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ASCII Art by SpYderGraVe

Gungrave FAQ V 1.1 (Final)
Written by Wong Si Yuan
First Written 30th July 2002
---

Contents:
0.0 - FAQ Overview and Legal Stuff
      0.1 - Updates
1.0 - Introduction to Gungrave
2.0 - Controls & Interface
      2.1 - Demolition shots Defined
      2.2 - General Tips
3.0 - Explaination of Score & Difficulty system
4.0 - Stage Guide
5.0 - Extras Menu
6.0 - Tidbits about Gungrave
7.0 - Credits
8.0 - Contact me

---

0.0 - FAQ Overview and Legal Stuff -

This FAQ will, among other things, do its best to get you at least 4
skulls, if not 5, in each stage. It also comprises of bits and pieces
of the manual for the benefit of those who can't read Japanese, plus
some Other Stuff. All credit will be given whenever possible.

All new updates to this FAQ can be found on www.gamefaqs.com.

Also, this FAQ is protected by international copyright laws to Wong Si
Yuan, etc. etc. etc. If you wish to post, do so with my knowledge
(and blessings) by Contacting Me if possible. Don't copy it in part or
in whole, no plagarism, this FAQ is NOT for profit, blah blah blah. If
you want to find a loophole in this regard, I Hereby Cover Them All.
So There. Now enjoy.

--
0.1 - Updates

3rd August 2002 - 1.01: Correction to the voice actor role of Masaya
Onosaka. Thanks to bebpo for this one.

4th August 2002 - 1.02: Addendum to Demolition Meter explaination, and
miscellaneous tips I forgot to add. Corrected everything I missed after
my initial look-through. Sorry for making the GameFAQs guy (CJayC)
update this so much. Honto ni Gomen!

5th August 2002 - 1.03: ANOTHER update to the GG FAQ, this time about
the Bulldozer section in stage 3. Also, Dark Grave sends us something
about the Alien Head in stage 6. Added a Seiyuus list under Tidbits.

12th August 2002 - 1.04: More details, more translations (for the
intermediary areas between stages), and more interesting in-game
stuff...

Note: As of V1.04, I will be serving out my conscription for the next
two to three years, so updates will be very few, if any. If I do not
reply, please do NOT spam me! Simply leave it with the Gungrave Board
at http://www.gamefaqs.com and I'll try to access it when I can.

21st September 2002 - More detailed instructions on how to get the
Perfect Artistic Score, and a minor correction to unlocking the
Action Figures extra.

23rd November 2002 - From a question by a fellow gamer, he asked for
a translation of the Japanese Save/Quit menu. I added the instructions
here as well for your convenience.

25th March 2003 - Final update. Minor details such as the American
difficulty levels and the original name for Beyond the Grave.
Please stop emailing me about this.

---

1.0 - Introduction to Gungrave -

What is Gungrave? Gungrave is an arcade style PS2 3rd person shooter
which has you in the boots of Beyond the Grave, an enigmatic and
mysterious gothic cowboy with a mission... and a coffin on his back.

Grave wields a pair of pistols named Cerberus and a coffin slung on
his back which is more than it appears to be. The game takes place over
6 stages in which Grave will Jump, Blast, Smash and generally wreak
havoc through, during which you will be attempting to stay alive while
getting the most impressive record possible.

True to good, old fashioned arcade style gaming, Gungrave is more about
old fashioned blast-the-bad-guys and boasting rights rather than plot
(which is good enough). It does, however, boast some pretty great
outlandish foes which look like they came straight from a certain
Todd McFarlane comic... However, everthing in this game is a pretty
refreshing change from everything you've ever seen in an Anime or Manga.
Enjoy.

All the animation is actually done in 3D, with animated textures for
facial details. You won't be able to tell just by looking, but they
are.

Game concept and Character Design is by Yasuhiro Nightow, best known
for his works in Trigun and Trigun Maximum.

Mechanical, vehicular and equipment design is by Kosuke Fujishima,
best known for his works in Ah! My Goddess!, You're Under Arrest, and
character designer for Sakura Wars.

---

2.0 - Controls & Interface -

Controls -

Controls are relatively straightforward, and pretty easy to get used to.
The only problem is finger fatigue when the action gets too intense!

Left Analogue Stick -
Controls Grave's movement. Holding it down (L3) causes Grave to break
into a Jog that allows him to shoot while moving slightly faster than
usual.

Triangle -
Fires a Demolition Shot. There is a meter in the upper left hand corner
that indicates your store of Demolition shots. Note that using a
Demolition shot makes your invulnerable for the period of the firing,
and that you are vulnerable for a short while AFTER firing.

A Demolition shot is like the 'Bomb' button in other arcade games: You
fire a mega-powerful attack that destroys everything in sight. There
ARE limitations, which is covered in further detail below, but generally
you use these to get out of trouble, and for something "special"...
More details further down.

Circle -
Makes Grave run. While running, Grave cannot shoot.

X -
Makes Grave Jump/Dive. While standing still, Grave will jump very
high. You can use the left analogue stick to move him a little in the air.
While moving, this will make Grave Dive in the direction he is moving
in. While Diving, Grave will fire twice as fast. This has an important
use that I will elaborate later.

Square -
Makes Grave fire. Obviously the most important. While firing, Grave
will lock onto anything in front of him within a specific radius and
his bullets will travel to it. If you repeatedly tap the square button
while standing still, Grave will break out into his 'Burst Mode', where
he goes nuts and starts firing with unbelievable acrobatic skill.
This is extremely fun, but also useful for taking out large numbers of
enemies quickly without resorting to a demolition shot.

L1 -
Lock on. When pressed, Grave will 'Lock On'to the nearest (or most
powerful) enemy. During this period, all his movement will be centered
around that enemy, he can Circle Strafe the enemy, and his shots will
be directed at the enemy with a greater degree of accuracy. If held down
when no enemy is around, or if the enemy is dead, Grave will be able to
Strafe from side to side.
Undeniably useful.

L2 -
180º turn. Grave will hop quickly and turn straight around, ready to
shoot anyone behind him. When held down and used in combination with
the left analogue stick, causes Grave to turn on the spot.

R1 -
Swing coffin. Grave swings his coffin in a 360º arc around him, smashing
anyone and anything that comes in contact with it and causing MASSIVE
damage. It also tends to send most people flying. While swinging the
coffin, you are immune to small arms fire. That does not include Machine
Guns, Missiles, Grenades, Gatling guns, explosions, or Melee attacks.

R2 -
Slow mode. Unlockable after obtaining a certain rank, Slow Mode is not
so much bullet time (a la Max Payne) as it is a drop in FPS. Although not
as impressive, it helps the more flustered players to cope with the
situation better.

Start -
Pauses the game and brings up the menu. (Options covered below)

Select -
Vanity Pose. Grave has three to choose from, at random.

---

2.0 - Controls and Interface -

Interface -

While playing the game, your screen is divided into four interfaces.

In the upper left hand corner is your Demolition Shots meter. The
Skull in the center serves several purposes: The blue meter around it
tells you how much more to store before the next demolition shot
is available, the number in the above left hand corner is the number
of shots available. The skull itself has one last purpose, covered
under '2.1 - Demolition Shots Defined'.

To fill the blue meter up, you need to get at least 20 beats, depending
on difficulty. For every consecutive 20 beats or so within a single
combo, your beat requirement to fill the meter drops. Therefore,
1st Increment - 20 beats
2nd Increment - 35 beats
3rd Increment - 50 beats
4th Increment - 60 beats
5th Increment onwards - every 10. At around 80, it drops to 5.

In the lower left hand corner, which is normally not used, is the
Boss Life meter. This naturally only appears when you are facing the
boss of the stage. Note this does not apply to the first two bosses
you encounter.

In the upper right hand corner is your Life Bar (Red), your Shield
Bar (Green), and your Score.

Your first line of defense is your Shield bar. This 'deathly aura'
of protection protects Grave from any and all attacks directed at
him for a few rounds before being exhausted. The shield can and
will regenerate itself after a few seconds of inactivity, like
Halo's Master Chief shields.

However, should you come under fire for too long, or take too much
damage for even your aura to protect you, your life will start to
drain. This is your last line of defense. When it hits zero, you
die. You can continue, but your score SUFFERS. (More on this later)
Thankfully, you CAN restore it in increments of up to 2/5ths by accessing
the Pause menu. This is next.

The Pause menu only appears when you hit the Start button, naturally.
Under the Pause menu are several options, Sound, Restart, and
Demolition Shots.

Sound -
Under Sound is the BGM volume, SFX volume, and Channel (Mono/Stereo).
Nothing exceptional.

Restart -
Under Restart are the options Restart Stage, and Exit to Title. Restart
stage brings you back to Dr. T's lab. Exit to Title does just that,
bring you back to the title screen. I use the former liberally.

Demolition Shots -
You have 1 Demolition Shot Style by default, Death Blow. The other three
can be unlocked by performing well in each stage, and there is a fifth
option: Restore Health Now.

This is useful if you're near death, don't want to restart the stage,
and don't particularly care for your health ranking. This consumes one
Demolition shot and restores around 2/5ths (amount may vary.) of your
health and all your shields. You can use this while being hit by a
Boss's combo to restore lost shields before he can damage your health.

---

2.1 - Demolition Shots Defined -

As Explained before, Demolition shots are a big part of the fun in
Gungrave. Its obvious use is to get you out of sticky spots, but
besides that they gave you FOUR styles to impress the heck out of
friends and family as well! These styles actually have a use though,
and besides that, there is a special surprise for those playing
Gungrave through the first time. Read on...

Your Demolition shots are as follows:

Death Blow -
Grave fires a single missile at the nearest target, which explodes
and kills everything in front of Grave. I suspect its range is limited,
but I've never seen it do so, so...

Bullet Dance -
Grave spins 360º firing obscene amounts of ammo from his coffin. It
kills everything around him, but has a more limited range than the
Death Blow or the Hellhound Roar.

Hellhound Roar -
Grave fires THREE missiles at everything in front of him, which looks
cool and causes obscene destruction of EVERYTHING in a 180º radius around
Grave. Try this move in places with large numbers of enemies and
exploding barrels.

Raging Inferno -
Grave spins 360º delivering his massive payload of bullets...
then jumps in the air and does it again, delivering more gratituous
death on the way up.

Final Demolition Shot -
From stage 3 onwards, whenever any Boss is near death, the Skull in
the Demolition Shot meter will suddenly glow like it's Halloween. When
that happens, you can activate the 'Final Demolition Shot' (Which I
will now refer to as Graveyard Finisher). This is an over-the-top,
insane finisher that Grave uses to put a Boss out of its misery. Note
that this DOES consume a Demolition Shot round, so make sure to have
one ready. This is readily available no matter how poorly you did in
previous stages. Note that only the 'Final' forms of the bosses can
be 'Finished' this way.

One Demolition style is granted for every 12 or 15 skulls you net
overall. (Not confirmed, but general values should be accurate.)
It is entirely possible to get all four styles at the end of stage 2.

Note: If you think you can use 4 or 5 Demolition shots to finish off a
boss though, think again. Bosses take pathetic amounts of damage from
Demolition shots. This is probably a safeguard for those hoarding 9
shots in every stage (I am guilty as charged. ^^U). Demolition Shots
are only useful as a last ditch effort to avoid serious damage, in
these cases.

Also note that bosses are unaffected by 'Bullet' type Demolition shots.
(Bullet Dance, Raging Inferno) They take no damage and feel nothing.
However, missile type Demolition Shots (Deathblow and Hellhound Roar)
do wonders _to_ their physique. If you have no confidence in fighting
a boss, get a Missile-type Demolition shot ready.

