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ASCII Art by SpYderGraVe
Gungrave FAQ V 1.1 (Final)
Written by Wong Si Yuan
First Written 30th July 2002
---
Contents:
0.0 - FAQ Overview and Legal Stuff
0.1 - Updates
1.0 - Introduction to Gungrave
2.0 - Controls & Interface
2.1 - Demolition shots Defined
2.2 - General Tips
3.0 - Explaination of Score & Difficulty system
4.0 - Stage Guide
5.0 - Extras Menu
6.0 - Tidbits about Gungrave
7.0 - Credits
8.0 - Contact me
---
0.0 - FAQ Overview and Legal Stuff -
This FAQ will, among other things, do its best to get you at least 4
skulls, if not 5, in each stage. It also comprises of bits and pieces
of the manual for the benefit of those who can't read Japanese, plus
some Other Stuff. All credit will be given whenever possible.
All new updates to this FAQ can be found on www.gamefaqs.com.
Also, this FAQ is protected by international copyright laws to Wong Si
Yuan, etc. etc. etc. If you wish to post, do so with my knowledge
(and blessings) by Contacting Me if possible. Don't copy it in part or
in whole, no plagarism, this FAQ is NOT for profit, blah blah blah. If
you want to find a loophole in this regard, I Hereby Cover Them All.
So There. Now enjoy.
--
0.1 - Updates
3rd August 2002 - 1.01: Correction to the voice actor role of Masaya
Onosaka. Thanks to bebpo for this one.
4th August 2002 - 1.02: Addendum to Demolition Meter explaination, and
miscellaneous tips I forgot to add. Corrected everything I missed after
my initial look-through. Sorry for making the GameFAQs guy (CJayC)
update this so much. Honto ni Gomen!
5th August 2002 - 1.03: ANOTHER update to the GG FAQ, this time about
the Bulldozer section in stage 3. Also, Dark Grave sends us something
about the Alien Head in stage 6. Added a Seiyuus list under Tidbits.
12th August 2002 - 1.04: More details, more translations (for the
intermediary areas between stages), and more interesting in-game
stuff...
Note: As of V1.04, I will be serving out my conscription for the next
two to three years, so updates will be very few, if any. If I do not
reply, please do NOT spam me! Simply leave it with the Gungrave Board
at http://www.gamefaqs.com and I'll try to access it when I can.
21st September 2002 - More detailed instructions on how to get the
Perfect Artistic Score, and a minor correction to unlocking the
Action Figures extra.
23rd November 2002 - From a question by a fellow gamer, he asked for
a translation of the Japanese Save/Quit menu. I added the instructions
here as well for your convenience.
25th March 2003 - Final update. Minor details such as the American
difficulty levels and the original name for Beyond the Grave.
Please stop emailing me about this.
---
1.0 - Introduction to Gungrave -
What is Gungrave? Gungrave is an arcade style PS2 3rd person shooter
which has you in the boots of Beyond the Grave, an enigmatic and
mysterious gothic cowboy with a mission... and a coffin on his back.
Grave wields a pair of pistols named Cerberus and a coffin slung on
his back which is more than it appears to be. The game takes place over
6 stages in which Grave will Jump, Blast, Smash and generally wreak
havoc through, during which you will be attempting to stay alive while
getting the most impressive record possible.
True to good, old fashioned arcade style gaming, Gungrave is more about
old fashioned blast-the-bad-guys and boasting rights rather than plot
(which is good enough). It does, however, boast some pretty great
outlandish foes which look like they came straight from a certain
Todd McFarlane comic... However, everthing in this game is a pretty
refreshing change from everything you've ever seen in an Anime or Manga.
Enjoy.
All the animation is actually done in 3D, with animated textures for
facial details. You won't be able to tell just by looking, but they
are.
Game concept and Character Design is by Yasuhiro Nightow, best known
for his works in Trigun and Trigun Maximum.
Mechanical, vehicular and equipment design is by Kosuke Fujishima,
best known for his works in Ah! My Goddess!, You're Under Arrest, and
character designer for Sakura Wars.
---
2.0 - Controls & Interface -
Controls -
Controls are relatively straightforward, and pretty easy to get used to.
The only problem is finger fatigue when the action gets too intense!
Left Analogue Stick -
Controls Grave's movement. Holding it down (L3) causes Grave to break
into a Jog that allows him to shoot while moving slightly faster than
usual.
Triangle -
Fires a Demolition Shot. There is a meter in the upper left hand corner
that indicates your store of Demolition shots. Note that using a
Demolition shot makes your invulnerable for the period of the firing,
and that you are vulnerable for a short while AFTER firing.
A Demolition shot is like the 'Bomb' button in other arcade games: You
fire a mega-powerful attack that destroys everything in sight. There
ARE limitations, which is covered in further detail below, but generally
you use these to get out of trouble, and for something "special"...
More details further down.
Circle -
Makes Grave run. While running, Grave cannot shoot.
X -
Makes Grave Jump/Dive. While standing still, Grave will jump very
high. You can use the left analogue stick to move him a little in the air.
While moving, this will make Grave Dive in the direction he is moving
in. While Diving, Grave will fire twice as fast. This has an important
use that I will elaborate later.
Square -
Makes Grave fire. Obviously the most important. While firing, Grave
will lock onto anything in front of him within a specific radius and
his bullets will travel to it. If you repeatedly tap the square button
while standing still, Grave will break out into his 'Burst Mode', where
he goes nuts and starts firing with unbelievable acrobatic skill.
