Code Chronos is a 2D fighting game developed by Orange Soft and published by ACS. Released in 2006 for Arcades (ACS System 201++), PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
In 2013, the game was re-released for the Samsung Zeo as a downloadable title for its LIVEPLAY Store.
Gameplay[]
The game plays mostly like ACS' previous game Fight or Die, with a heavy emphasis on comboing.
The game uses a four-button syste, which consist of Kick, Blunt, Slash and Refle. By combining button presses with d-pad/joystick motions, the player can perform special, super and burst attacks, the latter can only be performed when the Instinct meter is filled at a certain level.
Like its predecessor, Code Chronos features instant-kill attacks called "Execution Finishes", which can only be done at match point, when the player's Instinct meter is full and the enemy has less than 30% life remaining.
Code Chronos also features new gameplay mechanics: Parrying, which can be done by pressing block slightly before the enemy's attack hits and costs a fraction of the Parry meter, located below the life bar, and Character Abilities, which give the character certain individual skills. Each character (except boss Ash) has three abilities. The abilities can be seen on the character select screen and are shown as icons. The abilities are as follows:
- Anti-Stun (characters can recover from a stun period faster)
- High Jump (characters can do a high jump by pressing up twice)
- Charge Attack (characters can charge special attacks for added damage)
- Aerial Specials (characters can use special attacks while jumping)
- Safe Parry (characters can do parries while consuming less of the Parry meter)
- Quick Parry (characters can do parries with less timing)
- Safe Burst (characters can do burst attacks while consuming less of the Instinct meter
- Quick Gain (characters can fill their Instinct meter faster)
There are 9 stages in normal gameplay (7 fights with basic characters, one mirror match and the boss fight with Ash). By default, each stage is a two-out-of -three wins match composed of "encounters" (the announcer says it as: By Order & Chaos, Encounter 1, Clash!).
Story[]
After a chain of calamities devastated the Earth, the worldwide comglomerate FutureTech decided to create the world's first fully functional time machine in order to transport the survivors to the past to give them enough time to reverse the calamities' effects. This was known as the "Chronos project".
However, during their journey to the past, the time machine broke down, which caused not only the death of the survivor but also triggered a large-scale time shift, which led to a rapid day-night shift every 6 hours, as well as sudden deaths of elderly people, due to rapid aging weakening their bodies, and unborn children, due to unintentional abortion because of the time shift affecting the birthdates of the infants.
Kain, assisted by a girl named Faye Kurosawa, discovered that the breakdown of the time machine, whch caused the time shift, was not accidental and was caused by a certain entity.
The entity turns out to be Azh, who was also the head of the Chronos project
Characters[]
- Kain (Voiced by: Masaki Terasoma)
Lead character. A mysterious man with a shady demeanor. Fights with his great sword Fatalys. (Anti-Stun, Charge Attack, Quick Gain)
- Faye Kurosawa (Voiced by: Mamiko Noto)
A young girl with no memory of her past. Fights with dual bladed tonfas. (High Jump, Charge Attack, Safe Parry)
- Renji (Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura)
Kain's brother and friendly rival. Fights with a katana (Aerial Specials, Safe Parry, Quick Parry)
- L.D. 50 (Voiced by:)
A blob-like artificial creature. Fights by changing into different forms (Anti-Stun, Safe Burst, Quick Gain)
- Rick Durst (Voiced by:)
A burly bounty hunter who has an obsession with money. Fights with his fists (Anti-Stun, Charge Attack, Safe Burst)
- Mia (Voiced by:)
A spunky female detective known for her quick wit and attractiveness. Fights with two pocketknives chained to her wrists. (Charge Attack, Quick Parry, Safe Burst)
- Rammstein (Voiced by:)
A nazi soldier resurrected from his long slumber by the time shift. Fights with various weaponry. (Charge Attack, Aerial Specials, Quick Gain)
- Astrid (Voiced by: )
A professional assassin tasked to eliminate those who harm Aah. Fights with several firearms (Aerial Specials, Quick Parry, Safe Burst)
- Lisa Shaddix (Voiced by: )
A young gifted child who uses her intelligence to serve for Ash. Fights with a cyborg suit she created. (Anti-Stun, High Jump, Charge Attack)
- Helena Valentine (Voiced by: Atsuko Tanaka)
Azh' mistress who is madly obsessed with him. Fights with a whip. (High Jump, Aerial Specials, Quick Gain)
- Azh (Voiced by: Ken'yu Horiuchi)
Former head of the Chronos project and the entity responsible for the time shift. Fights with his robotic arms (all Character Abilities as boss/Anti-Stun, Aerial Specials and Quick Parry as playable) [Final Boss]
Code Chronos One-X[]
Code Chronos One-X is an arcade-only update of Code Chronos. Code Chronos One-X contains additional content such as new moves, redesigned stages and a tournament-legal version of the final boss Ash, which was an unlockable in the console version. As of this writing, Code Chronos One-X is only available to Japanese arcades, although the console version of Code Chronos is based on the One-X update.
Sequel[]
A sequel to the game, Code Chronos: Eve of Destruction, was released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It featured new characters as well as new gameplay mechanics and stages.