Also, one final note: Enemies behind environmental cover can actually
dodge the effects of a Demolition shot. If someone is behind a corner
and you used, say, a Bullet Dance, it won't hit him so long as you
can't see even a part of him. If he is covered on two sides by walls and
out of sight, a Hellhound Roar may not be enough to reach him! This
does not apply to people behind sandbags or destructible details.
Be cautious.

---

2.2 - General Tips

To play Gungrave, all you need is persistence and a durable set of fingers.
However, to get a really good score, you need to adopt some viable tactics.

- Lock and Strafe:
I can't tell you how useful it is to strafe while moving. Most of the
enemies in this game only fire at your current position. If you keep moving,
they tend to keep missing. Locking on also allows you to focus on one
enemy, even while Diving to one side. This allows you to get your shots in
really fast while avoiding theirs in turn.

- Dive!:
Diving (using the Jump while moving in any direction) is not only a great
way to get 100 Artistic points, but also a lifesaver. It allows you to
move quickly while firing even faster, gets you places sooner, avoid
lots of big guns, and perform some really cool moves down staircases. It
gets ever better with the lock on. If you lock on someone and dive, you
will pirouette around the opponent, allowing you to get in a lot of shots
stylishly and doing a ton of damage at the same time.

But as with everything else, watch where you dive. Diving into a horde of
heavily armed enemies is as bad as diving into an explosive barrel, guns
blazing. Also, if you hit a wall or anything while diving, you will stop,
and this is bad if you are avoiding enemy firepower or a Boss's combo attack.
They are very like to to catch you and harm you. Use discretion.

- Jog!:
I use the term 'Jog' because it isn't a walk, but it isn't a run either.
When you hold down the left analogue stick, Grave will go into a 'Jog',
faster than walking, slower than running, but the advantage is being able
to shoot on the go. This is invaluable in saving time and progressing to
the next area quickly, especially if you are aiming for a high Beat Count
and/or low Time Taken. Again, lock and strafe.

- Prudence is the better part of Valor:
Unless you're playing on easy, it's not worth restarting the map just
because you got cocky on some enemies, lost more life than you were willing
to, and then pounding the controller into dust, especially after getting an
oh-so-elusive 500 beat combo. On Normal and Hard, Diving into the thick of
a crowd is either an act of supreme confidence or of supreme idiocy. It's
better to use a lock and jog in this case, finishing enemies off one by one
as you approach, both to get a better Artistic score and to make sure you
can get a few more hits in with your Coffin. Always let your shields
regenerate before moving into the next area, and be wise enough to back
off if you're losing shields too quickly. Better to have 4 skulls in Time
only than 4 in Time AND Life, right?

- Demolition Shots are your friend:
If stuck in an absolutely-no-hope situation, don't be afraid to use a
Demolition shot. You generally get more than you can use anyway, so using
a few now and then won't hurt. Better than, again, losing life unnecessarily.

---

3.0 - Explaination of Score & Difficulty system

Gungrave has an interesting scoring system which has not been seen for
a while in other games. You are graded in five categories: Beat Count,
% Enemies Killed, Time Taken, Life Remaining, and Artistic Score. I
will explain the scoring on each system, and general tactics to get them.
More advanced tactics come with the Stage walkthroughs.

Beat Count -
Each Stage has its own beat count requirement to get 5 skulls:

Stage 1 - 300
Stage 2 - 350
Stage 3 - 300
Stage 4 - 400 - 500 (difficulty based I think)
Stage 5 - 200
Stage 6 - 200 - 250

Difficulty may or may not affect the beat count in certain stages. I have
reason to believe that on Easy, the Beat Count requirement for stage 4 is 400+,
but on Normal it apparently rises phenomenally.

Getting a high beat is certainly a challenge, as your beat meter will
eventually flicker and die if you don't continuously shoot things. Between
waves of enemies, the game HAS generously provided you with plenty of things
to keep your beat meter high. The exception is in Stage 5, where your top
beat will have to be obtained by killing constant waves of enemies. Also,
the higher the difficulty, the faster your beat meter dies.

Another note is that while the Coffin is an attractive alternative to wiping
out massed hordes of enemies, the quick kill provided means a lower beat count.
It's all a matter of balance. Of course, this guide will tell you WHERE to get
the best Beat Count around, so... ;)

% Enemies Killed -
Each Stage will send WAVES of enemies at you from start to end. Although
most of the enemies WILL come to you, you may have to look for some of them.
Most prominent is Stage 2, where getting the last few enemies may take some
experimenting. More detail later. It is tricky to find ALL the hidden enemies...

Time Taken -
There is a fine line between killing ALL the enemies, and taking the time
to do so. You want to kill them quickly, but you want to make sure you killed
them ALL. This tends to, but is not limited to, involve a fine balance
between rationing your Demolition shots to take out vast numbers of enemies
and getting the Beat Count you so desperately need.
Each stage has the time limits (for 5 skulls) as follow:

Stage 1: 4 Minutes or less
Stage 2: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 3: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 4: 8 Minutes or less
Stage 5: 9½ - 10 Minutes or less
Stage 6: 14 Minutes or less (Subject to Confirmation)

If you find that my information is wrong, please send me your time for
5 skulls.

Difficulties -
There are three difficulties in the Japanese version. I have received
confirmation that the North American release has 'renamed' the difficulties,
but I don't have it, so I can't tell whether there is any real change in
gameplay.

Easy (Normal, N.America) -
Enemies do little damage, can take even less and have horrible aim.
Environmental objects can take more shots (better beat count), explosions
do less damage, certain stage requirements are lowered (speculation here),
and Grave's auto-aiming is improved drastically. He will aim for everything
without hesitation. Your Beat Count meter has a much longer lifespan,
allowing you to net even bigger Beat Combos than on other difficulties.
Not much of a challenge, and shame on you if you die.

However, your score will be limited to around 5 million, depending on how
well you did.

Normal (Hard, N.America) -
Enemies are tougher now, do (a LOT) more damage, and have average
aim. Environmental objects blow up faster, explosions hurt, certain stage
requirements are higher, and Grave's auto-aiming is a little slow. Your
Beat Count meter also dies much faster, making it a bigger challenge to get
the 5 skull rating. A decent challenge, and definitely difficult for
newbies.

Your score can jump to 7 or 9 million or more on normal.

Hard (Kick their Ass!, N.America) -
Pray hard. Enemies take Grave's shields down like a hot knife through
butter, have great aim and range, explosions are best viewed from afar, but
I'm not sure about Stage Requirements. Grave's auto-aiming is survivable,
and not much worse than normal (if at all), but considering the enemies...
Oh, getting a decent beat count on Hard isn't difficult because of enemy
endurance, but forget about getting a good one if there're no enemies within
reach in 1½ seconds.

Your score can reach 14 million or more on hard.

***

Contributed by Remy, with 5 skulls in all stage times (and everything
else too... whoa) -

stage 1 4,20
stage2 6.41
stage3 7.50
stage 4 forgett to note
stage 5 8.26
stage 6 don t note.

***

Life Remaining -
Very simply, anything less than 100% nets you 4 skulls or less. Using a
Refill Life Now drops your grade by 1 skull (meaning at 100% but with a refill,
you still get 4 skulls). Using a continue gives you NONE. Be careful to
prevent the enemies from hitting you too much... no shame in hiding while your
shields recharge, or using a Demolition shot to get you out of trouble.
Every 25% drop costs you one skull as well. Therefore:

100% - 5 skulls.
99% - 75% - 4 skulls
74% - 50% - 3 skulls
49% - 25% - 2 skulls
24% - 1% - 1 skull
Death/continue - None

Anyone care to confirm if you still get 5 skulls for replenishing your
shields only, without taking damage to health?

***

Artistic Score -
Basically, this is Gungrave's version of Devil May Cry's 'Coolness' factor.
Anything that makes your audience more awe-inspired nets you points.

A LOT of people on the GameFAQS board keep asking this question, so I will
make it clearer.

Coffin Swing - The more things/people you hit at one go with the Coffin Swing,
the better.

Close Range Ranged Combat - The closer you are to the person when you shoot
them, the better. If you dive into them while shooting, all the better. If
you WALK right up to them while shooting, just as well. If you do the above
and THEN slam them with the Coffin, that's EVEN better. Basically, don't
shoot till you can see the whites of their (teeny weeny) eyes.

Diving - You should ONLY ever move from point A to point B by diving if there
are enemies around. Lock on, dive and fire, wash rinse repeat. If you dive
everywhere you go while shooting enemies, I don't see why you can't get 100.

Demolition Shots - Although your supply is 'limited', I don't see why you
can't use these generously. They make you invincible and you can enjoy
visions of mass destruction during their usage.

Vanity Post - These are only for showing off. You can get some, but not
much out of this. Use this after clearing a room in a particularly
spectacular manner if you want.

180º Hop - As soon as you turn around, if you can shoot and hit someone,
and better yet, kill them, you can get a score. Even better, if you can
go into Burst Mode and go nuts spinning in circles, go ahead.

High Beat Counts - The definition for high is at least 150, but this will
count towards your Artistic score. So long as you can get a high beat count
while looking good doing so, Artistic Points will not be a problem.

Also, not being hit too often, NOT losing life, and most importantly, NOT
BEING HIT BY MELEE AND EXPLOSIVE weapons will DEFINITELY up your score too.
If you're constantly losing life or being hit by weapons that cause Grave to
pause (abovementioned weapons), you will definitely lose Artistic points.

You wouldn't want to watch a game where the Hero couldn't squeeze his trigger
once before being hit again, right?

---

4.0 - Stage Guide

Here it is... a stage by stage introduction and general tips, plus boss
strategies, special notes, and 'Beat Count' areas.

Also included are some [poorly] translated transcripts of the character
conversations. (By Yours Truly. ^_^U I only claim 75% accuracy here! Places
where the exact words are unclear are made up for in general meaning.)

Opening -

*Cutscene -
Snow is falling. We see a city, one that bustles with life and technology.
In the background (or should I say, THE background) is a gigantic building
with searchlights racing across its surface. The camera lowers down through
the many layers of the city, through increasingly more imporverished areas,
finally resting at the very bottom, the dark alleys and streets of the lowest
class.

A girl, in red, is dragging an attache case with much difficulty. She is
bleeding from the head.

A lab, where a kindly looking doctor and a dark mysterious stranger wait. A
thud at the door, and the doctor is cautious. He carries a gun as he approaches
the door, then opens it cautiously. The girl slumps in, dropping the case.

The brooding figure pulls on his coat, adjusts some stuff, and pushes his
glasses up. We see his face, and the prominent scar on it.

Dr. T - "You're going to do it then? The Comany that you owed your life to,
which took it away, that which you cannot forget... you're going for it?"

The figure doesn't speak. He lifts one gun, then the other, deliberately.

Dr. T - "Those guns.. seeing them again, I understand now. Do as you please
then. You're free to pursue your goal... that most important goal of yours."

The girl awakens as the figure leaves. She looks around.

Mika - "Doctor?"

Doctor T. - "You can call me T."

Mika - "That guy? My mom's guardian, the one called Grave?"

Doctor T - "Calm down. That guy is off to do his job now... he'll be back."

Mika - "In that case... he's gone to stop Harry MacDowell?"

Doctor T - "Don't worry about him, he's the most evil demon of them all.
The company's people are going to be in trouble, meeting that 'Graveyard'."

*End Cutscene -

Stage 1 - Slaughter House
Boss - Mickey
Time Limit - 4 Minutes or less
Beat Count - 300

*Cutscene -
A seedy bar in a shadowy district.

Title - Stage 1: Slaughter House

Inside the pulsing, beating nightclub, Grave approaches the rich looking man in
yellow and his lovely ladies.