This is extremely fun, but also useful for taking out large numbers of
enemies quickly without resorting to a demolition shot.
L1 -
Lock on. When pressed, Grave will 'Lock On'to the nearest (or most
powerful) enemy. During this period, all his movement will be centered
around that enemy, he can Circle Strafe the enemy, and his shots will
be directed at the enemy with a greater degree of accuracy. If held down
when no enemy is around, or if the enemy is dead, Grave will be able to
Strafe from side to side.
Undeniably useful.
L2 -
180º turn. Grave will hop quickly and turn straight around, ready to
shoot anyone behind him. When held down and used in combination with
the left analogue stick, causes Grave to turn on the spot.
R1 -
Swing coffin. Grave swings his coffin in a 360º arc around him, smashing
anyone and anything that comes in contact with it and causing MASSIVE
damage. It also tends to send most people flying. While swinging the
coffin, you are immune to small arms fire. That does not include Machine
Guns, Missiles, Grenades, Gatling guns, explosions, or Melee attacks.
R2 -
Slow mode. Unlockable after obtaining a certain rank, Slow Mode is not
so much bullet time (a la Max Payne) as it is a drop in FPS. Although not
as impressive, it helps the more flustered players to cope with the
situation better.
Start -
Pauses the game and brings up the menu. (Options covered below)
Select -
Vanity Pose. Grave has three to choose from, at random.
---
2.0 - Controls and Interface -
Interface -
While playing the game, your screen is divided into four interfaces.
In the upper left hand corner is your Demolition Shots meter. The
Skull in the center serves several purposes: The blue meter around it
tells you how much more to store before the next demolition shot
is available, the number in the above left hand corner is the number
of shots available. The skull itself has one last purpose, covered
under '2.1 - Demolition Shots Defined'.
To fill the blue meter up, you need to get at least 20 beats, depending
on difficulty. For every consecutive 20 beats or so within a single
combo, your beat requirement to fill the meter drops. Therefore,
1st Increment - 20 beats
2nd Increment - 35 beats
3rd Increment - 50 beats
4th Increment - 60 beats
5th Increment onwards - every 10. At around 80, it drops to 5.
In the lower left hand corner, which is normally not used, is the
Boss Life meter. This naturally only appears when you are facing the
boss of the stage. Note this does not apply to the first two bosses
you encounter.
In the upper right hand corner is your Life Bar (Red), your Shield
Bar (Green), and your Score.
Your first line of defense is your Shield bar. This 'deathly aura'
of protection protects Grave from any and all attacks directed at
him for a few rounds before being exhausted. The shield can and
will regenerate itself after a few seconds of inactivity, like
Halo's Master Chief shields.
However, should you come under fire for too long, or take too much
damage for even your aura to protect you, your life will start to
drain. This is your last line of defense. When it hits zero, you
die. You can continue, but your score SUFFERS. (More on this later)
Thankfully, you CAN restore it in increments of up to 2/5ths by accessing
the Pause menu. This is next.
The Pause menu only appears when you hit the Start button, naturally.
Under the Pause menu are several options, Sound, Restart, and
Demolition Shots.
Sound -
Under Sound is the BGM volume, SFX volume, and Channel (Mono/Stereo).
Nothing exceptional.
Restart -
Under Restart are the options Restart Stage, and Exit to Title. Restart
stage brings you back to Dr. T's lab. Exit to Title does just that,
bring you back to the title screen. I use the former liberally.
Demolition Shots -
You have 1 Demolition Shot Style by default, Death Blow. The other three
can be unlocked by performing well in each stage, and there is a fifth
option: Restore Health Now.
This is useful if you're near death, don't want to restart the stage,
and don't particularly care for your health ranking. This consumes one
Demolition shot and restores around 2/5ths (amount may vary.) of your
health and all your shields. You can use this while being hit by a
Boss's combo to restore lost shields before he can damage your health.
---
2.1 - Demolition Shots Defined -
As Explained before, Demolition shots are a big part of the fun in
Gungrave. Its obvious use is to get you out of sticky spots, but
besides that they gave you FOUR styles to impress the heck out of
friends and family as well! These styles actually have a use though,
and besides that, there is a special surprise for those playing
Gungrave through the first time. Read on...
Your Demolition shots are as follows:
Death Blow -
Grave fires a single missile at the nearest target, which explodes
and kills everything in front of Grave. I suspect its range is limited,
but I've never seen it do so, so...
Bullet Dance -
Grave spins 360º firing obscene amounts of ammo from his coffin. It
kills everything around him, but has a more limited range than the
Death Blow or the Hellhound Roar.
Hellhound Roar -
Grave fires THREE missiles at everything in front of him, which looks
cool and causes obscene destruction of EVERYTHING in a 180º radius around
Grave. Try this move in places with large numbers of enemies and
exploding barrels.
Raging Inferno -
Grave spins 360º delivering his massive payload of bullets...
then jumps in the air and does it again, delivering more gratituous
death on the way up.
Final Demolition Shot -
From stage 3 onwards, whenever any Boss is near death, the Skull in
the Demolition Shot meter will suddenly glow like it's Halloween. When
that happens, you can activate the 'Final Demolition Shot' (Which I
will now refer to as Graveyard Finisher). This is an over-the-top,
insane finisher that Grave uses to put a Boss out of its misery. Note
that this DOES consume a Demolition Shot round, so make sure to have
one ready. This is readily available no matter how poorly you did in
previous stages. Note that only the 'Final' forms of the bosses can
be 'Finished' this way.
