Namco × Capcom

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Namco × Capcom
Namco × Capcom Box.
Developer(s) Monolith Soft
Publisher(s) Namco (Japan)
Platform(s) PlayStation 2
Release date JPN May 26, 2005
Genre(s) Crossover, Action RPG/Tactical RPG
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) CERO: 12+
Media DVD-ROM

Namco × Capcom (ナムコ クロス カプコン Namuko Kurosu Kapukon?)[1] is a action RPG/tactical RPG hybrid developed by Monolith Soft, featuring characters from games produced by companies Namco and Capcom.

Contents

[edit] Storyline

The year is 20XX (sometime in the twenty-first century), and the game is driven by the characters Arisu Reiji and Xiaomu (original characters created specifically for this game). The two of them work for a special unit called Shinra and they are tasked with investigating spirit and otherworldly disturbances. They are initially investigating a strange "sleeping sickness" in the Shibuya area of Japan, when it becomes apparent that something much larger is at stake. Characters, both good and evil, from other times and other worlds begin appearing in Japan in the year 20XX.

[edit] Gameplay

Screenshot featuring Valkyrie.
Screenshot featuring Valkyrie.
Felicia and King II fighting together.
Felicia and King II fighting together.

The game is a hybrid of an action-RPG and a strategy-RPG. Movement is done on a square grid with turns being determined by figuring out which character has the highest AP (this AP system is comparable to the CT system used in Final Fantasy Tactics). On the player's turn, he or she can move his character into position and choose to attack an enemy.

At this point the game switches into the action-RPG portion. Your character has a number of "Branches" they can use. Each direction on the directional pad combined with the circle button will perform an attack. Each attack uses up 1 branch. If you perform a certain number of Aerial Chains (hitting the enemy in mid-air), you will gain bonuses, such as items, super meter, extra damage, more branches to use in this turn. Bonuses other than items are converted into extra Experience Points at the end of an attack sequence. Upon filling up the character's Special Gauge they can use the Triangle button to perform a special attack. They will also be able to select a Multiple Assault attack if their units on the board meet the conditions. Defense also puts the player in the action-RPG mode, this time blocking to reduce the enemy's damage. Successfully blocking attacks will also increase the amount of AP the player's unit has.

There are 50 levels total (45 normal and 5 prologue) and the game will take from around 70-100 hours to complete.

[edit] Original characters

[edit] Protagonists

Reiji Arisu (有栖零児, Arisu Reiji)

The main protagonist of the game. His father was killed 10 years ago in one of the many ongoing fights between Shinra and Ouma. Reiji is, often described by his partner Xiaomu, "a sullen tight-ass", which prompts Reiji to shoot a jokingly made comeback. While he may not show it, he cares deeply for Xiaomu, even if he shoots down several of her comments, jokes or not. He carries a case containing 2 swords and a shotgun; each of the swords has an element associated with it. He also has a handgun holstered on his waist.

Xiaomu (小牟, Shaomu)

Fellow protagonist as well, Xiaomu is known as a "mystic fox" with an age of 765 years. She was partners in the Shinra organization with Reiji's father, Shougo Arisu, 10 years ago, until his death. Xiaomu often portrays a bit of a flirty nature towards Reiji, though he often ignores it. Aside from poking Reiji's buttons, she can become a little protective of Reiji when the subject of his father's death comes around, or Saya. She wields an ice elemental cane sword styled after a Shakujo staff, as well as a handgun. She is also able to use magic attacks, such as energy rays from her finger, with which she provides most of the duo's ranged attacks.

[edit] Antagonists

Saya (沙夜 Saya)

Like Xiaomu, Saya is a werefox, however, she is born in Japan and not China. She was involved with the incident that happened with Arisu Shougo and Xiaomu 10 years ago, which is why Xiaomu holds a grudge against her. Opposite to Xiaomu, Saya is with the rival organization of Shinra: Ouma. Saya upholds a rather odd personality-she can never seem to be upset and usually remains calm and overly flirty in contrast to that of her Chinese werefox counterpart. Her pet names for Reiji and Xiaomu are 'boy' and 'little one'.