Mickey - "To the new boss, Mr. Harry! Cheers!"

They look at Grave. A bouncer accosts him.

Bouncer - "What do you want? You ain't part of the boss's party!"

Grave gives him a very nasty punch and floors him. Grave looks at the lounge
chair Micket was in, but he is gone. Grave turns and sees Mickey escaping
through a door.

*End Cutscene -

Details:
Basic training stage, nobody here poses any serious threat to you. You
start out in a bar with the bartender and several lackeys shooting at you.
Simply kill everyone. A large brute will be the key to opening the next
area. Stay around and kill everyone as you please, then move on.

In the next area, you are in a corridor with three enemies and a stack of
boxes in front of you. Kill them all, and proceed.

*Special Note: Walk into the door on your side when you kill the three guys
to find a toilet. Destroy everything (and everyone) inside, and when you walk
out again there'll be more people to add to your kill %!

The rest of the stage is pretty straightforwards. When you get to the
area with the water towers, you are near the boss area.

*Cutscene -
Grave walks forbiddingly towards the railing, and looks down. Mickey is running
out the front entrance, and several of his lackey's cars are pulling up.

The Lackeys are aiming guns at the entrance, where they expect Grave to come
out from.

Grave jumps through the railings and lands on one car, caving its top in.

*End Cutscene -

*Beat Combo Area: The last part of the stage, where you chase Mickey through
a gauntlet of lackeys and cars, is where you can get your 5 skull beat count.
Start with the car in front of you, then kill the enemies behind the pickup
and those near the car and those around you. Work on the cars as you Strafe
around and be sure to use Dives to quickly reach the next targets if your
beat's dying out. Note that you want to make use of Mickey's lackeys to get
your last 50 or so beats if possible. There's almost not enough shootables to
get 300 without them, depending on the difficulty.

Boss:
Nothing special. Mickey's just a lowly human pimp-scum, so go ahead
and blast away. Finish him with a Demolition shot if you want.

Points of interest:
Exploding Barrels - After reaching the second floor rooftop, you will
encounter your first ubiquitous exploding barrels. These not only harm/hurt
your enemies, but you as well, if you're not careful. Not just barrels
either. Exploding gas cans, exploding cars, anything that could go up in
flames, be careful around!

Fadeaway Shot - The area with your first staircase is also the first place you
can practice your 'Fadeaway' shot by diving down a staircase.
Try it!

Enemies - No doubt by now you have already noticed that there are more than
1 size of enemy. The Big Guys always carry machineguns or something
equally heavy, and are a bigger threat than the tiny Lackeys. They will
also be a source of constant pain for you if you don't take them out fast.
You will encounter many, many more types of enemies in the future... beware.

Targets - Mickey will be the first of many such 'Targets' that you will
encounter throughout the game. Targets are mission critical and must be
killed/mutilated/destroyed before you are allowed to continue. They come
in two flavours: Blue (Enemies) and Golden (Bosses, Objects). You CANNOT
continue if you don't destroy these Targets, even if everyone else is dead.

Cars - Throughout the game you will find cars, carts, and even a tram to
shoot up. However, telling when they're no longer shootable is oftimes
tricky. Cars have three states: Undamaged (nothing special), damaged (on
fire), and destroyed (when they jump into the air). When they jump, it's
time to move on.

---

Intermission Area - Here, Grave can 'rest' and talk to the two people who
are allied with him. Each of them have several things to say.

*Special Note: The Save and Quit menu -
This is only available in the intermission areas. In the Japanese version
people may have trouble understanding what is going on. I shall explain:
When you first select the option, the game will ask you if you wish to save.
The default is Yes. Then it will check your memory card. If there is no
previous save game, it will automatically save. If there is a previous save,
it will ask you if you wish to overwrite it. The default is No. When it is
done saving, it will ask you if you wish to quit. The default is No.

Mika -
"I, am I supposed to meet you/have I met you?"

"I've heard about you in Tokyo city, you were mom's friend..."

"Sorry to have dragged you into this horrible situation. Sorry!"

"... ..."

Dr. T -
"After destroying that branch, the Company knows of your return. You've
attracted quite a lot of attention. When you've killed Harry, will it continue
to exist?"

"G block North's Abandoned Factory, is called Seed on the street. They have ties
to the Company and half our equipment comes from there. Anyway, it plays a big part
towards defeating the Company. [Its three proccessing facilities are run by a
Manager.] I don't know how powerful they've grown even then. Eliminating them may or
may not reduce their power. Take care, Grave."

"In this state, I can't really get around. What is this flesh and skin for?"

"I wonder what would Big Daddy think of this Undead Soldier idea if he were
still alive?"

"Take care, Grave."

Note: The translation bracketed in [ ] is extremely sketchy. I cannot decipher
its meaning properly without a proper screenshot (working on that) so don't
trust it too much.

---

Stage 2 - Factory
Boss - Koujouchou (Plant Manager, in English)
Time Limit - 8 minutes or less
Beat Count - 350

*Cutscene -

A dusty floor in an industrial factory. A shadow crosses it, and it belongs
to Grave.

Behind him, the steel wire doors shut loudly. Grave glaces back, then
continues his walk.

Title - Stage 2: Factory

*End Cutscene -

Details:
You begin in a factory in a slightly more scummy part of town. Start by
destroying the barrels to the sides and then the enemies in front. When you
reach the area with a lot of cars and even more enemies, clear everything
to proceed. You will encounter a new sort of enemy here.

*Beat Combo Area: The moment you start the stage, you will WANT to keep
your Beat combo going by constantly diving/jogging/shooting at everything
in your path. Your goal here is at LEAST 350 beats, and it is NOT easy.
Between enemies, shoot crates and barrels as you move to keep the Beat
alive. When you see a car, shoot it till it explodes and KEEP moving when
they are near destruction. You will be able to get over 450 beats if you
are careful, but it is rather difficult because of Grave's capricious
autoaiming. Be careful.

Your next arena will be in an underground excavation site, as well as some
new enemies. Nothing special here, except that visibility is extremely low,
so keep those guns firing!

Past the excavation area is the staircase to the roof. En route up, you will
find a pipe on the first landing with enemies on it. (Number varies with
difficulty) After dealing with them and heading up the second flight, turn
around immediately. More enemies will be coming from that pipe. clear them
out, clear the roof out, and break the glass. Grave will jump in.

Grave will land in a remote corner of a Warehouse. Blast your way to the
warehouse main. Note that this area is extremely crowded, so be cautious
where you dive and shoot. Nothing unusual here, but be careful of enemies
that are scripted to take cover and ambush you behind the boxes.

After that is a staircase leading to a lot more enemies, a Missile Launcher,
and an odd Kill % area. Note that it is VERY easy to get damaged here (no 100%
Life Remaining score, in other words), so use a Demolition shot if you want.

*Special note: After clearing out the area, do NOT walk through the door yet.
Walk along the catwalk to the end. Several enemies will fall from the ceiling
and attack you. Kill them to add to your Kill %.

Past the warehouse are the labs. You will encounter several... doctors and
patients who are less than happy to see you. Kill them all. There is a new
class of enemy here to be wary of: The Fat Heavy Weapons guy. They are always
fat (unlike the big tall guys), and ALWAYS carry a weapon that is short
ranged, but VERY painful. In this case, a shotgun. Stay away and take him
out from a distance.

*Special note: After clearing house, walk/jump into the room full of crates
where the fat guy was shooting you. Several more enemies will run into the area
from where you came in. Again, more Kill % for you.

In the next area, you come across what appear to be cloning tanks of some
sort. Half formed people float inside... weird. You will be greeted by a
patient and a Melee guy from the start. Take them all out and continue
downstairs. Note that the enemies here like to take cover behind the tanks,
so don't leave until you're done with everyone!

The next area is short. Several Big Guys and several Lackeys await you. A single
Demolition shot is all it takes to finish them quickly.

The next area is just before the boss. There are several catwalks, of which you
are on one. Shoot everyone on your catwalk first, then finish off everyone
else. There is a switch marked "Target", so shoot the switch and take out the
new enemies on the catwalk and the lowering bridge. Cross it. It's time
for the Boss.

Boss:
Slightly more challenging than last, Koujouchou hides behind several counters
and crates covered with computers and Lackeys. They will bust in through the
windows. Just keep Strafing left and right and killing everyone. Eventually
the tide of enemies will stop. Feel free to finish him off as you please. He
only carries a machinegun, so don't worry.

Points of Interest:
New Enemy Types - In the first area, you will also encounter your first
Missile Launcher enemy. The missiles are supposedly easy to avoid, but in
the thick of battle with clutter all around, it's much more difficult than
expected.
They are also dangerous because they can do a lot of damage and are very
capable of ruining your perfect beat combo. Beware.

In the second area, you will encounter Melee enemies. These guys are big,
tough, and carry steel construction girders to smack you around with. You
do NOT want to be hit.

You will also encounter your first Grenade enemies. Although not as dangerous
as Missile Launchers, they are an annoyance nonetheless. Stay away from them
and finish them off last.

Fat Heavy weapons guys are the final worry. You only meet them in two stages,
but the weapons they use will leave a lasting effect on you, and even bosses
use the same weapons! Thankfully they are generally short ranged, so just
stand back and fire away!

---

Intermission Area -

Mika -
"I met Harry MacDowell once, when I was younger. He had a smile on his face
and shook my hand. But I wonder, why did he have to become my enemy? I don't
understand."

(Alt. He had a sort of smile on his face when he shook my hand.)

"I wonder if Big Daddy knew about his own daughter, in the company, if he was
around. But now it doesn't really matter."

"What was your relation with mom? I'd like to know a little about it..."

Dr. T -
"The streets are quiet. I don't think it's only because of Seed's destruction.
The fighting has cost the company both a lot of people and their observers.
The people on the street call you their last hope. But hope... you don't really
care much for it eh?"

"There's some more information about Harry in the K-2 Block for sale. But we
don't know the people there. Be careful.

"That child who was sent here... she has a silent strength in her. She must've
gotten it from her mother. She sleep through an earthquake and it wouldn't
stop her.

"[Seeing this sort of life, what will it be like?]"

(I can't make out what he's trying to say too clearly. Sorry.)

"We'll soon go back to normal when everything's over, hm?"

---

Stage 3 - Chinatown
Boss - Bob Poundmax, Bob Poundmax (Overkill version)
Time Limit - 8 minutes or less
Beat Count - 300

*Cutscene -

Bright lights and neon signs adorn the buildings.

Title - Stage 3: Chinatown

In a dark alley, Grave is 'speaking' (one sidedly) to an informant, who counts
his wad of cash as he smokes a pipe.

Informant - "There's a piece of news, came down from Brock. There's an
airship called the Furidori Hide. The company's holding a party there. The
new boss's face was seen, but I'd have to say it in a group of people, I can't
say it here. If I did the Yakuza would get wind of it, and-"

(Note: It's either the new boss's face was seen, but I'd have to say it in a
group of people, or it was seen in a group of people I can't tell you about.")

Suddenly Grave turns around as he notices something, and ducks. Bullets
riddle the wall (and the informant) full of holes.

*End Cutscene -

You begin in a Chinatown alley. Nothing special, kill them all. Walk up the
stairs and encounter your first Lackey Melee guys. These guys are basically
the little brothers of the Big Melee Guys. Smaller, weaker, but they still do
plenty of damage. Just whack them.
Oh, enjoy the massive Fadeaway shot down the staircase.

You will now be on a street with a Tram dropping off enemies and enemies
that pop out from the alleys and balconies.