One Demolition style is granted for every 12 or 15 skulls you net
overall. (Not confirmed, but general values should be accurate.)
It is entirely possible to get all four styles at the end of stage 2.
Note: If you think you can use 4 or 5 Demolition shots to finish off a
boss though, think again. Bosses take pathetic amounts of damage from
Demolition shots. This is probably a safeguard for those hoarding 9
shots in every stage (I am guilty as charged. ^^U). Demolition Shots
are only useful as a last ditch effort to avoid serious damage, in
these cases.
Also note that bosses are unaffected by 'Bullet' type Demolition shots.
(Bullet Dance, Raging Inferno) They take no damage and feel nothing.
However, missile type Demolition Shots (Deathblow and Hellhound Roar)
do wonders _to_ their physique. If you have no confidence in fighting
a boss, get a Missile-type Demolition shot ready.
Also, one final note: Enemies behind environmental cover can actually
dodge the effects of a Demolition shot. If someone is behind a corner
and you used, say, a Bullet Dance, it won't hit him so long as you
can't see even a part of him. If he is covered on two sides by walls and
out of sight, a Hellhound Roar may not be enough to reach him! This
does not apply to people behind sandbags or destructible details.
Be cautious.
---
2.2 - General Tips
To play Gungrave, all you need is persistence and a durable set of fingers.
However, to get a really good score, you need to adopt some viable tactics.
- Lock and Strafe:
I can't tell you how useful it is to strafe while moving. Most of the
enemies in this game only fire at your current position. If you keep moving,
they tend to keep missing. Locking on also allows you to focus on one
enemy, even while Diving to one side. This allows you to get your shots in
really fast while avoiding theirs in turn.
- Dive!:
Diving (using the Jump while moving in any direction) is not only a great
way to get 100 Artistic points, but also a lifesaver. It allows you to
move quickly while firing even faster, gets you places sooner, avoid
lots of big guns, and perform some really cool moves down staircases. It
gets ever better with the lock on. If you lock on someone and dive, you
will pirouette around the opponent, allowing you to get in a lot of shots
stylishly and doing a ton of damage at the same time.
But as with everything else, watch where you dive. Diving into a horde of
heavily armed enemies is as bad as diving into an explosive barrel, guns
blazing. Also, if you hit a wall or anything while diving, you will stop,
and this is bad if you are avoiding enemy firepower or a Boss's combo attack.
They are very like to to catch you and harm you. Use discretion.
- Jog!:
I use the term 'Jog' because it isn't a walk, but it isn't a run either.
When you hold down the left analogue stick, Grave will go into a 'Jog',
faster than walking, slower than running, but the advantage is being able
to shoot on the go. This is invaluable in saving time and progressing to
the next area quickly, especially if you are aiming for a high Beat Count
and/or low Time Taken. Again, lock and strafe.
- Prudence is the better part of Valor:
Unless you're playing on easy, it's not worth restarting the map just
because you got cocky on some enemies, lost more life than you were willing
to, and then pounding the controller into dust, especially after getting an
oh-so-elusive 500 beat combo. On Normal and Hard, Diving into the thick of
a crowd is either an act of supreme confidence or of supreme idiocy. It's
better to use a lock and jog in this case, finishing enemies off one by one
as you approach, both to get a better Artistic score and to make sure you
can get a few more hits in with your Coffin. Always let your shields
regenerate before moving into the next area, and be wise enough to back
off if you're losing shields too quickly. Better to have 4 skulls in Time
only than 4 in Time AND Life, right?
- Demolition Shots are your friend:
If stuck in an absolutely-no-hope situation, don't be afraid to use a
Demolition shot. You generally get more than you can use anyway, so using
a few now and then won't hurt. Better than, again, losing life unnecessarily.
---
3.0 - Explaination of Score & Difficulty system
Gungrave has an interesting scoring system which has not been seen for
a while in other games. You are graded in five categories: Beat Count,
% Enemies Killed, Time Taken, Life Remaining, and Artistic Score. I
will explain the scoring on each system, and general tactics to get them.
More advanced tactics come with the Stage walkthroughs.
Beat Count -
Each Stage has its own beat count requirement to get 5 skulls:
Stage 1 - 300
Stage 2 - 350
Stage 3 - 300
Stage 4 - 400 - 500 (difficulty based I think)
Stage 5 - 200
Stage 6 - 200 - 250
Difficulty may or may not affect the beat count in certain stages. I have
reason to believe that on Easy, the Beat Count requirement for stage 4 is 400+,
but on Normal it apparently rises phenomenally.
Getting a high beat is certainly a challenge, as your beat meter will
eventually flicker and die if you don't continuously shoot things. Between
waves of enemies, the game HAS generously provided you with plenty of things
to keep your beat meter high. The exception is in Stage 5, where your top
beat will have to be obtained by killing constant waves of enemies. Also,
the higher the difficulty, the faster your beat meter dies.
Another note is that while the Coffin is an attractive alternative to wiping
out massed hordes of enemies, the quick kill provided means a lower beat count.
It's all a matter of balance. Of course, this guide will tell you WHERE to get
the best Beat Count around, so... ;)
% Enemies Killed -
Each Stage will send WAVES of enemies at you from start to end. Although
most of the enemies WILL come to you, you may have to look for some of them.
Most prominent is Stage 2, where getting the last few enemies may take some
experimenting. More detail later. It is tricky to find ALL the hidden enemies...
