A while ago, I made a small mention in the community blogs about a special announcement from Arc Systems regarding the Guilty Gear series. While it wasn't the anniversary collection that I was hoping for, IGN points to the new issue of Famitsu, which says that it's Guilty Gear 2 is what the special announcement is. From their description, though, this is nothing like the previous games:

Action sequences feature what's referred to as "melee action," with players facing off against multiple enemies on the battle field. However, even though the game is no longer jsut one on one fights, you can look forward to all the aerial combos and super moves that you've come to expect from the series.

In addition to the combat, the game includes a strategy component. During battle, you can open up a briefing window. From here, you can plan your strategy for the battle field as a whole, placing orders for new units and sending orders to your current set of units.

You're playing through the game as Sol, and trying to destroy an enemy fortress known as "Master Ghost." More than anything, this sounds like Guilty Gear Isuka's 2-D sidescroller portion, combined with the "more than one enemy" bit that was in the arcade mode. As of right now, about 85% of the game is complete.

I'm anxiously waiting for scans of this issue of Famitsu (so please send them to the Destructophone!), so that I can be alleviated in my worries that Guilty Gear 2 is just going to be another Isuka.

There's also some talk about the fact that the game is coming to the Xbox 360, and does this really mean much. As a Guilty Gear fan, I say no. I've been playing X2 #Reload on the original Xbox for a while, and it handles well -- on the 360, the game should continue to handle just fine, and the online capabilities of Live will definitely support a strong competitive environment. Plus, Microsoft could have been courting them, so this will likely sell a few more 360s over in Japan.

[Thanks for the tip, Adam!]

[Update: GodLen provided us with a good-quality scan of the Famitsu page]

Legacy Comments (will be imported soon)

BahamutZero

look at my profile to know how much this means to me...

I CAME

Lord_Satorious

[Linde smash! Satorious, some folks are reading this where a dude who looks like a girl with a cockbulge might not be terribly acceptable. Don't put that in comments.]

Bridget has one of these...

NWS NWS http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/Lord_Satorious/anime/ggx_british_032.jpg NWS NWS

I'm a total bastard, I know.

topgeargorilla

wait, so there never was an actual sequel to guilty gear?
what is with these japanese fighting games taking years to make a true sequel?

BlindsideDork

totally NSFW!

bluemeep

*Warning! Wang overload!*
*Error!*
*Error!*
*Error!*
*Employment Terminated!*

As an aside...fighting tactics? What the heck? I wanna try some of that.

Lord_Satorious

Damnit, and I made this one special for Destructoid too.

*And in other [i]Guilty Gear news...*[/i]

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/8845/bridgetalsocockstz7.jpg

If you're at work and reading Destructoid, what the hell are you doing slacker?! Get back to work!

GuitarAtomik

Wait!?

Battlefield?!

Unit Placement?!?

in Guilty Gear!?!?!?

Whaaa?

BlindsideDork

Don't worry...it will just be like that SubZero Mythologies or that Jax game!

Scape

Chipp looks kinda like the white-haired dude from the upcoming Rygar game.

DJDuffy

yes! Bridget is so hawt

Grapefruit Juice

I remember when Dynasty Warriors was an actual fighting game, god Im old.

Roflcopter Pilot

GuitarAtomik

@Roflcopter Pilot

Oh man, they didn't make it 3d did they? I can't tell from that scan, but it sure as hell looks like it.

Why are they calling this GG2?

s0lesurviv0r

Eh, I'm hoping the best for them but I'm also hoping they're developing a 2d sequel alongside it. I don't want KOFXII and Street Fighter HD to be all I have to look forward to, 2d wise.

BahamutZero

I need another waku waku game. anyone who knows what im talking about is full of win

Hitogoroshi

BahamutZero. BonusKun FTW!

mikeohara

Oh shi ... I can't wait to hear about this in Japan.

8BitBrian

ROFL, can you send a bigger scan to us? <3

LethalHairdo

I was chubbing at the prospect of a true GG sequel...but this talk of 3D GG makes me ill. At least it should have a kickass soundtrack.

8BitBrian

After looking at the scan, I'm going to go cry now.

Kaikara

W.T.F

Seriously what the hell have they done to one of my favourite fighters of all time :'-(

Roflcopter Pilot

@ Dick Vengeance

Sorry I was watching a movie, but it looks like someone put it up anyways...

Justice

I didn't realise it was 3-D
This will probably play a lot like powerstone
The makers have forgetten why people love GG so much

GuitarAtomik

So is abomination of science confirmed for next-gen systems or what?

Grimspoon

3D Guilty Gear?

DO NOT WANT!

What a fuckup.

Izaak

Maybe its the X series that'll remain 2D, whereas this one will transcend into a action-survival ala Devil May Cry.


-Izaak, Lord of the Lotus Clan.

GuitarAtomik

Honestly I don't mind this game as long as it's seperate from the main 2d fighting games. Hell it could even be good. It's just that number "2" that worries me that that's not the case.

Wedge

What the hell...?

SourGr8pes

$5 bucks to anyone who breaks this news to all my GGeartard friends. I'm sure as hell not going to do it

SourceDecay

I'm a huge GG fan, but this change actually seems like it could be kinda fun...

Kaiten

Don't forget that Guilty Gear XX Accent Core is still in 2D and being released later this year. As I see it, this is just an experiment as well as a way for Ishiwatari to put the series in 3D, the way he first imagined the game.

Overall, I'm glad to see Arc System Works getting more attention, with them designing this game, AC, and Basara Cross(along with Capcom)

Genmo DaCombs

Looks like a prequel, as Sol and Ky don't have their Fireseal and Thunderseal swords, respectively. Also that that Ky looks sixteen and gayer than ever supports that.

But yeah, final verdict: Bastardization, shouldn't be called Guilty Gear 2 as it is not a sequel but a spin off.

LethalHairdo

@SourceDecay: YOU TAKE THAT BACK RIGHT NOW YOU BASTARD!!! ::tries to fight off my posse holding me back:: YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!! ::struggles:: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!! ::Camera from above zooms out from my mouth and into space while yell is still audible, showing the primal anger in yell::

8BitBrian

Genmo, that isn't even Ky. It's "Sin"

Genmo DaCombs

Who is "Sin"? All I could find on the internets is that 1up said you could select between Sol and Sin. Although I don't see why Ky would be wearing some sort of golden eye-patch and be wielding a flagpole, but this isn't the series to be asking those sorts of questions. All the better for it.

Lando

So yeah, where, the hell, is Street Fighter IV?

:)

Damn you Capcom, for making SF III so perfect.