*Beat Combo Area: It is possible, although supremely difficult, to get your
300 Beat combo here. As soon as you reach the top of the stairs, you'll want
to keep shooting every enemy around you, as well as the telephone booths and
the tram that's dropping the enemies off. However, keeping your beat alive at
the end of the street before the Tram returns is difficult at best. The tram
itself is good for about 150 beats though, so if you can reach 150 before
working on the tram, you could concievably reach 300 beats here.

Next up after the staircase is another street, filled with a lot of Missile
Launchers and Melee guys, big and small. Nothing special here, keep moving
and killing until you get to a gate. Try to open it and run around the street
to get the enemies to come. Kill them all to proceed.

*Special Note: There are more enemies here than required to progress. As soon
as the 'Go' arrow appears, run back down the street. More enemies will appear.
Again, good for your 100% kills. Run around a bit more to see if anyone you
missed appears.

Next up, a scene from Hong Kong movies - The Kitchen of Death! You will be
in a kitchen filled with irate chefs and patrons alike. Note that due to the
cramped quarters here, taking damage is a possibility. Enemies will come
from all around, most notably the stairs, but watch your back as well. When
you're done, walk down the stairs.

You'll end up in an abandoned parking lot with Missile Launchers bunkered
behind sandbags, and lots of trigger happy Lackeys. Diving and prioritizing
targets here will get you through. When you reach the gates, more enemies
will come from the top and behind. Kill them all to proceed.

*Special Note: Keep moving back to the middle of the parking lot to find
more bad guys to add to your 100% Kills rating.

In the next area, you will meet a new sort of enemy that will be a very
constant fixture from now on: Kurofukus (Black Shirts. More on them later).
Kill them as usual, but watch for their acrobatic tricks. They will come
from all over the place. You will also encounter the Heavy Weapons version
of them. Be very careful with these guys, they can and will hurt you.
After turning them all to jelly, move on towards the bridge.

*Cutscene - A massive bulldozer will burst out of a warehouse and head for
Grave. Grave makes a 'strategic retreat'.

This is one of the more unique portions of the game, although not the most
original. several Kurofukus will be standing atop the 'Dozer as it claws
its way towards you. Simply keep backing up and avoiding their shots. Although
the main goal is for Grave to run to the end of the bridge and avoid the
'Dozer, it is actually possible to destroy iy.
The dozer itself will occasionally stop to let off a few 'passengers', who
will happily add themselves to your Kill %.

*Special Note - You can kill the Kurofuku shooting at you from on top of the
'Dozer by using the Hellhound Roar. Remy contributed this before I got there.
^^U I did confirm that a Raging Inferno also works.

*Special Note - I never actually realized the Bulldozer could be destroyed,
but it can. You do however need to fill it with at least two Hellhound Roars
and over 300 rounds. You should start out by using one Hellhound Roar to
kill the Kurofukus on top of the 'Dozer first. After that, simply back up as
usual. Once you've gotten your 300+ shots, shoot it again with another Hellhound
Roar. The 'Dozer should blow up and stay still.

*Beat Combo Area: More risky than the start, but also much easier. You can
shoot the 'Dozer for insane beat combos. Simply back up firing. Note that
walking backwards is too slow, while jogging backwards (L3) is too fast. You
want to mix the two together while being shot at and shooting back. If
your shields get too low, jog back a litte further just out of the Kurofuku's
range while still remaining within shooting range of the 'Dozer. It's
trickier to pull off because Grave's range is barely longer than theirs, so
it's a balancing act. You should get your 300 beats at the end of the bridge.

*Cutscene - Grave turns at the end of the bridge and sees the massive
Zepplin below him. He leaps, and makes a dramatic entrance through the window.
People can be heard screaming as he breaks through the glass.

Grave is now in a poshly furnished dining room. He starts out on the entertainer's
platform with a grand piano to the side. Kurofukus will be your only enemies
here, and they will jump from table to table to kill you. Go nuts as you
please. Once they're all dead...

*Cutscene -
Nice western piano accompaniement, followed by a clapping. Grave starts and
points both guns to the source. It is Harry MacDowell and some of his subordinates.

Balladbird Lee - "This, gentlemen, is Grave. Long time no see. A true
returnee from the land of the dead, he is."

Bear Walken - "A dead man. He's forgotten his manners and memory since the last
time we saw him."

Grave increases the pressure on the trigger, and Bunji points a gun warningly.
Grave changes targets to Bunji. Bob waves his drumstick around.

Bob Poundmax - "Now, now, Bunji, let's not be hasty. Grave, you were part of the
company eh? A meal, a room, and where's your gratitude? Those guns you hold,
they too belong to your supervisor (boss?) too! Come on then! let's have some
fun together!"

The music suddenly picks up, and MacDowell and Co. take this cue to leave. Bob
leaps from the balcony (whoa) and lands rather heavily. He is armed with a
machinegun.

Bob Poundmax - "COME ON! This will be your 'Grave!'/I'll send 'U' to your 'Grave'!"

*End Cutscene -

Mini-Boss: Bob Poundmax will be armed with a machine gun and grenades,
screaming 'DIE!' while his four Kurofuku bodyguards fire at you. Simply
keep your fire on him. The kurofukus will be constantly replenished at any
rate, and you'll be wasting your health if you want to try. 'Killing' Bob
will end the section.

*Cutscene -
Grave storms out the rooftop door, just in time to see a helicopter take off and
fly away. He chases it, but it's a futile effort. A MASSIVE blob, Bob Poundmax
(Overkill Version), floats up with propellers and fills the screen, glaring
at Grave with glowy red eyes (ooh).

Bob Poundmax - "Your opponent is right here, Grave! Get ready to die!"

*End Cutscene -

Boss: Bob Poundmax (Overkill Version) reminds us of someone, doesn't he?
Can you say... Clown? Anyways, he is easily defeated. Run up to him and lock
on as soon as you come into range, and Circle-Strafe while firing. He has
four attacks: Pulling a clotheless Kurofuku (I call them Fukunai, clotheless
Guys) and tossing it at you like a bomb, spawning several Fukunais which
then crawl towards you like seeker missiles, launching himself into the
air to butt-smash you, and spinning in a circle.

The first two are easily countered: Dive to the side when he tosses one
at you, and shoot the crawlers when he spawns them. The third one is
also easy: When he jumps, watch his shadow and dive backwards when it
is near you. The last one he only uses when you are near him. It damages
you, sends you flying, and renders him invulnerable. Simple backpedal to
avoid it. Other than that, keep shooting him while Circle Strafing and
he should go down in no time.

Graveyard Finisher - When Bob's life is nearly gone and your skull lights
up like it's Halloween, hit the Triangle button and watch the fireworks.
He uses a variation of the Hellhound Roar to finish Bob off.

*Spoiler- To spoil you, several doves fly across the screen and reveals
Grave standing here with his coffin vertically up on his back. It opens
four ports, each with a missile, which then fire into the sky. They stop,
orient themselves, and fly towards Bob, who is unceremoniously blown away.

Points of Interest:
New enemies - Kurofuku (Normal and Gatling). These guys only LOOK human,
but they explode into little blue/golden/whatever colors of goo when shot
at and killed. They are faster, tougher, stronger, and the ones carrying
lighter weapons can jump like Spiderman on crack. The normal guys are
irritating, the Gatling guys (carrying two briefcases) are dangerous.

Graveyard Finisher - This is the first boss you can use one on. To tell
when to use it, watch your Demolition Skull when the bosses' life is low.
If it lights up like Broadway, FINISH HIM! Enjoy.

---

Intermission Area -

Mika -
"What were those strange white... _things_? Those white living beings.
I've never seen anything like them before. They don't bleed when injured.
They're not human."

"What is Harry doing using those... things... in the company? Control of the
streets/city? Or something else..."

"A lot of people have died... will more die from now on?"

"Please don't let anything happen to you, Grave."

Dr. T -
"Harry's hiding in his Tower. What a predicament. It won't be easy to get in."

"The streets hold the secrets to Harry's tower. He might not even be aware of
that."

"'The undying blue-white soldiers corp.' has indeed been witnessed. They have
indeed been successful in their frantic research. But that sort of thing could
not exist without help from an... external source."

"My 'operation methods' are different from Harry's, those without memories or
traits of humans. Not bad, he has done it. Good! He has [my?] praise!"

"Existence is fleeting huh. When all this is over, everything will be released
back to the streets/city."

"Where will you go, Grave?/Is there anywhere you would like to go, Grave?"

---

Stage 4 - Subway
Boss - Balladbird Lee
Time Limit - 8 minutes or less
Beat Count - >450 (Or around 450, depending on Difficulty)

*Cutscene -
Dr. T puts a hand on Grave's shoulder.

Dr. T - "Grave, wait. Today's the 'Exchange'. I've gotten the chamber ready
for your use."

Flash to a chamber with four massive pipe leading into a chair where Grave
sits gravelly. The view cuts to the ceiling, where four massive bell-like
contraptions supposedly responsible for replacing his bodily fluids are
located.

Mika - "Doctor, he-"

Dr. T - "That guy's body fluids must be changed periodically, seeing as he's
a walking corpse. His heart, his hands, his body and his motives, are all for
the sole purpose of being a Killing Machine."

The 'door' slides close, fitting perfectly with the wall. Just then, Dr. T
hears another strange sound outside his door. He watches it suspiciously.
The door is suddenly riddled with bullets and Dr. T takes a few rounds as a
horrified Mika watches on. The Kurofukus that break in then make off with her.

Mika - "DOCTOR!"

Inside, Grave can hear Dr. T as he struggles to speak.

Dr. T - "Grave, can you hear me? That girl, Mika... she's been taken. Chase
them!"

The pipes disengage with a hiss of steam, the door opens, and Grave steps
out. Dr. T has managed to drag himself to the wall and now lies slumped against
it.

Dr. T - "When everything's ended... go to a place far, far away, eh, Brandon?"

*End Cutscene -

*Cutscene #2 -

Several Kurofukus are running down a staircase, one of them with a prominent
red form slung over its shoulder. The others pause to watch the rear, before
following again.

Title - Stage 4: Subway.

*End Cutscene #2 -

You start out in a seedy subway with several Yakuza running away. Time to get
Mika back, at gunpoint. Nothing spectacular at the start.
Kill everyone, work your way to the end and kill everyone coming down the
staircase. You have to turn around and enter the next area after that.

The next area is a shopping arcade style hallway which has enemies
literally popping out left and right and front to get you. Simply clear
them while you progress through the area. There is an interesting enemy
here.

*Beat Combo Area: From the start of this area to the end of the next, you
will need to work on your Beat count. Simply keep shooting everyone in the
arcade till you reach the end (a heavily fortified sandbag bunker with several
burning barrels in front), kill everything and everyone, and QUICKLY move
into the adjacent room (the Electronics Goods Store). Better yet, stay near it
so that the moment you've killed everyone and everything in the arcade, you
can move in immediately. It's cramped and full of Big Guns, so be careful
and take whatever cover is necessary. You will want to keep strafing while
firing in this shop to get at EVERYTHING that is shootable. My record is 540.

*Special Note: While you are shooting up the area, several enemies will drop
from the hole in the roof. There are roughly three sets, so you might want
to stick around if you want a 100% kill score.

The following area is another area with more gang members. Kill them,
and everyone behind you, then walk towards the corner. Behind a barricade
are some mobsters with dual machineguns, kill them all. Past them is a
staircase with three of the rabbit guys.

In the next area, dive down the staircase and kill everyone. You will
encounter some Samurai guys and your first Kurofukus for the stage, in the
Ticketing Lobby. You will have to kill everyone here as well as those that
pursue you from where you came from. Also, before going through the door,
make a trip around each of the four benches. A Samurai will drop from the
ceiling above each of them.

