Introduction to Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross

We had an Introduction to Ougon Musou Kyoku before (in 2011) but that post is outdated and we feel that we can add a lot of things so here's the 2nd version.

Reasons why you should play Ougon Musou Kyoku

• It has no comeback mechanics. (Example: Deal massive/extra damage when having less HP or dying)
• It's a fighting game for competitive play that actually needs skills to win. (Not a party game)
• Strong art direction.
• Story is based on a novel, not a filler like most fighting games.
• 19 playable characters.
• Long combos are either "burstable" or interruptable.
• Not a game of "airdashers."
• Generally no air-blocking.
• Metaworld system lets you add frame advantage to your actions.
• No true aerial combo.
• Projectiles are not overpowered nor useless.
• There's Guard Crush like Street Fighter Zero. (This encourages offensive playstyles)
• A normal move also deals chip damage when blocked. (This encourages offensive playstyles)
• It requires more strategies than other fighting games.
• Tag system eliminates bad matchups of characters.
• The tag system prevents a one-character show.
• Great camera work.
• It's alright if you can't even do a Hadoken or Shoryuken. It has Princess Mode!
• "The best fighting game of all time" - Beast Note

Background
Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Ougon Musou Kyoku (うみねこのなく頃に「黄金夢想曲」) is a fighting game spin-off from a popular novel game that was later made into a 26-episode anime and 45+ volumes of manga.

• A fan translation project of the Umineko no Naku Koro ni novel game can be found here.
• The anime was officially released in North America in December 2012.
• The official English version of the manga is being released since November 2012.

Ougon Musou Kyoku first started off as a "doujin" (self-published work sold in events or specific shops) PC game. (late December 2010) A game with "doujin quality" usually has low production value, and is cheap. But this game, while being doujin work, has higher production value than many other games released on consoles. It delivers quality gameplay. It has Training Mode, Replay Mode, and simple Online Mode. They even hired all the famous voice actors/actresses from the anime.

Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross append disc was released in late 2011. It adds 8 new characters and applies big changes to the game.

What you need to play Ougon Musou Kyoku Cross

• Ougon Musou Kyoku (PC software. It's required to play Cross.)
• Ougon Musou Kyuku Cross (PC software. Install this after original game.)
• Latest update (version 2.31) (Install this after Cross.) 
• New opening movie (optional) (Replace the file in MOVIE folder.)

Game modes

• Arcade - Story mode, you can unlock pictures in gallery and system voices here
• Versus - Local match (offline player vs. player), CPU match, online match, watch replay
• Training - Training mode, you can display input and record dummy
• Option - Rules and system config, gallery mode, your stats (clear time, character usages, max combo, max damage)

Things you probably want to know

• This PC game doesn't have auto-matching for online play. To play online, you need to enter IP address of your partner to connect or give away yours. (However, you can train while waiting.)
• A cheap CPU with decent graphics card will run this game fine. (Make sure DirectX is properly installed.)
• Your PC should be able to display Japanese language (Just change system locale to Japanese.) for installation and configuration (such as button mapping).
• This game supports controller.

Where and how to buy
These online shops below sell the products but they won't ship outside Japan. You'll need to find a way to import yourself if you're outside Japan.

• Ougon Musou Kyoku at Animate
• Ougon Musou Kyoku at Toranoana
• Ougon Musou Kyuku Cross at Animate
• Ougon Musou Kyuku Cross at Toranoana

Amiami has international shipping but they don't have OMK and OMK Cross in stock anymore. You may try to contact them asking for restock.


Gameplay and systems

HUD

1. Your Meta Gauge (You can declare Meta Sekai only when it glows red.)
2. SP Gauge of on-screen character
3. Break Gauge (Full = Guard Break)
4. SP Gauge of off-screen character
5. Touch Gauge (Change = Tag OK, Wait = Can't tag)
6. This circle indicates that the character is currently under effect of an ability.
7. This crown icon means the player is playing in Princess Mode.
8. Round Count (This won't show if your settings is one round a game.)


Touch System (Tag System)
Ougon Musou Kyoku is a tag team fighting game, but the tag system is not just a gimmick. Because of how you gain SP, you'll need to learn when to tag and when/how to spend your SP gauges.

