Battle Arena Toshinden 2
Battle Arena Toshinden 2, or Toshinden 2 in Japan, is a 1995 fighting video game developed by Tamsoft and published by Takara. Unlike the original Battle Arena Toshinden which was only for home systems, this sequel was originally a coin-operated arcade game for the Sony ZN-1 hardware, released in November 1995 and distributed by Capcom before its port to PlayStation shortly afterwards. It was also ported to Windows.
Toshinden 2 featured changes in mechanics for faster gameplay and introduced the Overdrive meter. New starting characters Chaos and Tracy were added, while the former boss Gaia is demoted, having lost his armor. Critical reception to the game was mainly positive, although critics noted that both the gameplay and graphics made too little advancement over the original game. An updated PlayStation version subtitled Plus was released in Japan featuring tweaks and graphical improvements. Battle Arena Toshinden URA is a Sega Saturn specific sequel to Toshinden S / Remix, with new characters, a new story, and other exclusive content and tweaks compared to Battle Arena Toshinden 2.
Gameplay
The core gameplay remains unchanged from the original Battle Arena Toshinden, but the game does include a simple combo system and an 'Overdrive' gauge. The 3D movement was also altered to create slightly better balance in battle; differentiating from the first game, dodge rolling will no longer make the character temporarily immune to the opponent's attack. The ability to attack opponents on the ground has also been added. As in the first game, a player falling out of the ring will result in a ring out, only this time, if both players fall out of the ring at the same time, the one who falls out last will be declared the winner.Plot
''Battle Arena Toshinden 2''
At the climax of the last Toshinden Tournament, the final battle between Eiji Shinjo and the tournament's sponsor, Gaia, was suddenly interrupted. With this spectacle of the underworld cut short, that would be the last of the latest of the hotly anticipated Battle Arena Toshinden. Only the participants, and the hosts of the Battle Arena Toshinden, the Secret Society, really knew what happened that day.Gaia, one of the touted "Divine Four" executives of the Secret Society and the Gerard Foundation, sought to use the Battle Arena Toshinden to rally a team of supporters and fighters to his cause to overthrow the Secret Society's ruler, the Master. Having witnessed Master's and the Gerard Foundation's depravity into merely controlling the world with an iron fist than its goals to defend the world from ancient and enigmatic long time enemies deemed "those whom the world must be protected against", Gaia sought to fell Master before the situation would spiral out of control.
Instead of making the Battle Arena Toshinden its tradition of a brutal competition of life or death between assassins and killers, Gaia ruled out the intentional death of all participants, and summoned skilled fighters deemed "those of the everyday world" to fight to show their martial arts skill in the ring. Now more palpable and lively to its viewers, Gaia would be able to establish the grounds of capital and support by sponsors upon building his team of fighters. However, at the end of his Toshinden, Gaia failed to convince any of the Toshinden warriors to his side, angered by his coercion or mystified by his offers. Furthermore, his long time rival and heated enemy, the Secret Society "Divine Four" executive Uranus, lead the arrest against him, having figured out Gaia's mutiny and disclosed his betrayal to Master. Branded a traitor, and marked for death, Gaia was forced to escape in exile by the Secret Society.
Having been a year since the last Battle Arena Toshinden, the mysterious Uranus begins their plans. Sending invitations to all of last year's participants and those deemed imminent threats, the invitations are filled with threats of ruinous penalties of absence, demanding their participation. Only by returning to this jealously kept event of the underworld, the Toshinden warriors and its viewers may find the truth they are looking for.
''Battle Arena Toshinden URA''
Sometime after the events of the first Toshinden game, a police scientist named Ronron creates an android fighter intended for law enforcement, its name being the Replicant. To make the android as strong as possible, its fighting abilities are patterned off the world's greatest fighter, Sho Shinjo. The prototype is later stolen just before it can be fully completed. Within time, someone begins murdering famous fighters around the world in a surprising yet shocking manner. With no evidence as to who is behind these murders, the Toshinden fighters grow suspicious of each other. Meanwhile, a mysterious man, known only as Ripper, is seeking Sho Shinjo as his sister has disappeared without a trace and Ripper himself believes that Sho may have killed her from within the past. Every lead Ripper finds takes him to the scene of one of these mysterious murders, leading to him becoming the prime suspect in a shrouded conspiracy that seems to be surrounding him and the rest of the Toshinden fighters.Characters
All previous characters return in Toshinden 2:- Eiji Shinjo - With his duel against Gaia interrupted, and his chance to again meet his brother Sho dashed, Eiji could only, if bitterly, accept the conclusion of the turn of events that transpired. With his invitation to the next Battle Arena Toshinden reinvigorating his fighting spirit, Eiji heads out again to its battles to truly sate his wish to be victor of the Battle Arena Toshinden properly.