After them, you will pass through another shutter and be greeted by a
Gatling Kurofuku. Kill and proceed. More violence. (Yum) You will eventually
come to a waiting area where you will kill even MORE people. (I see a trend
forming.) Eventually you can pass through the shutters on one side.

Burst Mode to kill everyone before walking in. There will be several waves
of enemies from inside and outside before you can proceed down the hallway
and down the staircase.

In the next area are various Yakuza hiding behind highly explosive barrels.
I wonder why. Proceed down the staircase and be ready for a very big fight.
At the ticket gates lobby, many enemies will come from behind and to the
side, so find a spot and stand your ground. I prefer to dive over to the
sandbags and shoot from there. When you're done...

*Special note: When everyone is dead and you see the Go sign, don't go
yet. Move past the ticketing gates, then turn around and fight off the last
pocket of resistance before proceeding.

*Cutscene -
You see a train with the car number 26 leaving the station. Inside,
two Kurofukus, one with Mika, run from car to car. Soon after, Grave bursts
in through one of the windows.

*End Cutscene -

In the next area, you are now on board a train. The first carriage is
for your leisure. Simply destroy everything in sight as you please, and
move on to the next car. Several Kurofukus greet you, so feel free to see
them off.

In the third carriage, you encounter a Gatling Kurofuku and something more...
unusual. There are two rockets on either side of the car, with Kurofukus
hitching a ride on them. They are 'Blue' Targets, which means finish them
off NOW. Once one of them is dead, move to the next carriage and finish
the second one off too.

In the fifth car, you fight yet another Blue Target... a Helicopter! It
has two attacks: It will launch missiles into the car and then fill it
with lead from its Vulcan cannon. Use the Lockon and Strafe technique to
destroy it as quickly as possible. The occasionaly Kurofuku will jump in
once in a while. Once it's dead, it's on to the boss...

*Cutscene -

As the door opens, Grave stands there ominously. He suddenly raises his
guns at Balladbird Lee, whos is holding Mika under one arm.

Balladbird Lee - "So, Bob has failed too... so, what's his reason? (for failing)"

(Note, the latter part of the conversation has me stumped. This is the best
I can conclude from the context.)

Grave holds his position.

Balladbird Lee - "Are you still loyal to Big Daddy/Does it mean anything to you?"

(Again, the sentence is a little ambiguous.)

Grave looks up suddenly.

Balladbird Lee - "Ah, what's that look for? Is forgetting what (her?) father
was like such a big matter to you? hahahaha! A dead man before me! This will be
your last stop!"

Lee tosses Mika out the window (!) as Grave watches on in shock(?), moments
before the train hits something and derails.

*End Cutscene -

*Cutscene #2

A burning train wreck. Grave lies on his face, on the floor, unmoving.
Suddenly, he gets up and looks around. A weird sound comes from behind the
train.

Balladbird Lee - "Shu! Waki!"

(Note: Just sounds)

A weird creature leaps and spins from behind the train, slicing the car in
half as it does so. It lands, and the car behind it falls to pieces. Lee
speaks to Grave, as Bunji watches on from atop a structure, Mika safely
unconscious on the ground besides him.

Balladbird Lee - "I shall avenge Bob!"

Boss: Balladbird Lee looks like another old, 'Spawn'ed friend, doesn't
he? Hm... Anyway, he has three attacks. A leaping slash attack, in which
he jumps and tries to slice Grave in half. He also fires that HUGE gun
in his other... appendage... which does a lot of damage if it connects.
Simply Jog to avoid this. His final attack, which is also his most
powerful, is his Combo. He will telegraph both his Jump Slash and
Combo attacks by 'charging' up before attacking. Dive as SOON as he
starts dashing at you. He will also circle strafe a lot, like you.
Besides that, he is no harder than Bob.

Graveyard Finisher: Grave uses modified Bullet Dance to finish him off.

*Spoiler - We start out inside some highly complex piece of machinery
which locks and loads, and we find out it is Grave's Coffin cannon.
He fires up his coffin from the cross like a thruster, plants the spike
into the ground, and extends one leg out. He spins like a top, firing
bullets all over the place. Lee is unceremoniously blasted and sent
flying.

Points of Interest -
Roger - See those crazy jumping guys in rabbit suits? They're called
'Roger's in-game. Hm... Roger... a Rabbit man... you don't suppose there's
a RELATION do you?

---

Intermission Area -
Personal Note: Thank GOD Dr. T's gone. I don't have to translate his
horribly long speeches again. (Not easy when the speech goes on without
requiring confirmation from the O button. ^^U)

Mika -
"The Doctor..."

"The man who saved me, at 'Your meeting at the Tower.'"

(I think she's referring to Bunji, in this case.)

"Grave, take care! I don't know what could happen!"

"What should we do now...??"

---

Stage 5 - Underground
Boss: Bear Walken, Bear Walken (Overkill Form)
Time limit - 9½ - 10 minutes or less
Beat Count: 200

*Cutscene -
Grave revs and drives a cool looking bike with a sidecar containing his
coffin. As he passes a building, a police-vehicle appears and launches
missiles at him. Grave loses control as he dodges the missiles, then
flies off the road towards a canal. As he falls, his coffin opens up
and launches 8(!) missiles at the vehicle, which promptly explodes.
Grave's bike lands on the side of the canal wall and he manages to
drive into a drainage pipe. He looks around.

*End Cutscene -

You begin in a drainage channel inside a canal. Upon leaving the pipe,
you will face an interesting foe: Special police riding on flying
platforms. Note that they are unique to this stage only. In this case, the
two that face you are tricky. When you destroy one, the other will flee.

If you want a perfect kill score, finishing both off quickly is a must. A
burst mode is generally the most effective, but running up to them and
swinging a coffin at them works. Just so long as they are close enough
to the ground, you can kill them. Or, if you're feeling generous, a
Demolition shot works fine. When they die, they explode. Note that their
explosions are like exploding barrels: They damage and kill anyone too
close to them, including the Flyers next to them...

Behind the two Flyers is a small gauntlet of enemies and obstacles. It
isn't too difficult, so destroy them all. Once everyone is dead, walk up
to the gate to open it. (Note that you are not given a 'Go' sign as a
hint, so don't wait for it.) Up the stairs, you find several enemies on
the next floor up.

Note that the safety rails here are mostly missing, so be careful when you
dive. Grave won't suffer any falling damage, but his Time Taken will most
definitely take a hit. Grave is climbing up a giant multilevel tower of
sorts, so making a wrong jump and landing at the bottom is a pain.

Simply progress through the next gate, up the stairs, and be ready for
a surprise. At the top of this stairs are some enemies, nothing special,
but be careful. Next gate, several enemies await you just as you open it.

Note that there isn't anything special on the way up besides two things:
At around the fourth floor, you will start encountering Missile Launchers
and Flamethrowers. The Flamethrower guys are the Fat Heavy Weapons Guys I
warned you about in Stage 2: They do a LOT of damage with their weapons,
so keep your distance and watch some pigs fly. Be careful around these
floors, as the rails are in better repair, but the missiles can and will
send you flying downstairs. Keep going all the way up until you enter the
next area. Be ready.

*Beat Combo Area:
Be ready for the Gauntlet of the game. You will face off with Riot Shield
enemies, protecting their Big Guy brethren. Always keep moving while firing,
and aim for the Big Guys if you can. Note that the Riot Shield police are the
key to getting 200 beats. Their shields can take a beating before going down.
You might want to stay near one side of the stage though, to limit damage
taken. Anyway, while you are shooting, keep moving slowly towards the other
end of the area to make sure you have a constant supply of fresh enemies to
fuel your beat. Once you hit 200 though, relax and take a breath. It's very
difficult to get there so congratulate yourself.

*Special Note: When all the enemies are dead, don't go through the door
marked 'Go' yet. RUN back to the place where you entered, and turn around.
This is to make sure you haven't missed an enemy. Normally, there _should_
be a single Melee weapon guy who will accost you. Riddle him plenty, THEN
go through the door marked 'Go'.

In the next area, you are riding on a giant elevator up a giant tower, and
both Flyers and normal enemies will descend on you like flies to dead meat.
(Sorry, that was a bad joke.) The first wave will be enemies that drop onto
your elevator, so take them out quickly. Next up will be Flyers, then enemies
from your neighbouring elevator. Note that you must be close to the edge of
your elevator to kill the ones on the other side, and that if you dally too
long the elevator will move on, cheating you of your Kill %. Finish them off
quickly and effeciently. More Flyers, accompanying enemies on YOUR lift, then
enemies on the other lift that are braver than most and actually make the jump
over to your lift. See them off and down.... way down... more of the same until
the end.

Your next area is serenely quiet. Nothing to destroy, nothing to dodge. Almost
like an invitation to something, huh? Anyway, run under the Japanese arches
(often used to denote a temple or shrine of some sort. Sets of 3 supposedly
bring luck, but I can't be sure.) until you see the bridge and the little hut.

*Cutscene -
Walken stands before Grave, poised.

Bear Walken - "Welcome to my Dojo. However, it ends here! Waaargh!"

Walken performs some transformation that apparently levels the entire rooftop
garden. When the light clears, a many-armed person (Gilgamesh, anyone?) faces
off with Grave.

Bear Walken - "Fall at my hands, Grave!"

*End Cutscene -

Boss: Bear Walken has two forms, so don't waste any demolition shots on the
first form. His first form carries several weapons: Two Machine guns, a
flamethrower, and a missile launcher.

He has several attacks: He will simply shoot at you, which is easily dodged. He
will fire several missiles into the sky that track you, which is dodgeable, he
will spin in a circle firing his flamethrower, during which time he cannot be
hit by bullets, and his combo attack, in which he charges at you, grabs you,
tosses you into the air, and blasts you with 3 out of 4 guns. Very simple to
defeat him, just use exactly the same tactics as you did for Bob Poundmax, or
Balladbird Lee. As you shoot him up, he will lose arms one by one, and thus
his offensive power lowers. When the first form is "dead"...

*Cutscene -
Walken, armless, pants as Grave watches.

Bear Walken - "I see. Even with these demonic arms I have lost to another
discipline. But, it is not over!"

Walken then proceeds to transform into something nasty. His shadow looms
over Grave as he transforms.

*End Cutscene -

Walken (Overkill Form) is a little bit more tricky. He will throw cars that
fall from the sky at you when far. He will charge you when you are at a
comfortable distance, and he will pound the ground to create a shockwave if
you are too close. Simply run up to him, avoiding everything he tosses at you, then
lock on and fire. When he's about to charge, you can hear the tires screeching
(you'll find out when you play the game), so get ready to dodge. He will cross the
arena to the other side, so run up, wash, rinse, repeat.

Graveyard Finisher: Grave uses a modified Deathblow to finish off Walken.

*Spoiler - Grave jumps and does a 360 flip in the air. When he lands, his coffin
has a missile tube sticking out of one side. He then fires the missile which hits
Walken and sends him flying. A nuclear explosion of sorts follows, lighting up the
horizon.

*Cutscene -
Someone depresses a detonation trigger, and the tower explodes. Grave begins to
slide as the top of the building collapses, but plants his Coffin spike into the
floor to stay put. Bunji appears.

Bunji Kugashira - "You haven't changed have you? Regain your memory soon, my
powerful counterpart."

The building then proceeds to fall completely apart, and Grave falls along with
it. He hits a giant puddle of water with a massive splash and gets up as if he
was getting out of bed. (ooh.) He looks up, and sees the Church before him.

*End Cutscene -

Points of Interest:
Flamethrower - You probably haven't seen the flamethrower yet. Two words: Avoid
Them. The Tenderloins (That's what the game calls them) can deal serious damage
in a matter of one or two seconds, and are always placed at strategic areas, so
you must get rid of them if you want to move on unscathed.

