Today we had a chance to spend some quality time with Guilty Gear X2, the forthcoming fighting game sequel from Sammy Studios and developer ARC System Works. Slated for release early next year, Guilty Gear X2 is the sequel to last year's outrageous 2D fighting game for the PlayStation 2 . Though the Guilty Gear games have all used many traditional elements from 2D fighting games, especially Capcom's Street Fighter Alpha and Darkstalkers series, the over-the-top characters and their unique fighting styles lend Guilty Gear its own unusual style.

　　Guilty Gear X2 should instantly appeal to fans of the previous installments in the series, since the game has a lot in common with its predecessors. Building upon Guilty Gear X's gameplay and roster, the sequel adds six entirely new fighters to the fray for a grand total of 20 playable characters, a variety of new special moves, tweaks to some of the existing mechanics, and a number of new gameplay modes. A heavy metal guitar soundtrack blares nice and loud to go with the manic onscreen action.

　　Among all the additions, the new story mode should prove popular with fans of the series, as it fleshes out all the game's characters. Basically, this mode still consists of one-on-one bouts between the player's chosen fighter and an opponent, but before each match, you'll hear some dialogue exchanged between the two. Some of it seems pretty amusing, mostly because Guilty Gear X2's characters--ranging from a cross-dressing man who fights with a yo-yo to a young girl armed with a gigantic anchor--are pretty far out there. The dialogue is all in Japanese but translated using subtitles, which helps maintain the game's unmistakably Japanese style.

　　As in Guilty Gear X, the gameplay in the sequel still revolves around the use of some extremely weird yet powerful special moves. Each character has the potential to perform very powerful combos both on the ground and in the air, and characters on the receiving end of the punishment are susceptible to follow-up attacks even as they're sent flying through the air or laid out flat on the ground. Guilty Gear X2's gameplay seems to be very quick, and the controls seem appropriately responsive.

　　The new fighters added to the roster look like they'll be interesting additions. One is a man who's seemingly possessed by ghosts and demons--his back contorts horribly, and a disgusting visage actually spits projectiles from out of his back while a number of strange spirits swirl around him. Another is a female demon or succubus of some sort, reminiscent of Morrigan from Capcom's Darkstalkers series, only much stranger. Another is an arrogant, bearded fighter with a monocle. Another slightly less weird addition is a spunky Asian girl who is apparently a chef.

　　The game's highly detailed, colorful, and imaginative characters and its fluid animations are similar to those seen in Guilty Gear X. As in that game, the high-resolution graphics are almost too sharp for the average television screen. It's too bad Sammy Studios has no plans to support progressive scan televisions with this release.

　　Guilty Gear X got by on the strengths of its traditional gameplay and distinctive sense of style, and the sequel looks as though it will build upon these elements in satisfying ways. At a time when 2D fighting games are becoming exceedingly scarce, those who still regard the genre fondly should definitely keep an eye out for Guilty Gear X2. For now, take a look at all our new screens and media.