Guilty Gear X2: #Reload

Online Excellence

The main attraction in the Xbox release of GGX2 is, of course, the ability to play online. It has all of the setup options you would expect including quick match, optimatch which lets you search for opponents using a number of variables, and leaderboards. You can play against players from both the US and Japan, so it is always easy to find a person of comparable skill level to play against so you can really enjoy the game to its fullest. Most of the time the game runs pretty smoothly, but occasionally you’ll experience some serious lag. That is just one of the things you have to put up with in online gaming, though, so you can hardly criticize the game for it. The game is very addictive online and because you can find new opponents or have a rematch so quickly, the hours fly by as you play online. The online play isn’t perfect, but it is a whole lot of fun and makes Guilty Gear X2, which was already awesome, simply outstanding on the Xbox.

Graphics

Graphically, GGX2 is phenomenal looking. The characters are extremely detailed and look like they could have been lifted from your favorite anime series. They have a bit of a Dragon Ball Z look to them, but with way way more detail. This is easily the sharpest and best looking 2D fighter on the market. The animation is also very smooth and looks great. Some moves are animated strangely, so it isn’t as easy to predict what move your opponent is going to throw at you as it is in other games, but I think that is more a quirk to go along with the weird characters than a sign of the animators being lazy. The backgrounds also look really great and bring together a really nice visual package.

Sound

The sound is also very good, but the music choice will likely turn off some people. The soundtrack consists entirely of heavy metal, so if you aren’t into that you might not enjoy the game as much. Music plays a pretty big part in games and if you are annoyed by a soundtrack it can really deter you from playing the game. The sounds of fighting are great and the characters have a number if catch phrases and taunts they yell out. All of the voice work is in Japanese which just seems really appropriate and works very well.

Bottom Line

Overall, Guilty Gear X2: #Reload is an outstanding fighting game that I can recommend it for purchase 100%. It is deep enough that hardcore fighting fans will love it, but user-friendly enough that casual fighting fans will enjoy it as well. And for $20, you really can’t go wrong. The online play is well implemented and really makes GGX2 stand out as a premiere fighting game on the Xbox. Guilty Gear X2 is a great game and for the low price it is worth adding to any Xbox owner’s collection.