Two characters you choose share the same health bar, but have separated SP gauges. They must work together as on-screen character doesn't gain SP for its actions and anything you do will give SP to off-screen character instead. Switching or "Touch" (as the game calls) between two characters also helps you continue a combo or escape a combo.

There're 5 kinds of Touch

• Normal Touch = Just press the Touch button. This's the "Raw Tag." It can restore "recoverable health."
• Attack Touch = Press Touch button when you hit the opponent. The character that jumps in can continue a combo. It also works as an overhead attack (must block standing).
• Guard Touch = Press Touch button when blocking an attack. Cost 1 SP gauge from the partner. It also helps you escape from a block string AND gives you frame advantage.
• Damage Touch = Press Touch button when taking damage. Cost 2 SP gauges from the partner. It can break opponent's combo and also pushes him away ("Burst").
• Assault Touch = 236 (Hadoken)+Touch button. Cost 2 SP gauges from the partner. Your character is invincible while charging toward the opponent.

After a Touch you'll need to wait for a while until you can do it again. The cooldown will be showed via the Touch Gauge. The type of Touch you use will determine how long you'll wait. Normal Touch is risky but gives the shortest cooldown, only around 2.5 seconds. Attack Touch gives around 5.5 seconds. Guard Touch gives around 8.5 seconds. Damage Touch gives around 15.5 seconds. Assault Touch gives around 14.5 seconds.

Meta Sekai (Metaworld)
One SP gauge is required to declare Meta Sekai. Meta Declaration is done by pressing all 3 attack buttons (ABC) at the same time. There're so many benefits if you can enter your world.

• You gain frame advantage the moment you enter.
• You can cancel recovery frame of the move you do before your Meta Sekai.
• You can use Meta exclusive move "Meta Special" as many times as you like.
• Two of your abilities are activated at the same time. 

Furthermore, your opponent can't declare his Meta Sekai in yours, so this will also delay his progress.

Meta Challenge
Meta Declaration can be negated by Meta Objection which requires 2 SP gauges. However, Meta Objection itself can also be continued by Meta Redeclaration for 2 SP gauges. The challenge ends when one side doesn't have enough SP to perform the action or simply chooses to let it go.

If your Objection is successful, the opponent won't be able to declare a new one for a while (on cooldown). Though the failed Objection won't be useless. Each Objection will reduce the Meta clock by 25% each time.

In case both players have 5 SP, the situation will be like this.

1. You declare Meta. (5-1=4) *If successful you get 100% Meta clock
2. He objects. (5-2=3)
3. You redeclare. (4-2=2) *If successful you get 75% Meta clock
4. He objects again. (3-2=1)
5. You redeclare. (2-2=0) *If successful you get 50% Meta clock
6. He can't object now because he only has 1 SP left.

The Meta Objection is also done by pressing all 3 attack buttons (ABC) at the same time during your opponent's Meta Declaration.

Think wisely before you object a Meta. If you think your opponent is not going to do massive damage from it then let it go. In the same way, you can declare a Meta just to bait out opponent's SP.

SP Gauge
This gauge is filled by both doing and taking damage. You choose to spend the SP for Meta Declaration/Objection or doing SP moves. Similar to Street Fighter's EX moves, SP moves are the stronger version of the special moves. You do it by just pressing two buttons at the same time (AB) instead of one. If you see SP Button in the command list, it means pressing Light (A) and Medium (B) at the same time.

Example: Battler's Blue Truth (236+A or B or C) is a projectile that only goes half screen. But SP Blue Truth (236+AB) can go fullscreen and do more damage.

There's also a unique kind of SP moves in every characters nicknamed "Ranbu." All Ranbu is done by the same command which is 236236+C. Ranbu is costly as it requires 2 SP gauges but it's useful in certain situations. George's Ranbu can reset opponent's Touch Gauge, making the opponent unable to "burst" out of his combo, for example.

Ability
You can activate a character's ability by using Normal Touch, Assault Touch, or Meta Sekai.

1. If Character A does a Normal Touch with Character B, Character B who jumps in will get the effect of Character A's ability.
2. If Character A does an Assault Touch with Character B, Character B who jumps in will get the effect of Character A's ability.
3. Character who declares a Meta Sekai will get the effects of his own ability AND his partner's ability.

Effect wears off when the magic circle under the character disappears. How long the effect will last varies. The effect given by Bernkastel's Normal Touch lasts 15 seconds, Beatrice's is 10 seconds, Ronove's is 7 seconds, for example.