99 (九十九 Kyū jū Kyū)

An enemy sealed in the Abyss of Time 10 years ago; the Ouma Project culminates with its release. It has deep ties with the Arisu clan.

Katana (片那 Katana)

A supposedly made complete clone of Saya, though physical resemblance is questionable. Saya says it is part of the Ouma Project.

[edit] Character list

This is a list of significant characters that make an appearance in Namco x Capcom. This list is under construction, as many of the characters are from lesser known titles or older games, and therefore a bit hard to identify or pin down a correct spelling.

Name First Appearance Year Company Role Voice Actor
Allosaurus Dino Crisis 2 2000 Capcom Enemy Not Voiced
Amazona Wonder Momo 1987 Namco Enemy Kumiko Watanabe
Andaba Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco NPC Ally/Shopkeeper
Armor King Tekken 1994 Namco Both Not Voiced
Arthur Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985 Capcom Ally Fumihiko Tachiki
Astaroth Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985 Capcom Enemy Hideaki Nonaka
Black Bravo Bravoman 1988 Namco Enemy Tomokazu Seki
Black Valkyrie The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Enemy Kikuko Inoue
Bravoman Bravoman 1988 Namco Ally Tetsu Inada
Bruce McGivern Resident Evil: Dead Aim 2003 Capcom Ally Hiroaki Hirata
Cammy White Super Street Fighter II 1993 Capcom Both Akiko Komoto
Captain Commando Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Ally Ryotaro Okiayu
Charade Soul Calibur II 2002 Namco Enemy Not Voiced
Chun-Li Street Fighter II 1991 Capcom Ally Atsuko Tanaka
Demitri Maximoff Darkstalkers 1994 Capcom Ally Nobuyuki Hiyama
Devil Kazuya Tekken (PSX) 1994 Namco Enemy Masanori Shinohara
Druaga Tower of Druaga 1984 Namco Enemy
Druk Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Enemy
Enma Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco NPC Ally
Evil Ryu Street Fighter Alpha 2 1996 Capcom Enemy Toshiyuki Morikawa
Felicia Darkstalkers 1994 Capcom Ally Kae Araki
Fong Ling Resident Evil: Dead Aim 2003 Capcom Ally Kae Araki
Gilgamesh Tower of Druaga 1984 Namco Ally Akira Ishida
Gouki (Akuma) Super Street Fighter II Turbo 1994 Capcom Enemy Tomomichi Nishimura
Grandmaster Meio Strider 1989 Capcom Enemy Tetsuo Mizutori
Guntz Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament 2002 Namco Ally Takahiro Sakurai
Guy Final Fight 1989 Capcom Ally Tetsuya Iwanaga
Heihachi Mishima Tekken 1994 Namco Ally Daisuke Gōri
Hideo Shimazu Rival Schools: United By Fate 1998 Capcom Ally Tetsuo Mizutori
Hiromi Tengenji Burning Force 1989 Namco Ally Chisa Yokoyama
Hoover (Baby Head) Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Ally Yuko Sasamoto
Ishtar Tower of Druaga 1984 Namco NPC Ally
Janga Klonoa Heroes: Densetsu no Star Medal 2002 Namco Enemy Nobuyuki Hiyama
Jennety (Mack the Knife) Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Ally Not Voiced
Jin Kazama (Tekken 4 Outfit) Tekken 3 1997 Namco Ally Isshin Chiba
Joka Klonoa: Door to Phantomile 1997 Namco Enemy Toshio Furukawa
Judas (Leon Magnus) Tales of Destiny 2 2002 Namco Both Hikaru Midorikawa
Juli Street Fighter Alpha 3 1998 Capcom Enemy Akiko Kōmoto
Juni Street Fighter Alpha 3 1998 Capcom Enemy Akiko Kōmoto
Kamuz The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Enemy
Karin Kanzuki Street Fighter Alpha 3 1998 Capcom Ally Miho Yamada
Ken Masters Street Fighter 1987 Capcom Ally Tetsuya Iwanaga
Ki (pronounced "Kai") Tower of Druaga 1984 Namco Ally Rie Tanaka
King II Tekken 3 1994 Namco Ally Not Voiced
Kiso Yoshinaka Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco Enemy
Klonoa Klonoa: Door to Phantomile 1997 Namco Ally Kumiko Watanabe