Also, bosses that use them must be dealt with cautiously. Walken isn't too dangerous
so long as you keep your distance, but there is another...

---

Intermission Area

Mika -
(She apparently speaks to you through a walkie-talkie.)

"Grave, Grave!? Oh, thank Goodness..."

"The explosion just now could be heard from here. There's a big commotion outside."

"I'm scared, but I'll wait for you. I'll be fine, even if the Doctor isn't around."

"Don't lose to anyone, never!"

"Destroy all the nightmares."

"You HAVE to come back, Grave!"

---

Stage 6a - Bunji, Church.
Boss - Bunji Kugashira

*Cutscene -
The doors close behind Grave. Ahead, someone lights up. Bunji steps out from
behind a pillar, smoking.

Bunji Kugashira - "It's come down to this. Because you disappeared I could be here.
You did everything for the company, like I do. Everything I'm about to do and have
ever done, it has been a fight with you."

(Note: This translation is sketchy at best. The general impression is that Bunji
is the man who 'replaced' Grave when he 'died', and sees him as a very dangerous
but challenging competitor and wants a duel. The Anime depicts him as someone
similar to Grave, but slightly inferior in almost every way.)

Bunji draws his guns.

Bunji Kugashira - "Let's go."

*End Cutscene -

People have asked how to defeat Bunji. There are several methods. First, I'll
explain Bunji himself: He is similar to Grave, in that they are both not-human
superhumans, modified using the technology that made the Kurofukus. But Bunji
differs from Grave in that Bunji wasn't dead to begin with, and that he wants
nothing more than a showdown with Grave.

Bunji has several attacks and one special - His normal guns, which are extremely
powerful, a shockwave attack, which is even more powerful, his Graveyard Combo
attack, which is yet more powerful, and a strong kick that sends Grave flying,
which he uses if you are too close. His special ability is to restore lost health
when out of sight. Sounds unfair, doesn't it? But he does have a weakness:
Although his life bar is long, he takes a LOT of damage from Grave's guns,
and can be sent flying with a Demolition shot.

First off, at the start, Bunji is 99% sure to use a Graveyard combo on you, so
dive as soon as he starts dashing for you. Lure him away from the pillars by
staying near the doorway, and keep circle-strafe/shooting him, and dive whenever
he fires a shot or activates his combo. Some people have reported success at smacking
him with the coffin to send him flying if he gets too close, but I haven't managed
this myself.

Anyway, when low on health, Bunji will attempt to run behind the pillars to
regenerate his health. Chase him, and use Diving shots to damage him if possible.

Also, another tactic is to simply lock on him and circle the pillar he tries to
hide behind constantly. The Merry-Go-Round tactic is tedious, but it works.

If he gets behind a pillar, Strafe around to find him ASAP! If not, use a
Demolition shot to send him flying away from the pillar. When his life is low
enough...

Graveyard Finisher: Grave performs a sort of Raging Inferno/Bullet Dance on
him.

*Spoiler - Grave runs, hops and goes into a slide as he preps his coffin. He then
proceeds to fire ALL his bullets into Bunji, who starts to smoke after being hit
a few times.

*Cutscene -
Bunji lies against a wall, smoking.

Bunji Kugashira - "You've won. I'm saved. Didn't think you'd have such a poor
successor huh? As my gratitude, I wish you well in your goal to destroy them.
None of us can go back to what was, huh? Sorry."

Bunji's cigarette dies in his lips, and so does he. He explodes into a hundred
blue droplets of goo as Grave watches dispassionately.

Now that that's over with, it's time to start the stage proper.

Points of Interest:

The Church - Lionel Ng pointed out that this particular scene is extremely
reminiscent of Yasuhiro Nightow's own brand of dramatic design.

"Just like to add, that Nightow may have been the character designer and stage
designer for the church part of stage 6. because Bunji Kugashira looks strikingly
similar to a character (Nicholas D. Wolfwood) from Trigun (1 of Nightow's works).
And Also, bunji has other characteristics similar to wolfwood, 1. he smokes, 2. he
uses 2 pistols at the same time (similar to a trigun episode where he uses 2 pistols
to fight), 3. He dies in a church, 4. They both talk a lot before they die."

Hm... perhaps the Cross cannon came into play?

---

Stage 6 - The Tower
Boss #1 - Big Daddy
Boss #2 - Alien Head
Time limit - 9½ - 10 minutes or less
Beat Count: 200 or more (Difficulty based)

*Cue super-cool title screen.

You start out in something similar to Walken's prelude, ruins leading to somewhere.
Just walk in and enjoy...

*Cutscene -
Grave is on a strange elevator, heading up into the sky. The city glows below him.

Grave is expressionless as the elevator continues upwards. Suddenly, one of the
passing rungs flashes and...

Flashback. We see the man Grave once was. Brandon. Someone is talking to him.

Harry MacDowell - "Brandon. Where do we go from here, Brandon? All the things we
have never seen, would never see, shrouded in darkness..."

McDaowell has a hand on the glass window of the elevator, looking out over the
city. He clutches his hand like he is grabbing power.

Harry MacDowell - "The power... I want it."

Brandon listens dispassionately as MacDowell continues speaking.

Harry MacDowell - "I want the sort of freedom that power would grant us..."

Cue a HUGE office, with Big Daddy (human) standing there, his back facing Brandon.

Big Daddy - "Brandon, I have achieved everything I wanted in this lifetime, with
this company. I have achieved my dream. It is time to slowly enjoy my life, with
Maria and the child within her."

(Alternate translation: "It is time to slowly enjoy life. For me, Maria, and the
Child within her.")

Cut to Maria's room as she stares dejectedly out the window, one hand held
protectively over her stomach.

Maria - "Brandon, we lead a polluted, corrupted existence. Compared to the life I
lead now, I want a normal life to protect 'her' with."

(Note: 'Her' being the child in her womb, the future Mika.)

Brandon walks over and places a hand on her shoulder. It is reciprocated.

Maria - "Thank you."

Cut to the lift again, with Brandon and MacDowell.

Harry MacDowell - "Brandon, kill the boss."

Brandon has a shocked look.

Harry MacDowell - "Then we can have everything we've ever wanted. Sound good?
Now's our chance. take it now. And then... and then you can have Maria too."

Brandon loses it and punches MacDowell in the face when he mentions Maria. MacDowell
clutches his bleeding head and looks vengefully at Brandon.

Harry MacDowell - "What rudeness, Brandon!"

A shot. MacDowell has shot Brandon with a hidden pistol. He follows up with 11 more
shots. Brandon hits the wall of the elevator, bleeding and in shock. MacDowell holds
the pistol to his left eye.

Harry MacDowell - "Nothing, and nobody, can stop me. You should've known that."

MacDowell fires, and Brandon's body falls from the elevator amidst a shower of
glass, into the darkness below.

Harry MacDowell - "Fall Brandon, down into the darkness and the grave that suits you
so well."

(Alternate translation: "Fall Brandon, down into the darkness which suits your
Grave so well.")

We return to the present, where Grave is still expressionless.

*End Cutscene -

You start out somewhere in the sky, atop some massive stratoscraper. The first
thing you'll see is something shaped like a cancerous kidney-bladder. Shoot it
and it disgorges... something.

*Special Note - Before I go on, I'll introduce the enemies as you meet them.
This one is a 70mm Finger, one of the four ubiquitous main enemies you'll face
throughout the stage. It launches a single missile, and can charge up and fire a
rain of missiles down at you. It resembles a Kurofuku, doesn't it? Hm... more
on that later.

*Special Note #2 - Although people have complained of not having anything to
shoot up here, do you see those floating structures all over the place? Try
shooting them. They're not worth much, but you may need all the Demolition
shots you can get.

*Special Note #3 - If you've ever wanted to know if Grave can survive a fall off
the top of the building, yes he can. If at ANY point you jump off the edge of
the building, you will either land on the nearest floor beneath you, or in the
case of flying off into Blue Nothingness, you start out from the beginning of the
area (that means the glowing green elevator). No corny Game Overs/Continues? here.
All enemies that were killed stay dead, but you have to climb up ALL the stairs
again.
Only Red knows if Grave actually 'survived' and took the elevator back up. Eeks.

*Personal Note - Kosuke Fujishima must've been asked to do this level. It reeks
of the Heavens in Ah! My Goddess!.

Once it's dead, fill the bladder full of lead! You will learn to hate their
presence, but not to worry. When you see the 'Go' sign appear, follow it to
another glowing glyph-inscribed platform. A staircase appears. Whoo. climb up
and encounter your next new enemy. You will probably meet this guy as soon as
you kill the first Bladder though.

*Special Note - Your new enemy is _THE_ most annoying enemy in the stage,
aptly named Dragonfly. They will fly and buzz around, annoy you by shooting
you, and dodging half your shots. Use a Lock on if possible, and use the 180º
hop to keep an eye on them. They sometimes cheat you of your 100% Kill score by
flying out of firing range permanently.

Once again, clear out everything and proceed upstairs. You will encounter a
few 70mms, Dragonflies, and then a new enemy...

*Special Note - Death Scythes are seriously hardassed enemies if you're not
used to dodging. They run circles around you, then come in for the kill, and
they always come in groups. Learn to Lock and Dive if you haven't already.
You can bat them with the Coffin, but on Normal it takes at least 2 swats so
use them quickly.

Again, up to the next set and repeat. Note that at around this time, Dragonflies
will pop up as you move up the staircase. You WANT to finish them off as quickly
as possible. Somewhere along the way, you will meet a new enemy.

*Special Note - Mad Asuras. These guys are seriously messed up. They share one
pair of legs, but three upper torsos. As you can guess by the name, that means
three heads and six arms. The front two arms can 'put up their dukes' and block
your shots. Don't get too close either. Their guns alone can put serious hurt
on you, but that is the only time when they are vulnerable. Keep firing at one
until it is DEAD before moving on to the next Asura.

It's more of the same, and eventually you'll reach another 'Elevator'. Go on.

You start out with a 70mm to your upper right, and when you approach it, more
Dragonflies appear.

*Special Note: When they're all dead however, don't go up the staircase yet.
Walk around the perimeter of the building. This is the only time you need to
note, if you want your 100% Kill score. Enemies include Dragonflies and one
Mad Asura that drops from the sky.

It only gets harder here as you climb the first flight of stairs. Another
bladder and more enemies, this time working in tandem. Up more stairs, more
enemies to face.

At one point, you will come to an hourglass shaped area. Dragonflies attack
from the narrowest area, and on the opposite end are some Death Scythes.
However, once you cross, look behind. Another Bladder has descended, and is
now disgorging Mad Asuras! The easiest way to approach them is with guns
blazing. Take out the nearest one with a Lock on and work on them one at a
time. They're not too tough, but they can cause you serious pain.

Nothing special though, the sequence is almost too familiar when you finally
reach the top...

*Cutscene -
Grave stands atop an elevator that rises to the very top of the building,
where a giant Bladder floats.

Harry MacDowell - "Yo, Brandon!"

Grave turns and fires at the face, which shatters. A pane of glass stopped
the bullet from reaching MacDowell's face.

Harry MacDowell - "Impulsive as ever. Is this is what you do to friends who haven't
seen each other in a long time? Just what has happened to us?"

The view changes to the world below, at the buildings below. Their scale indicates
this is one TALL tower.

Harry MacDowell - "Look, at the world below us. We are at the top. The freedom
to do what we like. Our dreams have come true eh, Brandon?"

Grave doesn't respond. That gun seems permanently trained on MacDowell's head.

Harry MacDowell - "Haha, you're dead. I forgot. Well, there's an important
personality I'd like to introduce to you."