Each character has a unique ability

• Battler [Resurrection] = Gradually increase health.
• Beatrice [Infinity SP] = One time only, an SP special move doesn't cost SP gauge.
• Ange [Stun Boost] = Your attack does more Stun damage, making opponent dizzy easier.
• Lucifer [Attack Touch] = One time only, you can do an Attack Touch without cost or waiting.
• Shannon [Auto guard] = Auto-guard when possible.
• Kanon [Silent Attack] = Opponent gains less SP from your attacks.
• Virgilia [Brimful] = Gradually increase SP of both of your characters.
• Ronove [Counter Boost] = Increase counter-attack damage.
• Eva Beatrice [Berserk] = Increase attack power.
• Chiester 410 [Break Boost] = Your attacks fill your opponent's Break Gauge faster.
• Jessica [Shave Boost] = Increase chip damage.
• George [Patience] = Your (on-screen) character gain SP every time you block an attack. 
• Rosa [Detachment] = Make your attack reset your opponent's Touch Gauge upon hitting. This makes your opponent unable to tag for a while.
• Erika [Force Counter] = The first hit to connect opponent will always be a counter hit.
• Dlanor [Armor Boost] = Increase defense powers. (Opponent does less damage.)
• Willard [SP Cancel] = One time only, special moves can be cancelled into special moves in higher tiers.
• Lambdadelta [Ultra PER] = Instantly reset Break Gauge to zero.
• Bernkastel [Meta Boost] = Your Meta Sekai lasts longer and the cooldown between a declaration is also shorten.
• Black Battler [Massacre] = You gain life from doing damage.

Health and Stun
Although your team share the same HP bar, each character has different amount of HP and dizzy resistance.

For example:
Black Battler has lowest HP.
Lucifer, Eva, Bernkastel have lowest dizzy resistance.

Control

• This game has 3 attack buttons: Light (A), Medium (B), Strong (C).
• You can dash forward and back dash.
• High Jump = Crouch and jump immediately.
• Touch button for switching character.
• Appeal button slightly increases health.
• Throw = Press BC at the same time. (Can also use to escape a throw)
• SP button = Press AB at the same time. Used for doing SP moves.
• Meta Declaration/Objection = Press ABC at the same time.
• Ukemi (Safe Fall) = Press any attack button in the air while falling.
• Dash Cancel = Dash after standing C attack connected. (Used to continue combo.)

Special status

• Stun (or dizzy) = Unable to move or attack or defend or tag in partner.
• Nullify = Two moves from both players can sometimes push each other if the hitboxes connect.
• Counter Hit = A counter attack deals more damage than usual.
• Guard Break = When your Break Gauge is full, you can't block for a second.

Other game mechanics

• Taking several hits in short period of time can cause dizzy. You're unable to do anything when dizzy, except denying a throw.
• It's possible to attack opponent while he's lying on the floor in the first few frames after a knockdown. This's called Down Attack. The attack won't do full damage, however.
• A normal move deals chip damage when blocked.
• There is Damage Scaling. (Longer combo means less damage.)
• In some situation, you can attack twice in the air in one jump.
• At character select screen, you can choose between 2 control types - Normal Mode and Princess Mode. Princess Mode lets you do special moves by pressing only one button or so. It's basically Easy Mode.

Option and settings

• Japanese players normally play under this settings: 3 life bars, 180 seconds, 1 round.
• You can change System Voice (same as match announcer) here.
• You can unlock user-submitted pictures in gallery by just seeing loading screen. The pictures you see are what you unlocked. You can also choose not to display these pictures.
• You can turn off Normal Mode or Princess Mode so it never ask you to choose again at character select screen.
• Replay options: Autosave all, Ask each time, Never save.

Screen mode and button mapping
You can access this in Bootup.exe in the game folder. Note that if you choose Window mode you can resize using mouse scroll.

This game only needs 4 buttons to play: Light, Medium, Strong, Touch. But you also need a Start button to pause the game.

Future development
It looks like 07 Expansion, the game developer, has no intention to continue Ougon Musou Kyoku project. But this may change if a lot of people ask about it. You love the game? You want to see it on PlayStation Network? You want to buy download version? You want to see a sequel? You want it localized? Let them know at 07 Expansion's official Twitter.