Time Taken -
There is a fine line between killing ALL the enemies, and taking the time
to do so. You want to kill them quickly, but you want to make sure you killed
them ALL. This tends to, but is not limited to, involve a fine balance
between rationing your Demolition shots to take out vast numbers of enemies
and getting the Beat Count you so desperately need.
Each stage has the time limits (for 5 skulls) as follow:
Stage 1: 4 Minutes or less
Stage 2: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 3: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 4: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 5: 9½ - 10 Minutes or less
Stage 6: 14 Minutes or less (Subject to Confirmation)
If you find that my information is wrong, please send me your time for
5 skulls.
Difficulties -
There are three difficulties in the Japanese version. I have received
confirmation that the North American release has 'renamed' the difficulties,
but I don't have it, so I can't tell whether there is any real change in
gameplay.
Easy (Normal, N.America) -
Enemies do little damage, can take even less and have horrible aim.
Environmental objects can take more shots (better beat count), explosions
do less damage, certain stage requirements are lowered (speculation here),
and Grave's auto-aiming is improved drastically. He will aim for everything
without hesitation. Your Beat Count meter has a much longer lifespan,
allowing you to net even bigger Beat Combos than on other difficulties.
Not much of a challenge, and shame on you if you die.
However, your score will be limited to around 5 million, depending on how
well you did.
Normal (Hard, N.America) -
Enemies are tougher now, do (a LOT) more damage, and have average
aim. Environmental objects blow up faster, explosions hurt, certain stage
requirements are higher, and Grave's auto-aiming is a little slow. Your
Beat Count meter also dies much faster, making it a bigger challenge to get
the 5 skull rating. A decent challenge, and definitely difficult for
newbies.
Your score can jump to 7 or 9 million or more on normal.
Hard (Kick their Ass!, N.America) -
Pray hard. Enemies take Grave's shields down like a hot knife through
butter, have great aim and range, explosions are best viewed from afar, but
I'm not sure about Stage Requirements. Grave's auto-aiming is survivable,
and not much worse than normal (if at all), but considering the enemies...
Oh, getting a decent beat count on Hard isn't difficult because of enemy
endurance, but forget about getting a good one if there're no enemies within
reach in 1½ seconds.
Your score can reach 14 million or more on hard.
***
Contributed by Remy, with 5 skulls in all stage times (and everything
else too... whoa) -
stage 1 4,20
stage2 6.41
stage3 7.50
stage 4 forgett to note
stage 5 8.26
stage 6 don t note.
***
Life Remaining -
Very simply, anything less than 100% nets you 4 skulls or less. Using a
Refill Life Now drops your grade by 1 skull (meaning at 100% but with a refill,
you still get 4 skulls). Using a continue gives you NONE. Be careful to
prevent the enemies from hitting you too much... no shame in hiding while your
shields recharge, or using a Demolition shot to get you out of trouble.
Every 25% drop costs you one skull as well. Therefore:
100% - 5 skulls.
99% - 75% - 4 skulls
74% - 50% - 3 skulls
49% - 25% - 2 skulls
24% - 1% - 1 skull
Death/continue - None
Anyone care to confirm if you still get 5 skulls for replenishing your
shields only, without taking damage to health?
***
Artistic Score -
Basically, this is Gungrave's version of Devil May Cry's 'Coolness' factor.
Anything that makes your audience more awe-inspired nets you points.
A LOT of people on the GameFAQS board keep asking this question, so I will
make it clearer.
Coffin Swing - The more things/people you hit at one go with the Coffin Swing,
the better.
Close Range Ranged Combat - The closer you are to the person when you shoot
them, the better. If you dive into them while shooting, all the better. If
you WALK right up to them while shooting, just as well. If you do the above
and THEN slam them with the Coffin, that's EVEN better. Basically, don't
shoot till you can see the whites of their (teeny weeny) eyes.
Diving - You should ONLY ever move from point A to point B by diving if there
are enemies around. Lock on, dive and fire, wash rinse repeat. If you dive
everywhere you go while shooting enemies, I don't see why you can't get 100.
Demolition Shots - Although your supply is 'limited', I don't see why you
can't use these generously. They make you invincible and you can enjoy
visions of mass destruction during their usage.
Vanity Post - These are only for showing off. You can get some, but not
much out of this. Use this after clearing a room in a particularly
spectacular manner if you want.
180º Hop - As soon as you turn around, if you can shoot and hit someone,
and better yet, kill them, you can get a score. Even better, if you can
go into Burst Mode and go nuts spinning in circles, go ahead.
High Beat Counts - The definition for high is at least 150, but this will
count towards your Artistic score. So long as you can get a high beat count
while looking good doing so, Artistic Points will not be a problem.
Also, not being hit too often, NOT losing life, and most importantly, NOT
BEING HIT BY MELEE AND EXPLOSIVE weapons will DEFINITELY up your score too.
If you're constantly losing life or being hit by weapons that cause Grave to
pause (abovementioned weapons), you will definitely lose Artistic points.
You wouldn't want to watch a game where the Hero couldn't squeeze his trigger
once before being hit again, right?
---
4.0 - Stage Guide
Here it is... a stage by stage introduction and general tips, plus boss
strategies, special notes, and 'Beat Count' areas.
Also included are some [poorly] translated transcripts of the character
conversations. (By Yours Truly. ^_^U I only claim 75% accuracy here! Places
where the exact words are unclear are made up for in general meaning.)