Something bubbles up from behind Grave and a giant hand reaches out from the
floor to grab Grave and drag him under.

Harry MacDowell - "It's the boss. He's been dead a while, but time has made him see
my way. You two should meet."

MacDowell stands at the edge of a rippling pool, hands behind his back.

Harry MacDowell - "Enjoy yourself, Brandon."

*End Cutscene -

Boss #1: Big Daddy.
Big Daddy's really just a Big Weenie. He has only four attacks. One is a series
of rapid punches. Another is a single, heavy pound and sweep. He has a 'finger
gun' that he fires at you from time to time, and finally, he has Dragon-breath.
Quite literally, he spits fire at you. Only this attack is worth noting, as it
is in the same danger level as the other Flamethrower attacks you've faced in
the past. He can't even move to dodge your attacks!

You fight him in an encased arena with a half-circle for moving space. Lock
and fire, and head for ONE end of the area. The second he starts an attack,
any attack, Jog and Dive (or jump) over to the other side. He'll miss completely.
From the other side, wash, rinse, repeat. Just be careful not to be in the middle
when he stops one attack and starts another, or you'll be feeling it in the morning,
especially the flame attack. THAT one can be avoided just by Jogging. Also, Big
Daddy will lose one arm, then the other, when he is at about 1/5ths of his health.
At any rate, enjoy his Graveyard Finisher...

*Beat Combo Area - Although it is not as easy to get a good beat here, it is
possible to get 200 beats against Big Daddy. Sometimes Grave will lose his aim
for some reason, or you accidentally get hit by Big Daddy, but otherwise, he is
a really easy way to get your 5 skull beat count.

Graveyard Finisher - Grave uses a Hellhound Roar, and then a Deathblow to blow
Big Daddy away.

Phew.... he's dead and that's the end.... you think.

*Cutscene -

Big daddy groans and screams as he writhes in agony. His support breaks and he
falls... and then something big and toothy bites him in half. Grave backs off as
a giant four eyed freak-head appears and stares at him with shining eyes. The
world spins and Grave falls to what appears to be inside a very long snake's
body. (A red version of Big Daddy's stage, flipped horizontally.) The Alien Head
stares at Grave, and roars at him.

*End Cutscene -

Boss #2: Alien Head.
Now, although strictly speaking he's not as hard as Bunji, he IS the last boss and
pretty damned ugly to boot. (if you look carefully at his forehead, between where
the brows should be, you'll spot an alien. This boss is being controlled by an
little green/bluish white man!) He has several attacks, all of which can be
troublesome.

His most basic attack is to simply ram you. While you dodge backwards, he will pick
up speed and try to ram you. This does quite a bit of damage, and he does it often.
Easily dodged by diving backwards.

He has a Flying Bodies attack, where he launches several blue guys that explode
on contact (destroyable by shooting). They're either blue guys or skulls... I
sometimes see skulls, but sometimes they look like blue guys.

He also has a Flying Eyeball attack, where he uses a targeting laser to spot you
first; let it touch you, and dive the moment it does. The eyeball explodes, cannot
be shot down, and does nasty damage, but is too easy to dodge once you know to dodge
the moment the laser touches you.

Finally, he has a Brain Biter attack. He will open up that nasty maw in his...
brain... and try to suck you in. Simply Jog backwards firing all the while. Diving
actually causes you to lose distance because of the pause as Grave lands, but is a
viable last resort if you get too close. If he does swallow you, he'll literally
chew you up and spit you out.

Now, on to killing him: Try not to use the L1 button on him. You'll lock onto his
eyeballs, which are invulnerable. Instead, use it to strafe yourself into the center
of the corridor, and keep jogging backwards. Don't worry about losing him, he'll
follow you as far as you care to run. Hold down your Square button and don't let go
either, he involves no special tactics. Use the L1 ONLY to strafe yourself into a
better position if you find yourself turning the wrong way.

*Beat Combo Area: The final boss is a treat for everyone who's very nearly destroyed
a controller getting a 5 skull in say, Level 4. Simply keep backing off and shooting.
There's almost no way he can get far enough to avoid being hit except when he attacks.
The only ways to break a beat is if you get hit by one of his attacks, but once you
get about 200-250 you don't have to worry anyway.

*

*Sent in by Dark Grave -
"I'm not sure if you have mentioned this (maybe you did accept maybe I just overlooked
it or miss it) but during the last boss battle, you can stop Alien Head from catching
up with you with a Demolition Shot and when he tries to suck you, Demolition Shot would
cancel the effect damaging him. Actually the hall way in that battle isn't infinite.
If you keep on running backwards long enough you'll come to the end of the lane. At this
point, Alien head will lose about two of his attacks, the headbutt and sucking. At this
point you can finally destroy his eyes too and by destroying an eye, it cancels his attacks
upon you. Best place to kill him."

Looks like I forgot to mention that when Alien Head's eyes will start popping when his
health hits 2/5ths of the bar, and the Demolition tactic. Silly me. ^^U
Right, details time:

As reminded by Dark Grave, Alien Head will start to lose eyes when his life bar hits
2/5ths of his total. He will lose his Flying Eyeballs attack, and I think the Exploding
Blue People attack as well.

End of addendum...

*

Again, when his life is low enough, enjoy the final Graveyard Finisher...

Graveyard Finisher - Grave pulls out all the stops and uses all his Styles in one
go. Bullet Dance, Deathblow, Raging Inferno, and finally Hellhound Roar.

*In-Game Cutscene -

Grave points a gun at MacDowell, who has his arms up.

MacDowell : "It's all over then. Well done, Brandon. Come..."

Note: You have to 'shoot' him. Guess which button does that? (NO! NOT the
Demolition button!) If you want, you can leave the system on for three hours and
Grave won't have moved an inch.

*Ending Cutscene -

I won't spoil the last scene for you, but it gives you an idea of just how faithful
Grave is to Maria and Dr. T... even unto death.

Congratulations, you've finished the game and gotten your rank! What's your
total Skull Score, out of a possible 150?

---

5.0 - Extras Menu

The Extras Menu is what you've been working your butt off for for so long. It contains
the following options:

*

Camera - By default, this is always available. High means you're looking at the game from
slightly above Grave's shoulders. Low means you're looking at it from directly behind him.

*

Slow - Not like Max Payne's bullet time by any appreciable stretch of imagination, Slow
is more of a way to watch the finer details of the death and destruction caused by you,
represented by a severe drop in frames. Auto means whenever you perform a Dive, Coffin
Swing or Demolition Shot, the game slows down for you, and R2 activates it manually.
On means you have to activate it manually, and otherwise doesn't affect the game. Off
means it's exactly like the first time through: You don't get anything at all.

Note that the tactical advantages of Slow include being able to plan your moves more freely
in the face of a Boss charging at you to perform his combo attack, as well as assessing a
nasty situation before wading into it. It also lets you fine tune yourself so that you can
get a great beat without taking damage. ^_^

Unlockable with The Savage or below.

*

Movie - If you've always wanted to watch the movies in-game without having to play for them,
this is the one. There are 25 standard movies and 1 bonus movie (of that pink idol you see
in the Who? posters in-game).

Unlockable with Beyond the Grave only.

*

Characters - Big fun here. Since you've been too busy blowing away everyone in-game to
actually apprciate their detail, you can do so here. All characters are located here
sorted to stage and are packed action-figure style! The back even has an 'authentic'
Gungrave cardboard backing! Categories include stage 1-6, Last Boss, and Grave. Anyway,
controls are as follow:

Left Analogue Stick - Selects the 'Action Figure' you wanna view. With a selected figure,
allows you to rotate 360º from the sides, and limited rotation up and down.

O - Confirms the selection. Once more to open the box after confirmation.

Triangle - With a confirmed selection, returns the figure to its initial orientation.

X - Cancels selection, returns you to character menu, or replaces the box when you're
done looking.

Square - Nothing.

L1 - Scrolls up while viewing the figure.

L2 - Scrolls down while viewing the figure.

R1 - Zoom in closer

R2 - Zoom out farther

Select - Scrolls to the next/previous page if any.

Stage 1 Unlockable with the Marauder or above. Stages 2-4 Unlockable with the Rash or below.
Stages 5-Grave unlockable with Beyond the Grave only.

*

Demolition Shot - Allows you to select between infinite Demolition ammo and standard
Demolition ammo. With infinite on, you have access to all the styles from the start,
but you cannot Refill Life, nor will you unlock any Extras with this option when you
finish the game.

Unlockable with the Savage or below.

*

Stage Select - Allows you to play from the start of any stage, from the 'waiting room'
page onwards.

Unlockable with the Savage or below.

*

Note that the unlock requirements are rough estimates, only those requiring Beyond The Grave
are fully confirmed.

- Ranks Available -

For that matter, I have managed to determine the following ranks exist:
(Note that ranks are rated from A-D, and Presumed Averages are given with no particular
preference.)

The Coward - Worst of the worst. Started from stage 6 and botched it. Rating [DDDDD],
by Me. ^_^U

The Dunce - Poor performance, but not the worst. Rating Unknown (Presumed Average: [CCCCC])
Contributed by SambaGuru

The Savage - Decent performance. Rating [BADCD], by hgblob. (Presumed Average [BBCCC])

The Marauder - Average performance. Rating [BACCD], Contributed by pbruiz. (Average of
[BBBCC])

~ Akechi Samanosuke also got [CABCC] for The Marauder.

The Rash - Above Average performance. Rating [BABBC], by me. ;P (Presumed Average: [BBBBC]

~ hgblob also got [ABBCD] for The Rash.
~ mucals got [BBACB] for The Rash.
~ astral wulph is _almost_ sure he got [BABCD] for his rank though.

The Steel - Good performance. Rating [AAADA] by SpYderGraVe. (Presumed Average: [BBBAA]).

The Brave - Really Good performance. Rating [ASBAB] by Beyond the GraVe. (Presumed
Average AAAAB])

Beyond the Grave - Best performance! Rating [AAAAA] or above. By me, and Remy. >;)

Jetjevon also comments about the Extras on the GameFAQs board after getting all S's on Hard:

"...nothing! At least not that I can see. I used all default settings (ie. no help from
the extras menu) except difficulty at Hard. Still got a 'Beyond the Grave' title! My score
was 15908800 and my best time is 0:09:45.

But I don't regret it! To get an S ranking you must score a total of 27+ skulls overall in
each category. You really have to know the levels inside and out to do this (especially on
HARD difficulty). After you play them a few times you start to appreciate how well designed
the levels are, especially with regards to sustaining beat combos."

There we go. The best proof that Gungrave IS about getting the best scores possible. Thank
you, jetjevon, you've just set the bar for others to follow!

---

6.0 - Tidbits about Gungrave

Little bits and pieces about Gungrave that the wonderful people on GameFAQs have provided,
so read on!

Story Summary -
As of this FAQ's conception, only the Japanese version is out. As far as I can tell, not
many people know or care about the story, but I'll give my take on it anyway...

*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT*

Brandon (His surname is revealed as Heat, a.k.a Brandon Heat) is an employee of The Syndicate,
a megacorporation, which is the biggest in the world. (I presume it has a weapons program,
among other things.) A loyal employee, Brandon is given the task of watching his boss's
(Big Daddy) wife, Maria Asagi, who is pregnant with Mika. What the Boss doesn't know however,
is that Brandon himself is in love with Maria. (Revealed in the Anime that he DOES know Brandon
has feelings for her.) Only one other man knows, Harry MacDowell, a greedy, power hungry
corporate type with lofty ambitions. Harry was Brandon's friend, once, (Revealed in Anime) until
his greed took over.

