X-Kaliber 2097

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X-Kaliber 2097
Developer(s)	Fupac Winds
Publisher(s)	JPN Toshiba EMI NA Activision EU Sony Imagesoft
Platform(s)	Super Famicom/Super NES
Release date	JPN February 11, 1994 NA February, 1994
Genre(s)	Action
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	not rated
Media	8-megabit cartridge

X-Kaliber 2097, released as Sword Maniac (ソード・マニアック, Sōdo Maniakku^?) in Japan, is a Super NES action game published by Activision. The game takes place in the near-anarchic future of the year 2097, in which the world's economy has been devastated, governments have collapsed, and organized crime has gained dramatic influence. The game belongs to the retrofuturistic subgenre of cyberpunk, as it attempts to portray a distant future based on a lack of knowledge of future (now present) events. (see Retro-futurism)

X-Kaliber 2097's American soundtrack was arranged by 90s electronic/industrial music group Psykosonik. Psykosonik's soundtrack became an unusually large part of the game's marketing, and was often plugged in marketing blurbs. ^[1] The soundtrack is also mentioned on the game packaging, and has its own section in the game manual.

The Japanese version features music by Hayato Matsuo and Hitoshi Sakimoto, as well as a completely different storyline and script (with different names for every character) than the one that was given in the English localization of the game.

[edit] Gameplay

In X-Kaliber 2097, the player guides a swordsman named Slash through a side-scrolling environment. Boss encounters take place as one-on-one matches in the style of versus fighting games.

[edit] Characters

• Slash/Gear

The main protagonist and the current owner of the legendary sword, X-Kaliber. His goal is bring peace and order to the world. Many of his enemies, especially Raptor, wish to acquire his sword for their own dastardly purposes.

• Alix/Cynthia

Slash's female partner. Alix is taken hostage by Raptor as a bargaining chip for X-Kaliber. Later, Alix becomes a vessel for Krux's consciousness. Alix is freed when Krux was defeated.

• Raptor/Zieg Dyne

The warlord ruler of Neo New York. He has terrorized the city into submission and imposes order with the aid of the Morphs, a mysterious race of powerful, monstrous beings. He claims to be the brother of Slash and even carries his own mystic sword, though this weapon was inferior when compared to X-Kaliber. Unknown to all but himself, Raptor has secured the aid of an alien gangster named Krux.

• Kane/Cocktail

Raptor's lieutenant. Cocktail is the only person privy to Raptor's secret plans. He also deals with the many criminal elements under Raptor's control. In combat, Cocktail uses his cane like a sword and can throw his hat like a flying blade (similar to Oddjob of the James Bond movies).

• Tattoo/Tattoo Man

A large green-skinned humanoid with a tattoo of a rose on his chest. He carries a large sword and can sprout vines from his rose tattoo as a form of offense. A steel mask covers the lower half of his face. Tattoo serves Cocktail as a chief enforcer and assassin.

• Chainsaw

An android that looks human at first, but later his robotic nature becomes obvious as he takes damage in combat (similar to the Terminator). Chainsaw carries a large machine gun in his human appearance, but his right arm becomes a real chainsaw later in combat.

• Dr. Blast

An insane scientist who serves as Raptor's chief scientist. Dr. Blast performs research on the Morphs, seeking better ways for them to serve Raptor's needs. When he encounters Slash, Dr. Blast carries a sample of experimental insect DNA serum. When he consumes this sample, he mutates into a human-sized amalgamation of several insects including a mosquito, a dragonfly, and a spider.

• Spuke

Krux's lieutenant. A pale blue-skinned humanoid with long blonde hair wearing a jester's costume. He claims that Slash's sword, X-Kaliber, once belonged to Krux and intends to retrieve it.

• Krux

An alien crime lord from outer space. He makes a deal with Raptor to secure his aid in taking over the world. In fact, the Morphs are from Krux's retinue. Krux's ultimate goal is to capture every resource on Earth for his own selfish purposes, to use up or destroy as he pleases.

[edit] References