Opening -
*Cutscene -
Snow is falling. We see a city, one that bustles with life and technology.
In the background (or should I say, THE background) is a gigantic building
with searchlights racing across its surface. The camera lowers down through
the many layers of the city, through increasingly more imporverished areas,
finally resting at the very bottom, the dark alleys and streets of the lowest
class.
A girl, in red, is dragging an attache case with much difficulty. She is
bleeding from the head.
A lab, where a kindly looking doctor and a dark mysterious stranger wait. A
thud at the door, and the doctor is cautious. He carries a gun as he approaches
the door, then opens it cautiously. The girl slumps in, dropping the case.
The brooding figure pulls on his coat, adjusts some stuff, and pushes his
glasses up. We see his face, and the prominent scar on it.
Dr. T - "You're going to do it then? The Comany that you owed your life to,
which took it away, that which you cannot forget... you're going for it?"
The figure doesn't speak. He lifts one gun, then the other, deliberately.
Dr. T - "Those guns.. seeing them again, I understand now. Do as you please
then. You're free to pursue your goal... that most important goal of yours."
The girl awakens as the figure leaves. She looks around.
Mika - "Doctor?"
Doctor T. - "You can call me T."
Mika - "That guy? My mom's guardian, the one called Grave?"
Doctor T - "Calm down. That guy is off to do his job now... he'll be back."
Mika - "In that case... he's gone to stop Harry MacDowell?"
Doctor T - "Don't worry about him, he's the most evil demon of them all.
The company's people are going to be in trouble, meeting that 'Graveyard'."
*End Cutscene -
Stage 1 - Slaughter House
Boss - Mickey
Time Limit - 4 Minutes or less
Beat Count - 300
*Cutscene -
A seedy bar in a shadowy district.
Title - Stage 1: Slaughter House
Inside the pulsing, beating nightclub, Grave approaches the rich looking man in
yellow and his lovely ladies.
Mickey - "To the new boss, Mr. Harry! Cheers!"
They look at Grave. A bouncer accosts him.
Bouncer - "What do you want? You ain't part of the boss's party!"
Grave gives him a very nasty punch and floors him. Grave looks at the lounge
chair Micket was in, but he is gone. Grave turns and sees Mickey escaping
through a door.
*End Cutscene -
Details:
Basic training stage, nobody here poses any serious threat to you. You
start out in a bar with the bartender and several lackeys shooting at you.
Simply kill everyone. A large brute will be the key to opening the next
area. Stay around and kill everyone as you please, then move on.
In the next area, you are in a corridor with three enemies and a stack of
boxes in front of you. Kill them all, and proceed.
*Special Note: Walk into the door on your side when you kill the three guys
to find a toilet. Destroy everything (and everyone) inside, and when you walk
out again there'll be more people to add to your kill %!
The rest of the stage is pretty straightforwards. When you get to the
area with the water towers, you are near the boss area.
*Cutscene -
Grave walks forbiddingly towards the railing, and looks down. Mickey is running
out the front entrance, and several of his lackey's cars are pulling up.
The Lackeys are aiming guns at the entrance, where they expect Grave to come
out from.
Grave jumps through the railings and lands on one car, caving its top in.
*End Cutscene -
*Beat Combo Area: The last part of the stage, where you chase Mickey through
a gauntlet of lackeys and cars, is where you can get your 5 skull beat count.
Start with the car in front of you, then kill the enemies behind the pickup
and those near the car and those around you. Work on the cars as you Strafe
around and be sure to use Dives to quickly reach the next targets if your
beat's dying out. Note that you want to make use of Mickey's lackeys to get
your last 50 or so beats if possible. There's almost not enough shootables to
get 300 without them, depending on the difficulty.
Boss:
Nothing special. Mickey's just a lowly human pimp-scum, so go ahead
and blast away. Finish him with a Demolition shot if you want.
Points of interest:
Exploding Barrels - After reaching the second floor rooftop, you will
encounter your first ubiquitous exploding barrels. These not only harm/hurt
your enemies, but you as well, if you're not careful. Not just barrels
either. Exploding gas cans, exploding cars, anything that could go up in
flames, be careful around!
Fadeaway Shot - The area with your first staircase is also the first place you
can practice your 'Fadeaway' shot by diving down a staircase.
Try it!
Enemies - No doubt by now you have already noticed that there are more than
1 size of enemy. The Big Guys always carry machineguns or something
equally heavy, and are a bigger threat than the tiny Lackeys. They will
also be a source of constant pain for you if you don't take them out fast.
You will encounter many, many more types of enemies in the future... beware.
Targets - Mickey will be the first of many such 'Targets' that you will
encounter throughout the game. Targets are mission critical and must be
killed/mutilated/destroyed before you are allowed to continue. They come
in two flavours: Blue (Enemies) and Golden (Bosses, Objects). You CANNOT
continue if you don't destroy these Targets, even if everyone else is dead.
Cars - Throughout the game you will find cars, carts, and even a tram to
shoot up. However, telling when they're no longer shootable is oftimes
tricky. Cars have three states: Undamaged (nothing special), damaged (on
fire), and destroyed (when they jump into the air). When they jump, it's
time to move on.
---
Intermission Area - Here, Grave can 'rest' and talk to the two people who
are allied with him. Each of them have several things to say.
*Special Note: The Save and Quit menu -
This is only available in the intermission areas. In the Japanese version
people may have trouble understanding what is going on. I shall explain:
When you first select the option, the game will ask you if you wish to save.
