button configuration that consists of punch, kick, slash, and high slash.<ref name=manual>Template:Cite web</ref> Unlike previous games, it features a "turn" button, since a character does not automatically turn around if its opponent moves to the other side of the screen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Each character (or team) starts a fight with at least a "soul"; when a character life bar is emptied, its life is filled while the player lost a soul. If the life is depleted when the player has no souls, it is defeated.<ref name=manual/> It also features previous installments features like the tension gauge, which allows the player to perform super moves, and the burst gauge, which allows the player to break combinations and super moves.<ref name=nai>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=spy>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=handson>Template:Cite web</ref>

Modes

Busy video game screen, with four characters shooting at once

Guilty Gear Isuka is the first game in the series to allow four characters to appear onscreen at the same time. HUD features (from top to down): the character's health, the burst gauge, and the tension gauge. The character's "souls" lie on the side of the burst gauge.

The game introduces a four-player option in Versus Mode, giving a player four characters who can fight two-on-two, three-on-one or everyone-for-themselves.<ref name=gspygp>Template:Cite web</ref> There are two fighting planes, one in the foreground and the other behind it.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Another innovation was Boost Mode:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a two-player, side-scrolling, arcade-style beat 'em up mode not included in the arcade version, in which a player fights enemy waves to accumulate items, health and experience.<ref name=gidet>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=jeuxvideo>Template:Cite web</ref> For the Xbox, this mode was adapted for online play with Xbox Live,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> supporting up to 16 players.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Citation needed Experience points from Boost Mode can be used in the new Robo-Ky II Factory mode, in which a player can customize a robot named Robo-Ky II by teaching him moves, combos, or one of 65 special attacks from other characters.<ref name=gspygp/><ref name=gidet/><ref name=jeuxvideo/><ref name=factory>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition to the attacks, other aspects such as jump height, offense, defense, recovery time, tension, and speed can be improved.<ref name=gidet/><ref name=factory/>

The game also features other modes: Color Edit, a palette swap editor that allows the player to customize nearly every aspect of the characters, including buckles and hair;<ref name=ign/> Training, in which a player can practice with (and against) computer-controlled opponents<ref name=gspot/> and Arcade, similar to the survival mode featured in other fighting games.<ref name=gspot/><ref name=nai/>

Playable characters

Template:Further Guilty Gear Isuka features twenty playable characters in its arcade version: Anji Mito, Axl Low, Baiken, Bridget, Chipp Zanuff, Dizzy, Eddie, Faust, I-No, Jam Kuradoberi, Johnny, Ky Kiske, May, Millia Rage, Potemkin, Slayer, Sol Badguy, Testament, Venom, and Zappa.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Three characters were added to the PlayStation 2 edition: A.B.A, Robo-Ky, and Robo-Ky II.<ref name=details>Template:Cite web</ref>

Development and release

In September 2003, Sammy Corporation announced that a new game dubbed Guilty Gear X Series The Newest Version would be featured at the Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association (JAMMA) arcade show; at the show, the company revealed that Guilty Gear Isuka would be the game's name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "In Guilty Gear Isuka we want to satisfy existing fighter fans with new content and never-before-seen innovations. We also want to reach out to mainstream fans to show them that, right now, the envelope in fighting games is also being pushed in two dimensions", declared Tim Pivnicny, senior VP of Sammy Studios, Inc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A PlayStation 2 version of the game was announced to be in development on March 3, 2004.<ref name=details/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An August 24 announcement said that the game would be compatible with Xbox.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Guilty Gear Isuka was released in Japan on December 17, 2003, by Sammy for the Atomiswave arcade cabinets,<ref name=jp>Template:Cite web</ref> followed by the PlayStation 2 version on July 29, 2004.<ref name=jp/> An Xbox version was released by Arc System Works on December 16, 2004,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Sourcenext released the game for Windows on November 25, 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In North America, Guilty Gear Isuka was released by Sammy for PlayStation 2 on November 2, 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In Europe, 505 Games Street released it on June 16, 2005, for PlayStation 2,<ref name=pegi>Template:Cite web</ref> and the PC version was released on April 7, 2006, by Zoo Digital Publishing (now Zushi Games).<ref name=pegi/> In 2007, the game was made compatible with Xbox 360.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> DotEmu also released Guilty Gear Isuka on its DRM-free shop in April 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On January 16, 2014, the game was released on the Steam digital distribution platform for Windows PCs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2020, a homebrew conversion was released for the Dreamcast.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