Kobun (Servbot) Rockman DASH 1997 Capcom Ally Chisa Yokoyama
KOS-MOS Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 2002 Namco Ally Mariko Suzuki
Krino Xandra (Whirlo) The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Ally Yuuji Ueda
Kyoko Minazuki Rival Schools: United By Fate 1998 Capcom Ally Kotono Mitsuishi
Lei-Lei (Hsien-Ko) Night Warriors: Darkstalkers Revenge 1995 Capcom Ally Michiko Neya
Lilith Aensland Darkstalkers 3 1997 Capcom Both Yuka Imai
Lolo Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil 2001 Namco NPC Ally Not Voiced
Minamoto no Yoritomo Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco Enemy
Minamoto no Yoshitsune Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco Enemy Isshin Chiba
Mitsurugi Heishiro Soul Edge 1995 Namco Ally Toshiyuki Morikawa
Mike Haggar Final Fight 1989 Capcom Ally Tesshō Genda
MOMO Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 2002 Namco Ally Rumi Shishido
Morrigan Aensland Darkstalkers 1994 Capcom Ally Yayoi Jinguji
Nebiros Ghosts 'n Goblins 1985 Capcom Enemy
Ninety Nine Original 2005 Namco Enemy Mizutani Yuuko
Ogre & True Ogre Tekken 3 1996 Namco Enemy
Pooka (Red & Blue) Dig Dug 1982 Namco Enemy
Red Arremer Joker Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (GBA) 2002 Capcom Enemy Takahiro Sakurai
Regina Dino Crisis 1999 Capcom Ally Atsuko Tanaka
Reiji Arisu Original 2005 Namco Ally Kazuhiko Inoue
Rock Walnut (MegaMan) Rockman DASH 1997 Capcom Ally Mayumi Tanaka
Rockman Juno (MegaMan Juno) Rockman DASH 1997 Capcom Enemy Akira Ishida
Roll Caskett Rockman DASH 1997 Capcom Ally Keiko Yokozawa
Rose Street Fighter Alpha 1995 Capcom Both Michiko Neya
Rutee Kartret (Rutee Katrea) Tales of Destiny 1997 Namco Ally Yuka Imai
Ryu Street Fighter 1987 Capcom Ally Toshiyuki Morikawa
Sabine The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Ally Ayako Kawasumi
Saito Musashibo Benkei Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco Enemy Daisuke Gōri
Sakura Kasugano Street Fighter Alpha 2 1996 Capcom Ally Yuko Sasamoto
Saya Original 2005 Namco Enemy Yuko Mizutani
Shion Uzuki Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 2002 Namco Ally Ai Maeda
Sho (Ginzu the Ninja) Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Ally Hideyuki Hori
Shturm Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Enemy
Shturm Jr. Captain Commando 1991 Capcom Enemy
Solo Strider 1989 Capcom Enemy
Stahn Aileron Tales of Destiny 1997 Namco Ally Tomokazu Seki
Strider Hien Strider 2 1999 Capcom Enemy Kousuke Toriumi
Strider Hiryu Strider 1989 Capcom Ally Kousuke Toriumi
Sylphie Forgotten Worlds 1988 Capcom Ally/Shopkeeper Rie Tanaka
Taira no Kagekiyo Genpei ToumaDen 1986 Namco Ally Ryotaro Okiayu
Taizo Hori Dig Dug 1982 Namco Ally Toshio Furukawa
Taki Soul Edge 1995 Namco Ally Fujiko Takimoto
Tarosuke Yokai Douchuuki 1987 Namco Ally Fujiko Takimoto
Toby Masuyo Baraduke 1985 Namco Ally Yuko Mizutani
Tong poo Strider 1989 Capcom Enemy
Tron Bonne Rockman DASH 1997 Capcom Ally Mayumi Iizuka
Unknown Soldier 1P Forgotten Worlds 1988 Capcom Ally Akio Otsuka
Unknown Soldier 2P Forgotten Worlds 1988 Capcom Ally Tesshō Genda
Valkyrie The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Ally Kikuko Inoue
Vega (M. Bison) Street Fighter II 1991 Capcom Enemy Tomomichi Nishimura
Waya Hime Bravoman 1988 Namco Both Mariko Suzuki
Wonder Momo Wonder Momo 1987 Namco Ally Ayako Kawasumi
Xiaomu Original 2005 Namco Ally Omi Minami
Zabel Zarock (Lord Raptor) Darkstalkers 1997 Capcom Enemy Yuuji Ueda
Zouna The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Enemy
Zule The Legend of Valkyrie 1989 Namco Shopkeeper Kenichi Mochizuki