The default is Yes. Then it will check your memory card. If there is no
previous save game, it will automatically save. If there is a previous save,
it will ask you if you wish to overwrite it. The default is No. When it is
done saving, it will ask you if you wish to quit. The default is No.
Mika -
"I, am I supposed to meet you/have I met you?"
"I've heard about you in Tokyo city, you were mom's friend..."
"Sorry to have dragged you into this horrible situation. Sorry!"
"... ..."
Dr. T -
"After destroying that branch, the Company knows of your return. You've
attracted quite a lot of attention. When you've killed Harry, will it continue
to exist?"
"G block North's Abandoned Factory, is called Seed on the street. They have ties
to the Company and half our equipment comes from there. Anyway, it plays a big part
towards defeating the Company. [Its three proccessing facilities are run by a
Manager.] I don't know how powerful they've grown even then. Eliminating them may or
may not reduce their power. Take care, Grave."
"In this state, I can't really get around. What is this flesh and skin for?"
"I wonder what would Big Daddy think of this Undead Soldier idea if he were
still alive?"
"Take care, Grave."
Note: The translation bracketed in [ ] is extremely sketchy. I cannot decipher
its meaning properly without a proper screenshot (working on that) so don't
trust it too much.
---
Stage 2 - Factory
Boss - Koujouchou (Plant Manager, in English)
Time Limit - 8 minutes or less
Beat Count - 350
*Cutscene -
A dusty floor in an industrial factory. A shadow crosses it, and it belongs
to Grave.
Behind him, the steel wire doors shut loudly. Grave glaces back, then
continues his walk.
Title - Stage 2: Factory
*End Cutscene -
Details:
You begin in a factory in a slightly more scummy part of town. Start by
destroying the barrels to the sides and then the enemies in front. When you
reach the area with a lot of cars and even more enemies, clear everything
to proceed. You will encounter a new sort of enemy here.
*Beat Combo Area: The moment you start the stage, you will WANT to keep
your Beat combo going by constantly diving/jogging/shooting at everything
in your path. Your goal here is at LEAST 350 beats, and it is NOT easy.
Between enemies, shoot crates and barrels as you move to keep the Beat
alive. When you see a car, shoot it till it explodes and KEEP moving when
they are near destruction. You will be able to get over 450 beats if you
are careful, but it is rather difficult because of Grave's capricious
autoaiming. Be careful.
Your next arena will be in an underground excavation site, as well as some
new enemies. Nothing special here, except that visibility is extremely low,
so keep those guns firing!
Past the excavation area is the staircase to the roof. En route up, you will
find a pipe on the first landing with enemies on it. (Number varies with
difficulty) After dealing with them and heading up the second flight, turn
around immediately. More enemies will be coming from that pipe. clear them
out, clear the roof out, and break the glass. Grave will jump in.
Grave will land in a remote corner of a Warehouse. Blast your way to the
warehouse main. Note that this area is extremely crowded, so be cautious
where you dive and shoot. Nothing unusual here, but be careful of enemies
that are scripted to take cover and ambush you behind the boxes.
After that is a staircase leading to a lot more enemies, a Missile Launcher,
and an odd Kill % area. Note that it is VERY easy to get damaged here (no 100%
Life Remaining score, in other words), so use a Demolition shot if you want.
*Special note: After clearing out the area, do NOT walk through the door yet.
Walk along the catwalk to the end. Several enemies will fall from the ceiling
and attack you. Kill them to add to your Kill %.
Past the warehouse are the labs. You will encounter several... doctors and
patients who are less than happy to see you. Kill them all. There is a new
class of enemy here to be wary of: The Fat Heavy Weapons guy. They are always
fat (unlike the big tall guys), and ALWAYS carry a weapon that is short
ranged, but VERY painful. In this case, a shotgun. Stay away and take him
out from a distance.
*Special note: After clearing house, walk/jump into the room full of crates
where the fat guy was shooting you. Several more enemies will run into the area
from where you came in. Again, more Kill % for you.
In the next area, you come across what appear to be cloning tanks of some
sort. Half formed people float inside... weird. You will be greeted by a
patient and a Melee guy from the start. Take them all out and continue
downstairs. Note that the enemies here like to take cover behind the tanks,
so don't leave until you're done with everyone!
The next area is short. Several Big Guys and several Lackeys await you. A single
Demolition shot is all it takes to finish them quickly.
The next area is just before the boss. There are several catwalks, of which you
are on one. Shoot everyone on your catwalk first, then finish off everyone
else. There is a switch marked "Target", so shoot the switch and take out the
new enemies on the catwalk and the lowering bridge. Cross it. It's time
for the Boss.
Boss:
Slightly more challenging than last, Koujouchou hides behind several counters
and crates covered with computers and Lackeys. They will bust in through the
windows. Just keep Strafing left and right and killing everyone. Eventually
the tide of enemies will stop. Feel free to finish him off as you please. He
only carries a machinegun, so don't worry.
Points of Interest:
New Enemy Types - In the first area, you will also encounter your first
Missile Launcher enemy. The missiles are supposedly easy to avoid, but in
the thick of battle with clutter all around, it's much more difficult than
expected.
They are also dangerous because they can do a lot of damage and are very
capable of ruining your perfect beat combo. Beware.
In the second area, you will encounter Melee enemies. These guys are big,
tough, and carry steel construction girders to smack you around with. You
do NOT want to be hit.
