Battle Arena Toshinden 2 is a weapon based 3D fighting game

Fighting game

Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...

. It was released for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn

Sega Saturn

The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...

, Arcade

Video arcade

An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...

 and PC

Personal computer

A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...

. It is the sequel of Battle Arena Toshinden

Battle Arena Toshinden

is a weapons-based fighting game for the PlayStation, Sega Saturn and PC in 1994. It was one of the first fighting games to boast polygonal characters in a 3D environment, and it is credited for taking the genre into "true 3-D" due to its introduction of the sidestep maneuver.It was an early killer...

.

Gameplay

The core gameplay of Battle Arena Toshinden 2 remains unchanged from the first game. The game includes a simple combo system. The 3D movement is 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 (in the first game, it was possible for a character to dodge straight through even the most deadly attacks). Also, 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.

Toshinden 2 Story

When the Secret Society discovered that one of their executives, Gaia, had organized the Toshinden tournament behind their backs in order to start a rebellion, he was branded a traitor. Hence a new tournament is organized to lure him to his doom. Meanwhile, one of Gaia's former co-workers, named Uranus, has put the next stage of the organization's plan into action and hopes to not only eliminate Gaia from existence, but also the other nine fighters who participated in the last battle.

Toshinden URA Story

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.

However, the prototype is 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 to find Sho Shinjo in an attempt to avenge the apparent death of his sister (believed to be Cupido from Toshinden Remix), who has disappeared without a trace. However, every lead he 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.

Returning characters

• Eiji Shinjo
• Kayin Amoh
• Sofia
• Rungo Iron
• Fo Fai
• Mondo
• Duke B. Rambert
• Ellis
• Gaia (PlayStation version)
• Sho Shinjo

New Characters

• Chaos (PlayStation version) - An executive of the Secret Society who unexpectedly lost his memories and went completely insane. He is given the orders to eliminate the organization's traitor Gaia.
• Tracy - A notorious New York police officer who likes to fight against criminals with a reckless manner. She is assigned to look into the activities of the Secret Society.
• Ripper (Sega Saturn version) - A lone traveler who happens to be the older brother of Cupido. He seeks to find the whereabouts of his missing sister.
• Ronron (Sega Saturn version) - A Chinese scientist/teacher who is responsible for the creation of the Repli prototype android. She seeks to find and deactivate her creation.

Unlockable characters

• Vermilion - An unknown gunfighter who infiltrates the tournament for a shrouded agenda. He is a secret boss in both Battle Arena Toshinden 2 and Toshinden URA.
• Uranus (PlayStation version) - A beautiful angel-like French woman who happens to be the second-in-command of the Secret Society. She seeks to overthrow the organization's current leader so that she can take control. She is a sub-boss in the PlayStation version.
• Master (PlayStation version) - The final boss in the PlayStation version of Battle Arena Toshinden 2. Master is a powerful psychic who leads the Secret Society and seeks to destroy anything that stands in the organization's way of world domination.
• Replicant (Sega Saturn version) - A prototype android created by Ronron. Its original purpose was to be a huge step in the progression of law enforcement, but Ronron's superior, Wolf, had reprogrammed the android to become a killing machine in eliminating fighters all around the world. It is the sub-boss of Toshinden URA.
• Wolf (Sega Saturn version) - An unknown German man who seeks to create an army of Repli androids so that he can advance his own goal of world domination. He is the final boss in Toshinden URA.

Other versions of Battle Arena Toshinden 2

Like Battle Arena Toshinden, Battle Arena Toshinden 2 was also ported to the Sega Saturn, PC and arcades.

Toshinden URA (Sega Saturn)

Toshinden URA (full title Ultimate Revenge Attack) is a Sega Saturn specific sequel to Toshinden Remix (aka Toshinden S). Though based on the original PlayStation version of Battle Arena Toshinden 2, it has altered gameplay making it feel notably different. It also has all new arenas, a new story, a different CG intro and four exclusive new characters; Ripper, Ronron, Replicant, and Wolf that replace four of the PlayStation version's characters: Gaia, Chaos, Uranus and Master.

Toshinden 2 PC (PC)

Toshinden 2 was also ported to the PC. It is a straight Windows

Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...

 port of the original PlayStation version with the ability to play the game in higher resolutions and some additional options such as the ability to remap all the controls (the PlayStation version only allowed the remapping of the shoulder buttons). Unlike the PlayStation original, it also saves unlocked characters, settings and results. However, the introductionary movie was removed for unknown reasons

Toshinden 2 Plus (PlayStation)

A special edition of Toshinden 2 released only in Japan for the PlayStation on The Best range (equivalent to the Greatest Hits and Platinum ranges in North America and Europe). It features notably enhanced graphics, improved control and tweaked CPU AI. It also makes some balancing tweaks to the characters' attacks. An option to save results, option settings and unlocked characters to memory card was also added.

Toshinden 2 (Arcade)

Another version of the PlayStation version was also released in arcades by Capcom

Capcom

is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...

, with altered music.