WARNING: READ BEFORE USING YOUR PLAYSTATION® GAME CONSOLE. A very small percentage of individuals may experience epileptic seizures when exposed to certain light patterns or flashing lights. Exposure to certain patterns or backgrounds on a television screen or while playing video games, including games played on the PlayStation game console, may induce an epileptic seizure in these individuals. Certain conditions may induce previously undetected epileptic symptoms even in persons who have no history of prior seizures or epilepsy. If you, or anyone in your family, has an epileptic condition, consult your physician prior to playing. If you experience any of the following symptoms while playing a video game ­ dizziness, altered vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of awareness, disorientation, any involuntary movement, or convulsions ­ IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your physician before resuming play. WARNING TO OWNERS OF PROJECTION TELEVISIONS: Do not connect your PlayStation game console to a projection TV without first consulting the user manual for your projection TV, unless it is of the LCD type. Otherwise, it may permanently damage your TV screen. HANDLING YOUR PLAYSTATION DISC: · This compact disc is intended for use only with the PlayStation game console. · Do not bend it, crush it or submerge it in liquids. · Do not leave it in direct sunlight or near a radiator or other source of heat. · Be sure to take an occasional rest break during extended play. · Keep this compact disc clean. Always hold the disc by the edges and keep it in its protective case when not in use. Clean the disc with a lint-free, soft, dry cloth, wiping in straight lines from center to outer edge. Never use solvents or abrasive cleaners. SQUARE ELECTRONIC ARTS GAME TIPS Game Tips are available for all Square Soft PlayStation titles: 1-900-407-KLUE (1-900-407-5583) $.95/min. Automated Tips, $1.25/min. Live Assistance. Callers under 18 years of age must obtain permission from a parent or guardian before calling. Game tips are available for callers within the U.S. only. Touch-tone phone required. Live assistance is available for Square Soft titles published on the PlayStation game console only. Game counselors are available Monday-Friday, 8am 11:45am and 1pm - 5pm, Pacific Standard Time. Automated support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Square Soft Online Visit us online at www.squaresoft.com to register for upcoming sweepstakes, prizes and more! Contents Prologue Getting Started Basic Controls Rules of Bushido Basic Attacks and Defenses Center of Gravity Game Modes Character Attacks Special Situations Characters Kannuki Gengoro Tatsumi Kaun Mikado Jo Support Characters Weapons Katana Long Sword Nodachi Broadsword Naginata Yari Credits Limited Warranty 1 2 3 5 6 8 10 14 15 16 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 24 24 25 25 26 26 28 29 Prologue Off the sea of Setonaikai lies the ancient island of Kounoshima. Eight hundred years ago, the two samurai families occupying the island engaged in a devastating war that would split the country in two. The Kagami family survived the war by siding with the predominant power, while the Sue family fell as a result of this betrayal. The bitter feud persisted between the Kagami descendants and the remnants of the Sue, both sides continuing to engage in bloody warfare. Before long, the Kagami family formed the Narukagami, a school for assassins, while the Sue formed their own school, Shainto. The fighting intensified, yet remained somewhat secretive. And now, the time has finally come for the Shainto to put an end to this long, vengeful battle. They are to go to the Narukagami headquarters, Meikyokan, to reclaim their sacred sword, Yugiri. However, the Narukagami have intercepted Shainto's plans and have called for reinforcements. The final battle is about to begin... 1 Getting Started Basic Controls L1/L2 buttons Directional buttons SELECT START L R R1/R2 buttons button button button button SELECT button Reset button Power button RESET Disc cover ® START button POWER OPEN Power indicator Controller port one Open button Note: This Software manual explains the use of the Controller when you are using the Controller in port I. Memory card slot Set up your PlayStation® game console according to the instructions in its Instruction manual. Make sure TM the power is OFF before inserting or removing a compact disc. Insert the Bushido Blade 2 Disc into your PlayStation game console and close the Disc cover. Make sure one or two Controllers are inserted into the Controller ports and turn ON the PlayStation game console. After the opening movie is completed, the Title Screen will be displayed. (You can press the button to skip the opening movie and display the Title Screen.) Select a game mode using the Directional buttons and press the button to start. MEMORY CARD A Memory card (sold separately) is required to save your records and acquired support characters. Insert a Memory card into the PlayStation game console BEFORE starting play. Do not remove a Memory card while saving or loading games; doing so could damage the game data. Previously saved data will be loaded automatically if the Memory card is present when starting up. To save game data, go to the Option Screen at the Main Menu. You will also be asked if you want to save game data after completing a character's Story Mode. MOVE - Directional buttons Moves the character forward, backward, left and right. By pressing the same direction twice, the character can move a certain distance more quickly. FREE MOVEMENT - å + Directional buttons Hold down the L1 button while moving the character with the Directional buttons to run around in the field. FRONTAL ATTACK - button Straightforward attacks with no wrist movement. REVERSE ATTACK / EXECUTE COMMANDS - button Swings weapon sideways and slashes upward by turning the wrists. Also press this button to choose characters and weapons and to bypass movies. CHANGING STANCES - button The character changes stance each time you press the button. Characters have three different stances for each weapon. Sword techniques vary depending on the stance the character takes. 