You will also encounter your first Grenade enemies. Although not as dangerous
as Missile Launchers, they are an annoyance nonetheless. Stay away from them
and finish them off last.
Fat Heavy weapons guys are the final worry. You only meet them in two stages,
but the weapons they use will leave a lasting effect on you, and even bosses
use the same weapons! Thankfully they are generally short ranged, so just
stand back and fire away!
---
Intermission Area -
Mika -
"I met Harry MacDowell once, when I was younger. He had a smile on his face
and shook my hand. But I wonder, why did he have to become my enemy? I don't
understand."
(Alt. He had a sort of smile on his face when he shook my hand.)
"I wonder if Big Daddy knew about his own daughter, in the company, if he was
around. But now it doesn't really matter."
"What was your relation with mom? I'd like to know a little about it..."
Dr. T -
"The streets are quiet. I don't think it's only because of Seed's destruction.
The fighting has cost the company both a lot of people and their observers.
The people on the street call you their last hope. But hope... you don't really
care much for it eh?"
"There's some more information about Harry in the K-2 Block for sale. But we
don't know the people there. Be careful.
"That child who was sent here... she has a silent strength in her. She must've
gotten it from her mother. She sleep through an earthquake and it wouldn't
stop her.
"[Seeing this sort of life, what will it be like?]"
(I can't make out what he's trying to say too clearly. Sorry.)
"We'll soon go back to normal when everything's over, hm?"
---
Stage 3 - Chinatown
Boss - Bob Poundmax, Bob Poundmax (Overkill version)
Time Limit - 8 minutes or less
Beat Count - 300
*Cutscene -
Bright lights and neon signs adorn the buildings.
Title - Stage 3: Chinatown
In a dark alley, Grave is 'speaking' (one sidedly) to an informant, who counts
his wad of cash as he smokes a pipe.
Informant - "There's a piece of news, came down from Brock. There's an
airship called the Furidori Hide. The company's holding a party there. The
new boss's face was seen, but I'd have to say it in a group of people, I can't
say it here. If I did the Yakuza would get wind of it, and-"
(Note: It's either the new boss's face was seen, but I'd have to say it in a
group of people, or it was seen in a group of people I can't tell you about.")
Suddenly Grave turns around as he notices something, and ducks. Bullets
riddle the wall (and the informant) full of holes.
*End Cutscene -
You begin in a Chinatown alley. Nothing special, kill them all. Walk up the
stairs and encounter your first Lackey Melee guys. These guys are basically
the little brothers of the Big Melee Guys. Smaller, weaker, but they still do
plenty of damage. Just whack them.
Oh, enjoy the massive Fadeaway shot down the staircase.
You will now be on a street with a Tram dropping off enemies and enemies
that pop out from the alleys and balconies.
*Beat Combo Area: It is possible, although supremely difficult, to get your
300 Beat combo here. As soon as you reach the top of the stairs, you'll want
to keep shooting every enemy around you, as well as the telephone booths and
the tram that's dropping the enemies off. However, keeping your beat alive at
the end of the street before the Tram returns is difficult at best. The tram
itself is good for about 150 beats though, so if you can reach 150 before
working on the tram, you could concievably reach 300 beats here.
Next up after the staircase is another street, filled with a lot of Missile
Launchers and Melee guys, big and small. Nothing special here, keep moving
and killing until you get to a gate. Try to open it and run around the street
to get the enemies to come. Kill them all to proceed.
*Special Note: There are more enemies here than required to progress. As soon
as the 'Go' arrow appears, run back down the street. More enemies will appear.
Again, good for your 100% kills. Run around a bit more to see if anyone you
missed appears.
Next up, a scene from Hong Kong movies - The Kitchen of Death! You will be
in a kitchen filled with irate chefs and patrons alike. Note that due to the
cramped quarters here, taking damage is a possibility. Enemies will come
from all around, most notably the stairs, but watch your back as well. When
you're done, walk down the stairs.
You'll end up in an abandoned parking lot with Missile Launchers bunkered
behind sandbags, and lots of trigger happy Lackeys. Diving and prioritizing
targets here will get you through. When you reach the gates, more enemies
will come from the top and behind. Kill them all to proceed.
*Special Note: Keep moving back to the middle of the parking lot to find
more bad guys to add to your 100% Kills rating.
In the next area, you will meet a new sort of enemy that will be a very
constant fixture from now on: Kurofukus (Black Shirts. More on them later).
Kill them as usual, but watch for their acrobatic tricks. They will come
from all over the place. You will also encounter the Heavy Weapons version
of them. Be very careful with these guys, they can and will hurt you.
After turning them all to jelly, move on towards the bridge.
*Cutscene - A massive bulldozer will burst out of a warehouse and head for
Grave. Grave makes a 'strategic retreat'.
This is one of the more unique portions of the game, although not the most
original. several Kurofukus will be standing atop the 'Dozer as it claws
its way towards you. Simply keep backing up and avoiding their shots. Although
the main goal is for Grave to run to the end of the bridge and avoid the
'Dozer, it is actually possible to destroy iy.
The dozer itself will occasionally stop to let off a few 'passengers', who
will happily add themselves to your Kill %.
*Special Note - You can kill the Kurofuku shooting at you from on top of the
'Dozer by using the Hellhound Roar. Remy contributed this before I got there.
^^U I did confirm that a Raging Inferno also works.