MacDowell is not a nice man. In the elevator one day, he proposes to Brandon to kill
the boss and take over the corporation, to share the wealth that it brings and the
power it bestows. And in a wrong move, he suggests to Brandon that the boss's wife could
then marry Brandon. Shocked and disgusted, Brandon gives MacDowell a punch, which ends
their 'working partnership'. MacDowell fills Brandon with roughly 12 rounds from his
handgun, and then sees him off with a message... and a bullet through the eye.

Years later, Harry MacDowell is the richest and most powerful man alive. He runs a secret
weapons program with mysterious technology that produces the 'Kurofuku' (orc men in the Anime),
one of a series of bio-mechanoid weapons that he intends to use to rise to even higher places.
His base? The massive, sun-blocking Stratoscraper that he and Brandon used to work in. He is the
new boss of the underworld as well, an indication of how far he can and will go.

And in the lowest portions of the city, under the falling snow, a mysterious girl, dragging
an attache case and bleeding, staggers towards some unknown destination. She is Mika Asagi,
daughter of Maria Asagi. She has strange instructions to carry the case to a lab, run by
Dr. T, and seek her guardian there. That guardian is a dark, quiet shadow, with no memory
of himself or his past. The aura of death surrounds him, follows him wherever he goes...
and feeds upon his kills. He is Beyond the Grave, a product of the selfsame research that
MacDowell carries out, but with a more private motive (and a different result).
After Mika's arrival, Grave dons his clothes, packs his Coffin, and carries the twin
legacies of the Asagis with him, Cerberus, the twin guns, his dogs of vengeance. (I believe
that the third head from this beast of legend is his Coffin, but who knows?)

Bob Poundmax, Balladbird Lee, Bear Walken, Bunji Kugashira and (monster) Big Daddy are all
products of MacDowell's direct line of research, humans enhanced with the bio-mechanical
elements of his weapons project. The key seems to be the strange blue-white goo which attaches
itself to their 'hosts' and grants them strange abilities and powers. The goo itself can be
animated to create the Kurofukus, 70mm Fingers, Mad Asuras, Dragonflies and Death Scythes
as well. The goo apparently comes from some alien technology. What the story is behind
that, however, remains to be seen... (a note is that all Kurofukus have the little bat wings
one their shoulders or chest)

The main difference between Grave and the bosses is that Grave started out as a corpse,
so the reanimation might have granted him powers nobody thought of yet. We know
Grave is one-eyed, from the scar given to him by MacDowell, but that doesn't stop him
from laying the smackdown on everyone in his way, and looking flashy to boot. As an
Undead, Grave must replace his body fluids on a regular basis to stay 'alive'. (I suspect
that his blood coagulates after a while. Something similar to Livor Mortis.)

At the end of the game, Grave and Mika set off into the distance, to lead the 'normal life'
that Maria so desperately wanted for her daughter Mika...

Core Character Guide to the Anime (basic info):

Big Daddy - Mostly called Big Daddy or Mister Asagi in the Anime, he is the man who
started the Syndicate, an uber corporation with both legal and highly illegal businesses.
The Syndicate is run under a twisted code of honour, which states that anything is do-able
so long as you don't betray/humiliate the Syndicate. Death is the only recompense.

Big Daddy started the Syndicate in order to protect his family, then went on to his friends,
and finally their businesses. It expanded to cover the globe. At the top of the organisation,
he keeps a tight 'family', a cadre of his most trusted and capable members. Brandon and
Harry were part of that cadre.

Brandon Heat - The really, really quiet guy. (He has about 2 lines in every episode, and
each line only consists of one or two words.) A crack shot, great fighter, but lousy
dresser, Brandon is in love with Maria Asagi. Extremely passive most of the time, he
follows Harry around and generally does whatever Harry does, the two of them being the
best of friends.

Later, when he joins the Syndicate, he works at a low end bookie office and is often
asked to employ his muscle to 'convince' debtors into paying. However, when he takes
a bullet for Big Daddy in a failed assassination attempt, he becomes a 'Sweeper' (hitman)
under Bear Walken's charge and eventually becomes an elite member of Big Daddy's 'Family'.

Note: His appearance in the Anime and the Game are vastly different... does he go through
an image change again later in the anime??

Harry MacDowell - Known as 'Bloody Harry' in the Anime (how cliched), Harry MacDowell is
your typical business supervillian: Scheming, conniving, traitorous, greedy, power-mad,
and utterly ruthless. He came from humble beginnings, living in a mediterranian style
coastal city that had been abandoned by the authorities and ruled by lawlessness.
Together with Brandon Heat, they were just a bunch of street-gangsters until a chance
meeting with one of Big Daddy's associates turned their lives around. (Maria Asagi fits
into this picture. More on that later) Harry always wears a suit, no matter where he
goes and what he does. He also enjoys letting others do the dirty work for him.

As you can guess, Harry claws his way to the top (with Brandon in tow) using a mountain
of corpses. His business savvy and his ruthless ambition (along with a group of HIS
trusted lieutenants) finally earned him a place under the Family, from which he
launches his nefarious plans.

Harry is smart, and extremely political. He undermines the Syndicate without discovery,
and is able to recruit his own pool of talent from which he carries out his own
activities 'for the Family', but which really furthers his own agenda. However, he
forgets the one important thing in life: Friendship.

Maria Asagi - Beautiful, smart, and extremely likeable, Maria was adopted by one of
Big Daddy's friends, Joker, on the same island that Brandon and Harry live on. Upon
Joker's death, Big Daddy honours Joker's request that Maria be taken care of as best
possible and takes her under his wing. At her request, she pays a final visit to Joker
before moving in with Big Daddy. That stroke of fate brings two people into what is
ultimately a massive string of events.

Brandon and Harry are also at the cemetery, visiting, when they are attacked by several
gang members who are less than pleased at their recent actions. They are saved when
Maria spots them and asks Big Daddy to save them. One of Big Daddy's Family does so,
and gives them some advice...

Harry joins the Syndicate because he wants to rise in the social ladder and bring
himself out of poverty and achieve the 'freedom' of the rich and powerful.

Brandon joins to see Maria Asagi.

Mika Asagi - Eventually, Big Daddy gets around to marrying Maria and having Mika.
Around this time, Harry is beginning to hatch his plans to take over the Syndicate.
A few years later, he begins his hostile takeover and Maria sends Mika away to safety,
into the arms of Dr. T. Mika barely escapes with Tokioka's (Big Daddy's butler) help.

Everything that happens after that is in the game.

Bob Poundmax - You wouldn't recognize him when he just started. He was a skinny
geek. Anyway, Bob's specialty is informations and communications espionage. He can
intercept, transmit, record, track and duplicate anything that comes by wire, line,
satellite, radio waves, anything. He is Harry's information specialist when they
first join the Syndicate. He has a weakness for fried chicken.

Balladbird Lee - Harry's right hand man, the one who does everything that Harry
needs doing. Ruthless, but hidden beneath a veneer of docility. Balladbird Lee
is the definitive stereotypical Chinese Martial Artist: Mysterious awareness,
impressive fighting prowess, and so obviously chinese-looking.

Bear Walken - Big Daddy's original Elite Sweeper. Bear Walken is a crack shot,
and a deadly efficient hunter. He has a daughter (who is manipulated by Harry),
and joins Harry's side after Big Daddy's assassination. He is very wise. He
trains Brandon in the way of the Sweeper and raises him to position of Top
Sweeper soon after.

Bunji Kugashira - A loose cannon before he joined the ranks of the Syndicate,
Bunji's goal is to do the impossible and never before achieved. An assignment
to assassinate Harry becomes a turning point when he learns what Harry can
offer him, and becomes another Sweeper, albeit inferior to Brandon in many
ways. (Not to say he sucks, but Brandon is just too good.) He sees Brandon as
both brother and rival.


More tidbits:

A new Gungrave game is in production, titled 'Gungrave OD (overdose)'. No further
details available.

*

"Do you know Brandon's (Grave) wife? (I'm not sure is his wife, I only know she is
Mika's sister...) is acted by the voice of Kikuo Inoue, the voice actor of Belldandy
(Ah! My Goddess) and Lobelia Carlini (Sakura Wars 3)"
- By Xenoseripha

(Side Note: Kikuko fans rejoice! She's in the game! And I think he is referring to Maria
Asagi.)

*

"But one of the villians is voiced by Masaya Onosaka who plays Vash in the anime of
Trigun."
-Bebpo

(Side note: Masaya Onosaka has been confirmed to act the voice of Balladbird Lee,
by bebpo.)

*

- Certain editions of Gungrave have an alternate cover on the flip side of the original.
Take a peek, maybe your copy has one. It should be the Asian versions.

*

Donny Chan from Cheathappens and a recognized GameFAQs contributor sent me this address
for which seiyuus (Voice Actors) did what parts in Japanese games:

http://page.freett.com/seaside/koe/koe_ka.html

use

http://page.freett.com/seaside/koe/koe_ka.html#gungrave

to visit the Gungrave portion. The manual also states the seiyuu list, but I find this
page to be easier to read/translate.

Here's the Seiyuu List, all names have been checked for accuracy during and after
translation:

Big Daddy : Kayumi Iemasa
Harry MacDowell : Isobe Tsutomu
Maria Asagi : Inoue Kikuko
Mika Asagi : Kawakami Tomoko
Dr T. : Kiyokawa Motomu
Bob Poundmax : Cha Furin
Balladbird Lee : Onosaka Masaya
Bear walken : Ootomo Ryuuzaburou
Bunji Kugashira : Tsuiki/Tachiki Fumihiko (In this case there has been a conflict
of translations. My apologies.)
Generic Male #1 : Kobayashi Kazuya
Generic Male #2 : Kaneko Nobuaki
Generic Female : Ookishima Akiko


Song - Here Comes the rain, by Raj Ramayya (Ramaya?)

(All information courtesy of the URL above. Translation correction by Donny.)

*

Saitohaji has a page with some of the pics and wallpapers that were released by
http://www.gungrave.com on a daily basis. The wallpaper run has ended, but Saitohaji
has been kind enough to compile everything into http://www.gungrave.ca.tc . Take a look!
If you have anything he doesn't, send them to him! (That Burst-Mode animatic is cool!)

---

7.0 - Credits

Credit goes to GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) for posting this FAQ up.

Everyone on the GameFAQs Gungrave board for posting all their info generously.

Of mention are:

hgblob, pbruiz, Beyond the GraVe, holdincourt, Akechi Samanosuke, bebpo,
SpYderGraVe, mucals and astral_wulph.

Special thanks to Remy for being really, _REALLY_ helpful!

Bebpo again (sorry, I forgot the first time!) for clearing up the Masaya Onosaka
seiyuu (voice actor) role.

Dark Grave for the Alien Head tips.

Donny "Gamera" Chan for the Seiyuus listing. He can also be found on
http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/146.html . He's quite the FAQ
writer. He also helped make the voice actor's list possible and accurate. A salute.

Saitohaji for his generous website.

More thanks, this time to SpYderGraVe who sends in a Gungrave ASCII title. ^_^

Lionel Ng for reminding me to add the R Shoulder buttons for the Characters Extra,
and for questioning the Alien Head boss's attacks. (I though I saw skulls, then I
thought I saw blue guys... could be both or I'm just crazy?)

Jetjevon for letting us know his [SSSSS] results and ranking on Hard!

S HIRYU for noting that the Marauder will only unlock Level 1's Action Figures
extra.

---

8.0 - Contact me

If you see any discrepancies, errors, misinformation, etc, or want to add something, or want
to praise me, etc. etc. etc., please send an email to ranmafan@hotmail.com, and add
"Gungrave" to its subject. For everything else, I have the Junk Mail filter on at Exclusive.
Beware.

ranmafan out.