Battle Arena Toshinden 2

[Gabriel]

I was playing this on my PS3 last night. I still like it.

 

My characters I'd always play were Ellis, Eiji, and Kayin, in that order of preference. I don't know what the power tiers of the game are, but I was totally invincible with Ellis. At my best, I had a combo which did 100% damage. She was just a vicious little psychotic bitch with those knives.

 

Now, I'm WAAAAAY out of practice. I was getting regularly slapped around by the CPU on normal. For some reason the CPU always makes Kayin and Uranus the meanest bastards in the universe. Uranus is easy to understand. She's an end boss and insanely cheap. As for Kayin, I guess the CPU just has a bunch of built up hostility when it runs him.

 

Incidentally, I'd really like to know the mysterious "one button" which some critics say is the only one you need to beat the game. The story goes that the AI is so dumb that the game can regularly be beaten by simply hitting one button over and over. Allegedly, you can get a controller with automatic turbo fire, start the game up, leave, and then come back and see that you've won. While the AI is oftentimes moronic, I've never noted it to be anywhere near that stupid.

 

I'd like to see a new installment of Toshinden. It would be nice to see these characters given the 360 or PS3 treatment. I think there's probably a greater chance of seeing a new Eternal Champions game (in other words, no chance at all), but it's nice to dream.

 

Toshinden 2 is definitely my pick for the best installment in the series. I think it's fun factor is higher than Tekken 1 and 2, despite those games' larger cast of characters. It took Soul Blade to beat the holy crap out of it. It's odd how ill regarded Toshinden is, because even the atrocious third installment is better than much of the crap at the time like War Gods, Mace, MK4, Zero Divide, and Criticom 1 and 2.

[A Sprite]

Another fan? Brother! *hugs, then realizes there may be eyes reading this*

 

I think Toshinden suffered a backlash because it was a Street Fighter style game when the hardcore were looking for something more challenging. Since then, it's expected to behave like Soul Calibur when it's more like Samuarai Spirits

 

The character designs are cliche', true, but in a shameless exaggerated way that makes them more of a tribute than a rip-off. Ellis isn't just the cute one, she wears a fairy ballerina dress, and one of her moves has her twirl around with sparkles. The end boss, who has a sword larger than any of the characters, is even named Master...

 

Plus there is a Scottish guy with a sword. There can be only one.

 

It's a thing of beauty.

 

Just so long as we're not talking about the graphics. The joints where polygons meet suggest bone fractures...

[AtariJr]

yea, i like URA for the saturn.. few agree with me there either.

[Gabriel]

yea, i like URA for the saturn.. few agree with me there either.

 

I played that one quite a bit too. I always hoped RonRon would make the jump to the PS game series. She was so pathetic she was awesome. I think the spinny blade dude was in Toshinden 3. Was Vermillion in URA?

 

It's funny to say today, considering how pixelated and crude the PS1 version looks, but the Saturn version just looked like pixely blocky poo. I guess I can overlook those horrible joints, but I could never deal with the rock 'em sock 'em robot look of URA.

 

At least URA was typical Toshinden gameplay instead of the half-assed poor man's Tekken that Toshinden 3 was. Hey, isn't there a prototype of a Toshinden 4 out there somewhere? Does anyone have any screenshots or design art?

 

Incidentally, King of Fighters 2006 for the PS2 (Maximum Impact 2) feels like something of a spiritual successor to Toshinden.

[Lauren Tyler]

I'd like to see a new installment of Toshinden. It would be nice to see these characters given the 360 or PS3 treatment. I think there's probably a greater chance of seeing a new Eternal Champions game (in other words, no chance at all), but it's nice to dream.

 

We were supposed to get a third Eternal Champions game for the Saturn, but Sega scrapped it in favor of Virtua Fighter 2 for the Saturn instead! SEGA! YOU BASTARDS!!!!!

 

 

Battle Arena Toshinden 2, though, definitely ranks as one of the most difficult fighting games I've ever played. The last bosses are a real pain in the ass. You won't believe how many profanities I've used towards Master.

[adolescent]

One of the first games I got for my PS waaay back in the day, and still one of my favorites (although I play Soul Blade more often). I sold off my BAT2 JAMMA board a couple of years back. Still regret that sale but I still have the PS version.