*Special Note - I never actually realized the Bulldozer could be destroyed,
but it can. You do however need to fill it with at least two Hellhound Roars
and over 300 rounds. You should start out by using one Hellhound Roar to
kill the Kurofukus on top of the 'Dozer first. After that, simply back up as
usual. Once you've gotten your 300+ shots, shoot it again with another Hellhound
Roar. The 'Dozer should blow up and stay still.
*Beat Combo Area: More risky than the start, but also much easier. You can
shoot the 'Dozer for insane beat combos. Simply back up firing. Note that
walking backwards is too slow, while jogging backwards (L3) is too fast. You
want to mix the two together while being shot at and shooting back. If
your shields get too low, jog back a litte further just out of the Kurofuku's
range while still remaining within shooting range of the 'Dozer. It's
trickier to pull off because Grave's range is barely longer than theirs, so
it's a balancing act. You should get your 300 beats at the end of the bridge.
*Cutscene - Grave turns at the end of the bridge and sees the massive
Zepplin below him. He leaps, and makes a dramatic entrance through the window.
People can be heard screaming as he breaks through the glass.
Grave is now in a poshly furnished dining room. He starts out on the entertainer's
platform with a grand piano to the side. Kurofukus will be your only enemies
here, and they will jump from table to table to kill you. Go nuts as you
please. Once they're all dead...
*Cutscene -
Nice western piano accompaniement, followed by a clapping. Grave starts and
points both guns to the source. It is Harry MacDowell and some of his subordinates.
Balladbird Lee - "This, gentlemen, is Grave. Long time no see. A true
returnee from the land of the dead, he is."
Bear Walken - "A dead man. He's forgotten his manners and memory since the last
time we saw him."
Grave increases the pressure on the trigger, and Bunji points a gun warningly.
Grave changes targets to Bunji. Bob waves his drumstick around.
Bob Poundmax - "Now, now, Bunji, let's not be hasty. Grave, you were part of the
company eh? A meal, a room, and where's your gratitude? Those guns you hold,
they too belong to your supervisor (boss?) too! Come on then! let's have some
fun together!"
The music suddenly picks up, and MacDowell and Co. take this cue to leave. Bob
leaps from the balcony (whoa) and lands rather heavily. He is armed with a
machinegun.
Bob Poundmax - "COME ON! This will be your 'Grave!'/I'll send 'U' to your 'Grave'!"
*End Cutscene -
Mini-Boss: Bob Poundmax will be armed with a machine gun and grenades,
screaming 'DIE!' while his four Kurofuku bodyguards fire at you. Simply
keep your fire on him. The kurofukus will be constantly replenished at any
rate, and you'll be wasting your health if you want to try. 'Killing' Bob
will end the section.
*Cutscene -
Grave storms out the rooftop door, just in time to see a helicopter take off and
fly away. He chases it, but it's a futile effort. A MASSIVE blob, Bob Poundmax
(Overkill Version), floats up with propellers and fills the screen, glaring
at Grave with glowy red eyes (ooh).
Bob Poundmax - "Your opponent is right here, Grave! Get ready to die!"
*End Cutscene -
Boss: Bob Poundmax (Overkill Version) reminds us of someone, doesn't he?
Can you say... Clown? Anyways, he is easily defeated. Run up to him and lock
on as soon as you come into range, and Circle-Strafe while firing. He has
four attacks: Pulling a clotheless Kurofuku (I call them Fukunai, clotheless
Guys) and tossing it at you like a bomb, spawning several Fukunais which
then crawl towards you like seeker missiles, launching himself into the
air to butt-smash you, and spinning in a circle.
The first two are easily countered: Dive to the side when he tosses one
at you, and shoot the crawlers when he spawns them. The third one is
also easy: When he jumps, watch his shadow and dive backwards when it
is near you. The last one he only uses when you are near him. It damages
you, sends you flying, and renders him invulnerable. Simple backpedal to
avoid it. Other than that, keep shooting him while Circle Strafing and
he should go down in no time.
Graveyard Finisher - When Bob's life is nearly gone and your skull lights
up like it's Halloween, hit the Triangle button and watch the fireworks.
He uses a variation of the Hellhound Roar to finish Bob off.
*Spoiler- To spoil you, several doves fly across the screen and reveals
Grave standing here with his coffin vertically up on his back. It opens
four ports, each with a missile, which then fire into the sky. They stop,
orient themselves, and fly towards Bob, who is unceremoniously blown away.
Points of Interest:
New enemies - Kurofuku (Normal and Gatling). These guys only LOOK human,
but they explode into little blue/golden/whatever colors of goo when shot
at and killed. They are faster, tougher, stronger, and the ones carrying
lighter weapons can jump like Spiderman on crack. The normal guys are
irritating, the Gatling guys (carrying two briefcases) are dangerous.
Graveyard Finisher - This is the first boss you can use one on. To tell
when to use it, watch your Demolition Skull when the bosses' life is low.
If it lights up like Broadway, FINISH HIM! Enjoy.
---
Intermission Area -
Mika -
"What were those strange white... _things_? Those white living beings.
I've never seen anything like them before. They don't bleed when injured.
They're not human."
"What is Harry doing using those... things... in the company? Control of the
streets/city? Or something else..."
"A lot of people have died... will more die from now on?"
"Please don't let anything happen to you, Grave."
Dr. T -
"Harry's hiding in his Tower. What a predicament. It won't be easy to get in."
"The streets hold the secrets to Harry's tower. He might not even be aware of
that."
"'The undying blue-white soldiers corp.' has indeed been witnessed. They have