- Kayin Amoh - Learning that Sho was the killer of his adoptive father Amoh, his grief leads him to kill one of his more rewarding bounties in frustration, only to learn his mark had a daughter and that he was hired by the Secret Society. Left with a bitter taste in his mouth that nearly ends his friendship with Eiji, Kayin adopts his mark's now orphaned daughter, Naru, in hopes to atone for his actions and find a way out of his life of unending fighting. With Naru captured with him declining to participate, Kayin enters to stop the Secret Society and rescue Naru.
- Sofia - Unsuccessful in interrogating Gaia of her mysterious past and its ties with the Secret Society, Sofia is forced to leave the affair, leaving her with more questions than answers. Hearing of another significant member of the Secret Society having been in the subjects of her mysterious past, her invitation allows her the chance to pursue another lead and hope to cure their affliction.
- Rungo Iron - Mystified and betrayed at his now estranged friend having kidnapped his family and nearly made him lost his job by the uranium deposit discovery incident to lure him to the Battle Arena Toshinden than to ask him for his help, Rungo cannot shake his conscience telling him that Gaia's trials of combat had a genuine purpose. With his invitation now threatening his family more severely, Rungo answers the call and seeks to meet Gaia again for answers yet to be known.
- Fo Fai - His lust for bloodshed unfulfilled, Fo has returned to the next Toshinden Tournament upon his premature defeat. However, his behavior upon his arrival is most unusual this time around, being more joyful and loose than composed and cunning. What is on the mind of this feared veteran assassin?
- Mondo - His clients demanding more information, Mondo's patience is just as pressed, shameful at his failure to succeed in the last Battle Arena Toshinden against his more challenging opponents. Before his clientele can even demand him to listen, Mondo rushes forward towards the next Toshinden Tournament- And guarantees his results will be now attained his way.
- Duke B. Rambert - Bitter at his loss against Eiji yet again and the opportunity to triumph and restore his name in the world of weapons fighting, Duke's motivations are now different. Uranus's name in his invitation invites upon him pressing distress and leads him to attend- What is his ties to the mysterious Uranus?
- Ellis - The reveal of Gaia being her father during her opportune duel against him shocked Ellis in disbelief, driving her to forfeit her match, overwhelmed. Continuing her sojourning life in the circus, Ellis states that she has no attachments to that man. But as her invitation arrives, and as her father's life is threatened, a new undercurrent of emotions towards a man she swears coldness to tells otherwise, as she enters the next Battle Arena Toshinden.
- Gaia - Retreating to a life of solitude, having failed his mission, Gaia has discarded his Armor Basara, hoping to train to attain strength for a more direct approach. Anticipating Uranus's search for him now tracking him down, he is now ready to show how he was able to become an executive of the Secret Society by combat.
- Sho Shinjo - The man known as the "Etranger" and feared throughout the underworld as the "Blood Drenched Red Angel", again stands afar, watching the next Toshinden unfold. He again awaits a new challenger who can meet his expectations.
- Chaos - A Sri Lankan man being one of the executives of the Secret Society, Chaos is a near psychotic madman with an abnormal fighting style. He is tasked to kill Gaia for his mutiny. Sofia seeks to know of how he came to be and his condition. He uses a scythe and the Genbu Shield.
- Tracy - A feisty American policewoman of the New York City Police Department, Tracy is led to participate in the Battle Arena Toshinden due to her pursuing a lead on a cold case regarding Gaia's late wife and newborn son. She fights with twin tonfas.
- Uranus - One of the executives of the Secret Society, feared as the 'angel of death' for their ruthlessness and propensity for secretiveness to those outside of the Secret Society. Uses the Suzaku Bow.
- Master - The leader of the Secret Society, Master is a mysterious youth whose psychic powers allows the Secret Society and the Gerard Foundation the ability to preempt all events in the world, allowing them to reign supreme over Earth. Now a ruthless tyrant, Master seeks to be rid of anyone that stands in the way of their plans. Utilizes psychic powers with a broadsword that can be summoned at will.
- Vermilion - A mysterious gunfighter, the shadowy individual known as Vermilion is a menacing entity who also seeks challengers who can meet his expectations. He uses a long barrelled shotgun and a revolver.