2 3 RAISES CENTER OF GRAVITY - Basic Controls High Stance Rules of Bushido ABOUT DEFENSE This game does not have any particular commands for defense. To defend against the opponent's attacks, press the button or button to deflect attacks with your weapon. (See page 7) SINGLE HIT FATALITY SYSTEM This game is designed to reproduce realistic sword fights. So, battles may end by just one fatal hit to the head, chest or abdominal area. When this occurs, the damage will be displayed in red. All other weapon strikes are represented by a burst of color at the point of impact. Different colors represent different situations: RED EFFECT BLUE EFFECT GREEN EFFECT Fatal Hit "Perfect Defense" ­ shown when attack is successfully defended "Defense Break" ­ shown when no damage is caused, but the character loses balance WHITE EFFECT shown when weapons hit each other or other obstacles ORANGE EFFECT shown when damage is inflicted, but is not critical "BODY DAMAGE" SYSTEM Instead of a "Life Meter," Bushido Blade 2 uses the "Body Damage" system, where the character is incrementally weakened by successful attacks. As areas of the character's body become damaged, that area will become weaker until it becomes nonfunctional. When light damage is received, the character flinches momentarily and movement is reduced. When severe damage is received to the left arm, the ability to throw objects and hold weapons with both hands is lost and the effectiveness of the weapon is diminished. DEATH BY FALL The character will die if they fall from a location higher than 20 feet. LOWERS CENTER OF GRAVITY - Try various actions by shifting the character's stance upward and downward (See "Center of Gravity" on page 8). CHANGE VIEW (POV MODE ONLY) - ß + or You can change the point of view while playing in the POV setting (See page 10). ç BUTTON - Cancel commands/return to the previous screen. SURRENDER - SELECT button The character sits down and surrenders. PAUSE - START button Stops the game temporarily and displays the Pause Menu. When you are ready to resume, choose and press the button. Choose to return to character selection. Choose to return to game selection. Normal Stance Low Stance 4 5 FRONTAL ATTACK - button Straightforward attacks with no wrist movement. This includes stabbing and swinging the weapon downward. REVERSE ATTACK - button Swings weapon sideways and slashes upward using the wrists. Basic Attacks & Defenses Basic Attacks & Defenses PERFECT DEFENSE AND DEFENSE BREAK This game does not have any particular commands for defense. Basically, the character needs to "counter-attack the attack." PERFECT DEFENSE - By counterattacking the opponent's Frontal Attack with the Reverse Attack and the opponent's Reverse Attack with the Frontal Attack, the character will be able to execute a "Perfect Defense." DEFENSE BREAK - If the character uses the Frontal Attack to defend the opponent's Frontal Attack, the character will not incur damage, but will lose balance and be caught off guard. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEFENSE AND POWER Under normal circumstances, whether a "Perfect Defense" is executed or not is determined by the attacking sides (Frontal Attack/Reverse Attack) of both parties. However, one character may have an advantage over the other when there is a big difference in power between either character or weapon. THE CONCEPT OF "YIN" AND "YANG" In Narukagami Shinto School, the side with the weapon, the left side when facing the opponent is called "Yang." The other side is called "Yin." Here we introduce the relationship of "Yin" and "Yang" using the Katana as an example. The Katana's Reverse Attack ( button) attacks the opponent's "Yin" side if the character is in a Normal Stance and "Yang" side if the character is in a High Stance. For instance, if the character is in a High Stance and sees an opening on the opponent's "Yang" side, the character can attack accurately by moving around to the opponent's "Yang" side and attacking with the Reverse Attack in a High Stance. By adjusting your attacks between "Yin" and "Yang" according to the circumstances in this manner, the game can be enjoyed to its fullest extent. When the opponent leaves an opening on its "Yang" side, move to that side and use attacks that will attack the opening. Some opponents cannot be defeated by simply attacking head on. Note: When the character attacks with two swords, the button executes attacks using the main weapon and the button executes attacks using the sub-weapon. Depending on the weapon and stance, not all characters can attack with two swords. REPEATED ATTACK - button (after deflecting an attack) When weapons hit each other, "Weapon Deflection" occurs. The character that advantageously deflects the opponent's weapon can attack repeatedly by pressing the button. (In some situations, you can do the same by pressing the button.) COUNTER ATTACK - button (after your weapon is deflected) When your weapon is deflected, press the button to counter attack. (If the character is a two-sworded fighter and the weapon in your left hand is deflected, press the button.) ATTACKS BY INPUTTING COMMANDS By pressing the Directional buttons with either the button or button, you can execute various attacks. The list shown below introduces some basic attacks. However, various weapons and stances have different attacks, so these examples may not be available at all times. Commands available to most weapons: ñ + or , Commands for Iai Stance: µ+ , Commands for special or exclusive attacks: ñ + or , ññ + or + ñ + or 6 7 PERFORMING SPECIAL MOVES BY SHIFTING THE CENTER OF GRAVITY In Bushido Blade 2, various actions can be taken by shifting the center of gravity. Although shifting the character's center of gravity can take place at any time, some attacks that rely on the shifting of the center of gravity are available only if a certain weapon or stance is used. ACTIONS THAT RAISE THE CENTER OF GRAVITY - OVERHEAD ATTACK - Jumps in place to attack the enemy from above. (except for Naginata and Yari) CLIMBING TO UPPER LEVELS - Directional buttons + Press the Directional button towards a wall or cliff and press the R1 button to climb over obstacles. ATTACKING DISADVANTAGED OPPONENTS - (when opponent is on the ground) Jumps into the air to attack the opponent lying on the ground. ACTIONS THAT LOWER THE CENTER OF GRAVITY - CROUCHING DOWN - Crouches in place for an instant. Can also pick up discarded sub-weapons on the ground. SUB-WEAPON - + Throws sub-weapon. Types and quantities of sub-weapons vary from one character to another. Cannot be executed if the left arm sustains severe damage. BLINDING THE OPPONENT - + Blinds the opp ...