[edit] Staff

Director: Soichiro Morizumi (Monolithsoft; formerly of Banpresto, directed many games in the Super Robot Wars series)
Producer: Koji Ishitani (Monolithsoft; formerly of Banpresto)
Character Illustration: Takuji Kawano (Namco; did character art for Soul Calibur II)
Opening animation by Production I.G
Opening/Ending themes composed by Yuzo Koshiro and sung by "flair"

[edit] Manga

There is a Manga Anthology published for the game.

[edit] Trivia

  • The game's main characters, Reiji and Xiaomu, were inspired by Kyosuke Nanbu and Excellen Browning, both originally from the Super Robot Wars Compact 2 trio of Super Robot Wars games, which were also directed by Soichiro Morizumi.
  • The low-level original enemies are all derived from Japanese folklore. (See Kamaitachi, Tengu, and Ox-Head and Horse-Face)
  • All of the items, consumable and equippable, come from previous Namco or Capcom games.
  • Sylphie's attacks are all taken from classic Capcom arcade games, such as Trojan, Gun.Smoke, and Pirate Ship Higemaru, and for her super move, she transforms temporarily into characters from Alien vs. Predator, Legendary Wings, Street Fighter 3, and Warzard(Linn Kurosawa, Michelle Heart, Makoto and Mai-Ling respectively). Her counter dodge is from Bionic Commando (she zips out of the way on a wire), and her counterattack mimics Jin Saotome's super move from Marvel Vs. Capcom, in which Blodia from Cyberbots: Full Metal Madness (which Jin pilots in that game) punches the enemy away from offscreen.
  • The Unknown Soldiers are backed up by super-deformed versions of the players' robots from Side Arms Hyper Dyne; during their Multiple Assault with Sylphie, called "Zettai Gattai," the two robots combine into a single robot, reminiscent of the two-player cooperative mode in which both players could control the combined robot in the original game. During the epilogue, Sylphie offers to replace the robots with the ones from Solvalou.
  • Although not a playable character, Pac-Man appears in background elements in two stages of the game. In one stage, which takes place outside the Namco Theatre, there are two statues of him. Another stage, a computer control room, has monitors along the walls which display data on Pac-Man. Also, Klonoa's hat bears the Pac-Man symbol.
  • Reiji, Xiaomu and KOS-MOS would later make appearance in Mugen no Frontier: Super Robot Wars OG Saga along with other original characters exclusively for the game. Recently, Saya has been confirmed to return as well.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Pronounced as "Namco Cross Capcom". The '×' symbol denotes that the two series are, in a sense, multiplied together and is used in the same fashion a '+' or '&' might be used. In normal writing, the × is usually replaced with an 'x' or 'X'.

[edit] External links