NCS Game Notes
* The intro starts with bruisers from different disciplines fighting in the ring as well as on street settings such as a night time city street, in front of vending machines, and even a graveyard. Blood spills liberally as bone crunching blows are dealt by angry looking bruisers out for blood. The various characters in the game are also introduced with a flaming background behind them for added dramatic effect. There's a particularly brutal sequence where a fighting stomps on an opponent's face four times.
* Modes in the game include STORY / VERSUS / SURVIVAL / TRAINING / PROFILE / OPTIONS.
* In Story Mode, the Fighters Select screen shows 20 possible contenders but only 6 of them may be chosen (they're all located in the center of the screen) at the outset of the game. The other 14 fighters are waiting to be unlocked. The playable characters are:
1) Jyuzo Fujimaki - His first battle takes place on a playground with a slide and jungle gym in the background. His opponent is the mighty Bunshichi Tanba who will make mincemeat out of Jyuzo if they go toe to toe. Jyuzo's saving grace is his variety of holds which include a neck snap and a convoluted leg lock which drains an opponent's vigor severely.
2) Hiroshi Nagata - Stars in a FAW Pro Wrestling match against a bruiser named Yoshio Kajiwara. Despite the rowdy crowd in the background, there's no crowd noise during the match.
3) Kikoichi Kurama - Sinewy blonde fighter who goes to the gym to spar against Jyumei Kuga.
4) Jyohei Tsutsumi street fights against CHIN-PI-RA, a gangster in white duds. The two go to war on the streets of Japan with neon lights and store signs in the background. A woman's scream pierces the night when the two begin their bout. Bottom line: CHIN-PI-RA isn't much of a gangster.
5) Bunshichi Tanba engages Soichiro Izumi in a forest setting with trees in the foreground and background. Bunshichi can perform a painful looking head grab and twist that causes blood to shoot out.
6) Tsutomu Himekawa is a gorilla in a suit and he tackles Soichiro Izumo in the same forest setting where Bunshichi had his first match. Soichiro has a move where he turns his back on a player so he can perform a powerful backward kick but the problem with that is, an opponent can just grab him and perform a powerful kick or punch to the back of his neck.
* We chose the blonde fighter Kikoichi Kurama and faced off against Jyumei Kuga in a boxing ring. Kikoichi wears just white briefs to the match while Jyumei was decked out in an all black ensemble. The characters on screen are HUGE and nearly fill up the entire width and height of the viewing area. On a 60" plasma, the fight was impressive to behold with fluid motion and fairly solid action. Kikoichi faces Toshio Kajiwara next in the locker room of the FAW wrestling ring. After winning this challenge, you'll be given the chance to save your progress to memory card.
* To view the available moves for a fighter, press the START button and hit the "O" button. To block a blow, press and hold the "X" button to block both high and low blows. If you accidentally block low and the opponent kicks high, you'll get smacked in the face. The SQUARE button launches a punch while the TRIANGLE kicks. Pressing the pad in various directions while pressing either button will change the type of punch of kick that is produced by the fighter. Press the L1 trigger to perform a hold followed by a grapple sequence by pressing the "O" button or perform a close kick by pressing the TRIANGLE button. If your blow is punchy enough to knock an oponent down, you may follow up by pressing the L1 trigger again while he's down and then force him into a leg lock to do additional damage. Watch out for counterattacks however.
* As a fighter's energy levels dip into low levels, each ensuing blow from an opponent will cause him to cough, gurgle, or moan in agony. You're in trouble once your fighter starts making pained sounds.
* The bouts in Garouden Break Blow can degenerate into button-mashing punch and kick fests but the technical moves are a thing of beauty which saves the game from run of the mill shenanigans. If an opponent rushes in with manic punching, simply guard against the rush of attacks and then wait for an opening to perform a hold and then take him down to the mat with a grapple move. Follow up with more holds or just trade punches if you're feeling primal. There's a lot of strategy in the game and a wide arsenal of moves to use to counter against different fighting styles and tactics.