Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken Phantom Blood [PS2/JPN]

» On the title screen, the Jojo logo appears above a wavy checkerboard pattern that slowly undulates.

» Press START and the following options appear:

STORY.......... Begin a NEW GAME or CONTINUE a game in progress from memory card data
CHAPTER........ Once the game is finished in Story Mode, revisit any of the 27 chapters in the game
MUSEUM......... View 32 character profiles, 80 theater selections, and three locked game options [all listings must be unlocked]
OPTION......... Set vibration, key config, sound (stereo/mono), and BGM/SE volume levels

» The three locked options in the Museum option are as follows

1) Extra Battle: Fighters battle like hyenas in an original Jojo's story line.
2) 77 Ring Knights: Battle 77 enemies in sequence in an all-out survival mode.
3) Dio Mode: Play the game from Dio's warped view of the world.

» After starting a new game, a gal with big beasts is shown tethered to a stone slab and is in the process of being sacrificed. A voice over explains what's going on as miscreants chant in the background. A masked bruiser lifts up a blade and stabs it downwards into the girl. Some blood splotches onto the mask and causes claws from the mask to stretch out and attach itself to the face of the wearer. The maniac screams to followers below and arches his arms up to the sky while the body of the sacrificial lamb may be seen lying in the background above a stone altar slab.

» After the intro, another sequence starts where Dario Brando is coughing up a lung and dying on his bed. He calls out to Dio who is nonchalantly reading a book and sitting on a chair in a red suit. Dario Brando tells his son to go to the Joestars to collect on the debt that the Joe's owed to Dario for saving them. He tells him of 1868 when he came upon a blue overturned stagecoach and was going to rob it when the man inside (Joestar Sr) asked for his help. A voice over accompanies this sequence along with windy sound effects and the pattering of rain behind the wind. Later, Dario Brando is buried and Dio resolves to accomplish his father's misguided goals.

» In the next scene, two ruffians are tormenting a girl named Erina by taking her toy doll. Their eyes gleam with evil as Erina weeps and sobs. They just laugh until Jonathan Joestar arrives on the scene. Before the battle starts, an moves list appears which shows some shots that Jonathan can throw out. The game is a 3D beat 'em up where Jojo suffers from an inordinately long recovery time. For example, if he's hit, he's momentarily stunned for a up to 2 seconds. There's no quick pickup but our advice is to avoid being hit and defend often.

Controls
L-Analog...........Move
R-Analog..........Camera
Triangle............Shoulder attack forward
Circle................Roll forward
Square.............Attack move which looks like a tiger swatting a fly
L1-Trigger........Guard

» The two bruisers in Battle #1 are not push-overs. They'll defend and gang up on poor Jojo like a well-oiled machine as they run after Joe, attack in concert, and defend themselves against Joe's attacks. Prepare to get your ass kicked. While Joe's battling, Erina sits in the background and cheers him on. For an added challenge, the HP of the two attackers continually regenerate.

» The action in Jojo's is rough 'n tumble and viewed from a behind-the-Jojo perspective. It's a fairly challenging game due to the tenacity of the foes along with their HP regeneration powers. Even if you lose the first battle, the game will go on as Joe wipes his nose with his embroidered handkerchief. When the bruisers see that his name is Jonathan Joestar, they beat and kick him down some more before leaving Joe gasping for breath. A speechless Erina later appears to greet her hero.

» After the battle, Dio arrives at the Joestar estate by stagecoach and Jojo is waiting for him. Jonathan is friendly to Dio when he arrives and we can hear a lisp in Jon's voice. Dio immediately shows his wicked side when Jon's dog Danny barks and runs up to them. Jojo bends down to greet the Dalmation but Dio knees the dog in the chin and knocks it unconscious. A staring contest ensues between the two where Dio lifts up his fists as the dog can be seen shivering in the background.

» In the next scene, Joestar and another boy are in a field surrounded by boys who are cheering. They're about to engage in a boxing match but before the battle begins, Dio steps forward and challenges Jojo instead of the other boy and the boxing match begins.

» Battle #02. Everyone's cheering as the battle begins. When boxing the "O button" feints and dodges while TRIANGLE performs a head butt. To punch, press the "SQUARE button." Whenever Dio comes in close and punches, press the O button and Joe will automatically dodge all attacks. However, the dodge move is also performed perfectly by Dio and he can evade with the quickness.

» After being defeated by Dio (guaranteed outcome), Dio boasts about his skills in front of the of the other boys and clocks Joe a few more times across the face to knock him down. Dio becomes the new object of adoration as he sits on the field unlacing his boxing gloves.

» After the second battle, Jojo sits with his dog on a field as Erina looks from behind a tree with a basket of grapes. She hangs the basket from a branch with a note inside addressed to Jonathan Joestar. Jojo is next seen sliding on a wooden rampway with Erina. As she walks along one day, Dio spies her and kisses her which is seen by witnesses. The news sets Jojo's blood boiling. The events lead to a third battle where Jojo once again faces off against Dio in the mansion.

» Battle #03. Simple tactic for beating Dio - Guard and stand still. When Dio comes in and attacks, block the blows, and then follow him with three quick punches in succession. Even if he dodges the first two, he won't counterattack and he'll be hit by the third blow. Wash, rinse, repeat until he screams a blood curdling cry. A cut sequence plays afterwards where Jojo uses Dio as a punching bag and sends blood spurting from Dio's body. Blood splatters on the stone mask which erects claws from behind it and the two boys stare at the mask in wonder. Dio's crying like a b$@#h and Joe's father walks in to interrupt the drama - the mask is later seen facing the ground in a sub-window as a voice over continues narrating the storyline along.

» Years later, Joe's father is sick and Dio attends to him everyday. Joe later finds information which leads him to believe that Dio poisoned his own father and is now poisoning his father. He accuses Dio and throws him out and goes off to find evidence of Dio's treachery....

» Voice acting accompanies all of the dialogue boxes in the game.

» After each battle, new items are unlocked in the Gallery and the option to save one's progress is prompted.

» NCS Consensus: Tough game with challenging enemies. Fans of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure will love it however as it recaps the Phantom Blood storyline beautifully and throws in minor and major encounters from the arc.

Region Lock-out
Please note Japanese Playstation 2 games will not boot on USA or European PS2 consoles due to the inherent region-lockout on Playstation 2 game discs.