Guilty Gear Isuka was the 176th-bestselling Japanese title in 2004, with 74,270 copies sold for PlayStation 2 as of December 26.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was "Best Fighting Game" at the Best of E3 2004 Awards from IGN,<ref name=e3awards>Template:Cite web</ref> and was nominated for "Best Sequel Fighting" at the 2004 National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers (NAVGTR) Awards, which went to Dead or Alive Ultimate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The game received mixed reviews from critics, with a score of 76% at GameRankings and 73/100 at Metacritic.<ref name=gr/><ref name=mc/> Allgame's Damian Francis gave the game three-and-a-half stars out of five;<ref name=allgame>Template:Cite web</ref> FamitsuTemplate:'s four reviewers scored it 7, 7, 6, and 7 (out of 10) respectively, with a total score of 27 out of 40.<ref name=famitsu/>

Although the introduction of two planes and the turning button were considered good ideas in theory,<ref name=ign/><ref name=rev/><ref name=gspy/> both features were heavily criticized by reviewers.<ref name=gspot/><ref name=gi/><ref name=rev/> Jeremy Dunham of IGN, Manny LaMancha of GamePro and Benjamin Turner of GameSpy felt it difficult to fight one-on-one when a player can start a cat-and-mouse game,<ref name=ign/><ref name=gpro/><ref name=gspy/> while GameSpotTemplate:'s Greg Kasavin and Brian Gee of Game Revolution found the features to cause "chaos".<ref name=gspot/><ref name=rev/> Turner said it deprived the player of the ability "to have a normal Guilty Gear X2-style match", and Dunham said the computer reacted faster.<ref name=ign/><ref name=gspy/> David Smith of 1UP.com called it an "irrational control scheme".<ref name=1up/> The perceived poor execution of its new features led GameSpy to give it a special "It Sounded Good on Paper" award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Conversely, other additions received more positive feedback. Dunham called the Boost and Factory modes "intriguing distractions",<ref name=ign/> while Turner praised the latter for "much depth and nuance", unreached by other games.<ref name=factory/> Kasavin said the Boost Mode gets boring quickly due to the lack of an objective; though Kasavin declared that the Factory Mode "is quite possibly the most interesting part of the gameplay", he criticized how it depends on playing "a mindless side-scroller over and over."<ref name=gspot/> The new backgrounds were commended by Dunham, Kasavin and Smith, with the latter saying that Sammy should have saved them for a better game.<ref name=gspot/><ref name=ign/><ref name=1up/>

The maintenance of aspects from previous titles, including its animation and soundtrack, was praised by Kasavin, Turner, and Gee.<ref name=gspot/><ref name=rev/><ref name=gspy/> Its soundtrack was said to be "the best score in the franchise so far" by Dunham,<ref name=ign/> and was rated among video game soundtracks which "never got the recognition they truly deserve" by Siliconera.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> LaMancha, however, criticized a lack of improvement of its animation and music compared to its gameplay.<ref name=gpro/> The removal of other features from previous titles was criticized: Dunham and Kasavin complained about the lack of a story mode,<ref name=gspot/><ref name=ign/> while Joe Juba of Game Informer said the series had a "magic" until Isuka, criticizing the new additions and the absence of a traditional arcade mode.<ref name=gi/> Isuka was well-rated on balance, but considered inferior to the previous Guilty Gear X2 #Reload.<ref name=gspot/><ref name=gspy/>

Other media

Music

Template:Nihongo foot, composed by Daisuke Ishiwatari, Tetsuya Ohuchi and Yoshihiro Kusano, arranged by Ohuchi and Kusano,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was released on CD by Team Entertainment on April 21, 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An additional edition was released on iTunes on November 23, 2005; it contains six more tracks, totalizing 26 tracks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It was well received by critics; Don Kotowski and Harry of Square Enix Music Online rated it 8 out of 10. Kotowski said Ishiwatari is the mainstream in the soundtrack, while Ohuchi and Kusano "somewhat disappoint", qualifying it as "a great album" in overall.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Harry said the only thing bad about this album is its "too short" length.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Writing for the same site, a reviewer dubbed GoldfishX rated it 7 out of 10, citing "it lacks the depth of previous entries in the series."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Books

Ichijinsha released two Guilty Gear Isuka manga adaptations under its DNA Media Comics line. The first one, titled Template:Nihongo foot, is a yonkoma series released on February 25, 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The other series is an anthology titled Template:Nihongo foot, which was released on March 25 of the same year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Subsequently, on March 30, Template:Nihongo foot was released by Enterbrain. It is an encyclopedia compiled by Monthly Arcadia, an Enterbrain magazine, which was released along with a DVD with commentaries on the game features.<ref name=goods>Template:Cite web</ref> Two guidebooks were released by SoftBank Creative; Template:Nihongo foot and Template:Nihongo foot were published on August 9, and on September 6, 2004, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Sourcenext PC Page
• Template:Moby game